Driver found alive at bottom of ravine five days after 100-foot plunge off cliff

05 September 2023 , 01:48

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Teams of firefighters used their training wisely and managed to construct a rope system to get the patient to safety (Image: Kern County Fire Department)

Rescuers managed to rescue an individual who was trapped in their car, immobilized, after surviving a 100ft plunge off a cliff, using a system of ropes to pull them out of the remote area in California.

A 911 caller spotted the vehicle at the bottom of the Tehachapi Mountains of Kern County between the towns of Arvin and Stallion Springs, according to a Kern County Fire Department incident report. When rescuers arrived, they found the driver immobile but alive.

When firefighters arrived, they realised the rescue would be difficult, as the area was so remote and between two small and winding roads. "Additional personnel and equipment would clearly be needed," fire officials wrote, noting the steep, rugged terrain posed a challenge to reach the injured driver.

Kern County firefighters utilized their USAR training and built a rope rescue system to lower one firefighter down to make patient contact quickly (Kern County Fire Department)

"The patient was injured and had been immobilised at the bottom of the ravine since Tuesday, August 29th," according to the incident report. They requested a team of 20 firefighters, four-engine crews, a six fire patrol units and an urban search and rescue team. The fire crews had to build 'a rope rescue system' to reach the driver, officials said.

A tweet from the fire department showed the chaos with large rescue vehicles parked around the usually desolate area full of rogue nature. The rescue workers can be seen standing shoulder to shoulder and lowering a rope slowly into the ravine where the motorist was trapped.

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Then, rescue workers began travelling down using the rope system in order to reach the individual. Once they got to the bottom, they secured the person, whose name and gender were not released, into a basket and used the same system to pull them up. The driver was flown by helicopter to an area hospital and was being treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

The full press release said, "At 10:58 AM, September 2nd, a call to the Kern County Emergency Communications Center reported a vehicle at the bottom of a ravine off Comanche Point Road between the communities of Arvin and Stallion Springs. When KCFD Engine 48 and Patrol 48 arrived on scene they found a badly damaged pickup truck and one occupant at the bottom of a 100' cliff."

The patient was injured and had been immobilized at the bottom of the ravine for five days, but rescuers managed to get them out (Kern County Fire Department)

"Additional personnel and equipment would clearly be needed; 4 Engines, 6 Patrols, and 1 USAR (Urban Search and Rescue) from KCFD arrived on scene to support incident needs. Kern County firefighters utilised their USAR training and built a rope rescue system to quickly lower one firefighter down to make patient contact."

"The patient was injured and had been immobilised at the bottom of the ravine since Tuesday, August 29th. Three more firefighters were then lowered, by a team of firefighters and equipment from KCFD's USAR 47, to secure the patient in a stokes basket before raising the patient to safety."

"The patient was transported by Hall ground ambulance to a landing zone, and was then flown by Mercy Air 15 to a local area hospital. CHP and Stallion Springs PD also assisted with on-scene operations."

Yelena Mandenberg