Posted 4:16 PM 12/10/2012 : Woman airlifted after being thrown from horse in Tucson Mountains
TUCSON - The woman who was thrown from a horse in the Tucson Mountains this afternoon sustained serious, but non-life threatening, injuries and was successfully extracted from a wash with 30-foot walls.
Northwest Fire District firefighters were dispatched to the area of Sweetwater Drive and Camino De Oeste after receiving the 911 at about 1:49 p.m., NWFD official Captain Adam Goldberg confirmed. A friend riding with the victim rode back to a house and called 911.
The victim, a 50-year-old woman, was located in the wash, and based on her condition, it was decided that NWFD's technical rescue team assist in removing the woman from the wash, Goldberg stated. A technincal rescue team used a Stokes basket to lift the woman out of the wash and transport her to a waiting medical helicopter, which then took her to a local hospital.
The rescue took about 1 hour and 15 minutes to complete, Goldberg said. The horse was not injured and was ridden back home by a family member of the victim.
"Northwest Fire reminds you to always have a cell phone, or a ‘buddy' with you during outside activities such as hiking, biking, or riding a horse," Goldberg said.
Posted 1:48 PM 12/10/2012 : Crews airlifting female thrown from horse in Tucson Mountains
TUCSON - A female patient is being airlifted from the Tucson Mountains after being thrown off her horse and suffering serious injuries.
Northwest Fire units are en route to a staging area near Sweetwater and Oxbow, stated Captain Adam Goldberg.
A "Stokes" rescue basket has been requested by the engine company at the scene. The patient will be lifted out of a 30 to 40-foot drop into a wash.
News 4 Tucson crews are en route - stay tuned to News 4 Tucson and KVOA.com for more information as this story develops.