Calgary Fire Department Technical Rescue Team called to McKenzie Lake to perform slope rescue

At approximately 2:15 on the afternoon of  Friday, February 2, Calgary fire crews including the  CFD technical rescue team, were  dispatched  to the community of McKenzie Lake for a significant fall down an embankment. A woman in her forties had slipped on some ice, lost her balance and tumbled down a steep hill,  landing near the golf course  below and making it challenging for rescuers to get to her quickly. 

The technical rescue team used a specialized tool called the Mule 2 Litter Wheel  (also referred to by firefighters as ‘The Big Wheel’) to rappel down to the patient  to transport her out of the ravine.  Other firefighters, including the CFD Fire Response Paramedic (FRP) approached from the golf course side at the bottom of the hill to start patient care.  Fire crews used a stoke stretcher  with c-spine precautions to package her for safe transport.  She was transported by the FRP in the CFD  utility terrain vehicle (known as the Gator) and was transferred to the waiting EMS paramedics.  The patient was conscious and alert as she was transferred to EMS and taken to an area hospital.  

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