Renton firefighters and partner agencies carried out a complex rope rescue Wednesday after a person fell 70 to 100 feet down a steep hillside off Monterey Drive Northeast, according to Renton Firefighters.
The incident began when Renton police, using a thermal imaging drone during a search, located a person who had gone down the backside of a heavily wooded slope above Maple Valley Highway.
The drop placed the individual in an area that was difficult to access due to thick brush, steep terrain, and sections of vertical rock.
Firefighters from Renton and Puget Sound Fire, along with King County Medic One and Renton police, worked together to reach the patient.
Crews spent nearly an hour cutting through overgrowth and constructing rope systems designed to safely navigate sharp angles and sheer rock faces.
These technical systems allowed firefighters to move steadily and securely in order to access the injured person.
Once contact was made, the patient was stabilized on the hillside.
Rescue crews then used the rope systems to carefully lift the individual back up the slope.
The person was transferred to paramedics from King County Medic One, who provided additional care before transporting the patient to a hospital.
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