Hikers getting into trouble on Oahu trails keep HFD rescuers busy

Mar. 3—Hikers getting in trouble on trails across Oahu kept Honolulu Fire Department rescuers busy Saturday, coming to the aid of six people and a dog in four separate incidents.

At around 2:48 p.m., a 78-year-old woman was taken to the hospital in stable condition for heat exhaustion and overexertion at Yokohama Bay, according to Honolulu Emergency Medical Services.

The woman was rescued by HFD personnel after she hiked from the Mokuleia hiking trail to Yokohama Bay.

A hiking group of four family members was rescued earlier this afternoon in Kaneohe.

At 1:17 p.m., HFD received a 911 call for the hiking group, consisting of a 41-year-old woman and her three pre-teen children who were lost on the Friendship Trail. HFD responded with five units and 13 personnel, with the first unit arriving 10 minutes later. Rescuers secured a nearby landing zone for the search and rescue operation using HFD's Air 1 helicopter.

The group had been hiking for around four hours when they became lost and needed help, according to an HFD news release. Using the geolocation from the woman's cell phone, HFD's Air 1 helicopter was able to find the group on a mountain ledge above the Kapaa Quarry at 1:52 p.m.

A rescuer from Air 1 was lowered to the ledge to extract each of the four hikers off of the mountainside one by one. The hikers were airlifted to a nearby parking lot, with the first arriving at 2:12 p.m. and the last at 2:36 p.m. The group did not require medical attention.

In East Oahu, HFD rescuers airlifted a 35-year-old woman with a leg injury from the Koko Head Crater Trail earlier in the afternoon.

HFD received a 911 call at 12:08 p.m. for the injured hiker, and responded with six units and 17 personnel. The first unit arrived on scene at 12:17 p.m. and went up the hill on foot to look for the hiker. Other units secured a landing zone for a search and rescue operation by air.

The woman, who had been hiking for around 20 minutes, reportedly injured her leg and could not descend the trail on her own. Personnel found her about 200 feet above the bridge on the trail at 12:33 p.m. They conducted a medical assessment and gave her basic life support, then put her on a rescue stretcher and airlifted her by HFD helicopter to the landing zone. Medical care was transferred to EMS at 1:04 p.m.

The three afternoon rescues came just a couple hours after HFD sent Air 1, six units and 17 personnel to rescue a pet dog that had fallen 20 feet off the side of Waimano Trail in Pearl City. The uninjured dog was airlifted safely back on to the trail.

HFD offered these tips for hikers:

>> Compare your level of fitness, ability, and experience with the trail description. Be practical and realistic. There are a wide variety of trails in Hawaii; pick one that suits your level.

>> Ensure you stay hydrated to avoid heat exhaustion, becoming disoriented, and muscle cramps.

>> Keep your dog on a short leash to ensure safety, courtesy, and control.