Tallulah Gorge State Park Manager Lieren Merz has been awarded Georgia’s Park Ranger Bravery Award. Merz was recognized for her lifesaving efforts at the popular Northeast Georgia park.
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources presented Merz with a plaque honoring her achievement. She was awarded the honor for coordinating rescues that involved five helicopter responses in just six weeks. In addition, Merz frequently coordinates help for visitors suffering from dehydration and less life-threatening injuries.
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Rugged terrain
Tallulah Gorge boasts a 1,000-foot-deep canyon with six waterfalls and 20 miles of trails. Over 850,000 people visit the park yearly, and thousands hike the strenuous trail to the gorge floor. Due to the rugged, challenging terrain, park officials are often called upon to rescue visitors in emergency situations.
In presenting the award to Merz, DNR issued a press release saying, “She is always the first to hike down into the gorge when help is needed. She also works closely with local response agencies to improve communications, install high-line anchors to aid in response, and provide training for those who will respond to gorge emergencies.”
Merz joined other state park managers who were honored during Georgia DNR’s annual Managers Conference in August.
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