An elderly man suffered minor injuries after falling over a hillside Saturday in Harrison Hills Park, according to emergency crews.
“He must’ve tripped and fell because when we got to him he was laying on the hill with his arms stuck under some branches,” Citizens Hose EMS Chief Jim Erb said.
“Thankfully, he didn’t fall the whole way down the hill.”
Crews were called about 12:15 p.m. to Overlook Pavilion at the foot of the park.
“He was at a family reunion and went to use the restroom, and he lost his way,” Erb said. “Family members got concerned and went to check on him.”
When emergency crews found the man, he was coherent but not calling out for help, Erb said.
“Thankfully, his family was able to find him right away,” he said.
A relatively quick rescue was executed by Fire Chief Sean Jones and his crew, with help from Harrison Hills Volunteer Fire Company. It took less than 30 minutes to bring the man back up the hill safely.
He was taken to Butler Memorial Hospital for evaluation.
Harrison Hills Fire Chief Jim Bartolovich said crews used a utility terrain vehicle and a Stokes basket to retrieve the man.
“It was a pretty quick rescue,” Bartolovich said. “He was in decent shape and everyone did a good job.”
Erb said the man must have wandered off the paved pathway that circles the pavilion and then lost his footing.
The hillside overlooks the Allegheny River. Erb was thankful the man appeared to get caught up in the leaves and branches near the top of the hill.
“It could’ve been a lot worse,” he said. “He was definitely stuck but, thankfully, he wasn’t too far down.”
