Woman saved after surviving for days trapped in muddy Dallas ravine
First-responders rescue woman from Dallas ravine
Dallas first-responders personnel rescued a homeless woman who had been trapped in a Dallas ravine for days, officials said. FOX 4's David Sentendrey has more.
DALLAS - A collaborative rescue operation between Dallas police officers and firefighters saved the life of a young woman who had been trapped for days in a steep ravine, authorities said.
Woman trapped in muddy ravine
What we know:
The rescue happened on June 28 at 5:25 p.m. after a young man reported hearing faint cries for help coming from a heavily wooded area behind Emmett J. Conrad High School, which is in the 7600 block of Fair Oaks Ave., between the Vickery Meadow and Lake Highlands neighborhoods.
Upon investigating, the bystander found a young woman trapped in deep mud and sewage at the bottom of a steep ravine.
Responding units from the Dallas Police Department and Dallas Fire-Rescue faced punishing conditions, with afternoon temperatures reaching 104 degrees. First responders had to navigate a quarter-mile of treacherous, rugged terrain to reach the victim.
Despite the extreme heat and difficult topography, emergency crews successfully pulled the woman from the mud.
She was taken to an area hospital, where she was treated for severe dehydration, prolonged sun exposure, and other injuries sustained during her days-long entrapment. Her identity and current condition have not been released.
"She was very weak"
What they're saying:
"These type of incidents can be pretty few and far between."
Dallas Fire-Rescue paramedic Robert Kober says the rain from the week prior added to the difficulty of the rescue.
"This terrain was extremely wet and muddy," Kober explained. "She was very weak. She had told us that she had been out here for several days."
Robert Kober
Kober says the woman was homeless, and says it's not uncommon to see homeless people in the area where she got stuck.
"When I made the initial contact with her, I could see that she had been sunburnt really bad," Kober continued. "I was honestly surprised to see how coherent she was for how long she had been out there."
"This is definitely one of those incidents that reminds me why I signed up for this job in the first place."
Dallas Police statement
"The well-being of the Dallas community is not something that’s handled by a single agency," the Dallas Police Department said in a statement praising the joint effort. "It takes a collaborative effort from multiple teams and organizations working side-by-side to ensure every person’s safety."
Department officials extended their thanks to the officers, firefighters, and paramedics involved, noting that their swift action saved a woman in desperate need of help.
The Source: Information in this article is from the Dallas Police Department.