A rescuer had to be airlifted out of Tallulah Gorge Saturday after he was injured in a fall during a rescue operation. He was one of more than a dozen emergency personnel who responded to the gorge on two emergency calls. One call was for a female suffering from heat exposure, the other was for a man who nearly drowned.
It took emergency crews several hours to extricate the patients and their injured co-worker from the gorge.
Habersham County Emergency Services (HCES) Director Chad Black says the injured rescuer was from his department. After being airlifted by a DNR helicopter, he was transported to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville. He sustained “injuries to his shoulder, knee, and pelvic area,” Black tells Now Habersham. He was treated and released from the hospital Saturday night.
The near-drowning victim was reportedly underwater for 3-5 minutes, according to Black. He was resuscitated by the time rescuers arrived. The man was flown by Air Ambulance to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville, where he remained as of early Sunday.
The female patient was treated on the scene for heat and exposure.
Two other rescuers were overcome by the heat during the rescue operation. They were treated at the scene.
HCES, Tallulah Falls Fire Department, Lee Arrendale Fire Department, Rabun County Rescue, and DNR took part in the rescue.
Tallulah Gorge Rescue
Saturday, Aug. 11, 2018
Tallulah Falls, GA
photos by Daniel Purcell
Updated 8/12/18 @7pm
