One of the wild, if not always wonderful, aspects of adventure tourism comes when participants seeking extreme experiences succumb to the risk and danger inherent in pushing the limits.
Fortunately, when accidents happen, the highly trained, experienced, and dedicated crews of various Pendleton County emergency services departments have a long track record of successful rescues and lives saved.
Last Friday at 1:29 p.m., according to Rick Gillespie, Pendleton County Emergency Services coordinator, Pendleton 911 received a call and dispatched first responders to Seneca Rocks.
The climber had fallen from an unreported height and required both extraction and treatment for injuries.
Seneca Rocks Volunteer Fire Department, an ambulance and the tactical team from Pendleton County Emergency Rescue, employees from the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Forest Service Law Enforcement, and Health Net 6 all provided the professional response.
Seneca Rocks mountain guides and other experts assisted the efforts of emergency responders.
The climber’s location required both a lengthy and precision effort to extract and stabilize him. Emergency services had to belay him to a safer area for initial treatment.
Approximately five hours after the call to 911, Health Net 6 started the transport of the patient to Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown.
