Georgia Hiker Rescued After Falling Nearly 50 Feet Off the Edge of a Waterfall
Gainesville Fire Department
A young woman enjoying a hike near a waterfall in Helen, Georgia became the subject of a daring rescue on Friday after she fell nearly 50 feet off the edge.
The hiker was taking in the view at the top of Raven Cliff Falls on Friday afternoon when she slipped, tumbling between 40 and 50 feet to the bottom of the waterfall, White County Fire and Emergency Services confirmed.
Gainesville Fire Department, which assisted White County Fire and EMS, shared word of the dramatic rescue on its Facebook page.
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White River Fire and EMS shared that when rescue crews contacted the hiker around 6:50 P.M, after initially responding at 5:20 P.M.
When White River EMS technical personnel were able to make contact with the woman, she was "lodged in [a] very narrow area where the rock faces of the falls came together."
The entire operation lasted until 3 A.M. on Saturday morning, according to the GFD, and required the work of 17 different branches of emergency services, a cross-departmental feat White River EMS shared was required "due to the dangerous terrain and extreme technicality of the call."
Neither of the departments responded immediately to an information request from PEOPLE.
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But at the end of it all, authorities reported the hiker was able to walk out and only needed to be treated for minor injuries.
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After an initial post, the GFD provided an update to clarify that the woman had not fallen while taking photos, and had only been observing the view.
The GFD said the unidentified female is currently "recovering well at home with family," and called the entire ordeal a (and its minimal severity) a "miraculous turn of events."
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"Well done everyone!" the department shared, congratulating the team on their efforts. "The true meaning of brotherhood was evident last night."
White River Fire and EMS congratulated each individual team by name in their own Facebook post, sharing: "with their help, we were able to obtain the best possible outcome for the patient and rescue personnel."
