60-year-old injured hiker rescued from Ditch Trail in Kōke‘e

An injured 60-year-old woman and Kaua‘i resident was rescued Monday from Ditch Trail in Kōke‘e State Park.

Waimea Fire Station personnel and an American Medical Response ambulance crew responded after receiving a report shortly after 5:25 p.m. April 7 about a distressed hiker on the trail off Camp 10 Road, also known as the Sugi Grove campsite, in Kōke‘e.

Firefighters with Truck 7 arrived at the scene about a half-mile into Ditch Trail to find the hiker, who suffered an apparent ankle injury.

A combination of specialized equipment was used to safely extract her from the trail because of its challenging terrain.

First responders treated the patient with splints before loading her into a SKED — a rescue stretcher designed for cases such as confined spaces, high-angle rescues and traditional land scenarios — to be taken down the steep and muddy slope.

Firefighters, once able, used an Aztek device — a rope tool used for simple multi-purpose rigging — to safely haul the SKED along the trail.

Truck 7 personnel successfully brought the patient to the trailhead, where she decided to driver herself to the emergency room.

The scene was cleared shortly after 9:35 p.m.