Some local Boy Scouts put their training to good use this weekend after a man was injured at Panther Creek Falls. Rescuers say the man fell 15-20 feet from the top of the falls and hit his back. Scouts used a tarp and tree branches to scoop the 28-year-old man out of the water and bring him up onto the beach.
The falls are located at the end of a 3.5 mile trail that runs along Panther Creek off Historic US 441 in Turnerville.
More than a dozen rescuers from multiple agencies responded to the scene including Habersham Search and Rescue (HABSAR), Habersham County Emergency Services (HCES), and firefighters from Lee Arrendale Correctional Institute.
The rescue operation took around 5.5 hours because the injured man had to be carried out of the area. Bad weather prevented Department of Natural Resources choppers from assisting.
The man’s name has not been released. He was transported to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville reportedly in stable condition. Officials have not provided any details about the circumstances that led to his fall.
The incident at Panther Creek happened on the same day that a Charleston, South Carolina man died after being swept over Rainbow Falls in Western North Carolina.
The U.S. Forest Service says the best way to enjoy waterfalls is from a safe distance. Hikers and sightseers are urged to heed posted warning signs and never swim or wade upstream near a waterfall, even if the water appears shallow and calm.
Photos courtesy of HABSAR and HCES
