Seattle man rescued from WA ravine after 'HELP' 911 text
SEATTLE - A man was rescued after falling into a ravine and severely injuring himself, with the response starting with a 911 text that simply read, "HELP."
The backstory:
A 51-year-old Seattle man seriously injured his leg and was bleeding in a deep ravine near the north end of Little Kachess Lake on Sunday, the Kittitas County Sheriff's Office said.
He sent 911 a text saying "HELP" with a broken cell signal, and dispatchers worked to communicate with him over the next hour and a half.
The King County Sheriff's Office mobilized resources, later learning that the man couldn't access his bicycle and supplies, and that he appeared to be passing in and out of consciousness.
Dispatchers helped the man make a tourniquet using the straps of his bicycle helmet, as crews created a plan for his rescue.
Because the ravine the man was in was so steep, a hoist-equipped helicopter was requested. It's estimated he could have fallen as far as 500 feet.
The King County Sheriff’s Office's Guardian 2 air unit flew in, hoisted the man out, and flew him directly to Harborview Medical Center.
The rescue took place on the afternoon of Sunday, July 6.
The Source: Information in this story came from a Facebook post by the Kittitas County Sheriff's Office.
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