Habersham EMS transported a young boy to the hospital Saturday after he fell while hiking with his family near Panther Creek.
Habersham County 911 dispatched crews to the scene at 3 p.m. The initial call went out as a 10-year-old boy who fell from a cliff. The patient was actually eight years old, and authorities say he slid down an embankment into the creek.
His grandfather saw him slide into the water. He and some bystanders rescued the boy, says Habersham County Emergency Services Lt. Brandon Fields.
HCES and Habersham County Search and Rescue (HSARS) personnel were hiking into the woods when they met up with a group carrying the injured boy out. “It was very minor,” says Fields, “non-life threatening injuries.” He says the boy suffered scrapes and bruises. EMS took him by ambulance to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville to get him checked out.
Panther Creek is located in the Chattahoochee National Forest on the northern end of Habersham County. It’s relatively rough terrain, with a three-mile-long hiking trail that leads to Panther Creek Falls. The boy and his family were visiting the popular outdoor recreational area from out of town. They were still a distance from the falls when he was hurt. The entire rescue took three hours to complete.
While it’s not clear what made the boy fall, there were many people outside enjoying today’s spring-like weather. With increased outdoor activity comes the increased danger for accidents. “Always be aware of your surroundings, Fields urges. “Use common sense and be careful.”
