First responders rescue woman who fell from Camden Hills State Park climbing cliff
CAMDEN — Camden police and Camden firefighters, a North East Mobile Health Services ambulance crew and volunteers with Coastal Mountains Search and Rescue team converged near the base of popular climbing cliff near Barrett’s Cove at Camden Hills State Park May 18 at approximately 6 p.m. to rescue a young woman who had fallen down the lower part of the precipice.
She was conscious and alert when Camden Police Officer Mark Bennett arrived first on scene, up the trail from a Route 52 turnout, where climbers who were with the woman waved him in.
Emergency medical personnel arrived shortly after, as did 11 Camden firefighters, Camden Police Chief Randy Gagne, and volunteers ready to assist.
According to Camden Assistant Fire Chief Andrew Lowe, who hiked up the path to the spot where the 18-year-old had fallen, the woman was part of a group of climbers who were using the lower part of the rock face on which to train.
The woman was wearing a harness and helmet, and had apparently tumbled down near the base of the sheer cliff, suffering skin abrasions.
First responders used a Stokes Basket to carry her down to a waiting ambulance. Because of the steep terrain, the initial descent was made by a chain of people moving the basket down hand over hand until they got to a flatter section of the trail where they could walk her out.
North East Mobile Health Services transported her to Pen Bay Medical Center.