RSS Feed
Friday, October 05, 2007 | 
On Friday, October 5, 2007 at 3:45 PM, 3 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, 6 LAFD Rescue Ambulances, 1 Heavy Rescue, 3 Urban Search and Rescue Units, 2 Helicopters, 1 EMS Battalion Captain and 2 Battalion Chief Officer Command Teams, a total of 50 Los Angeles Fire Department personnel, joined by City of Los Angeles Park Rangers and Department of General Services Police Officers, all under the direction of Battalion Commander Jose S-Cronenbold, responded to a cliff rescue in the rugged Bronson Canyon area of the Hollywood Hills.
Firefighters were directed to a steep and rocky hillside more than 150 feet above the canyon floor, where they found a 24 year-old Connecticut man who had tumbled more than forty feet while trying to navigate the slippery terrain.
Discovering the cut-and-bruise covered man to have a severe left shoulder injury, as well as a compound fracture to his left ankle, they immediately summoned specialized LAFD ground and air teams.
Securing the man and themselves, Firefighters commenced medical care in the inhospitable terrain of the former quarry, as a flight-crew Paramedic and litter basket were lowered from a hovering helicopter.
The man was soon secured in the litter basket and though a helicopter hoist was initially anticipated, the loose, rocky and unstable soil beneath him was determined to be a greater danger from the helicopter rotor wash.
As such, an alternate plan was promptly pursued.
Using the skill and equipment of LAFD's municipal Urban Search and Rescue teams, the patient was quickly and effectively lowered to the canyon floor via a rope relay system. He was placed in an awaiting ambulance and transported to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in fair condition.
No other injuries were reported.
It was not immediately clear why the man was traversing the steep hillside in Bronson Canyon, the site of one or more cliff rescues a year by Los Angeles Firefighters.
Others have admitted to being drawn to the site, near the famous 'Hollywood' sign due to its eight decade history as a filming location.
Often mentioned is a short tunnel nearby that has served as a popular backdrop for countless productions, including the 1960's television series 'Batman'.
(incident news video) (photos)
Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department
2 comments:
Brian, thanks for the information. I've lived all my life in Los Angeles and had no idea that was where the Bat Cave was located.
Anonymous 12:33,
Thanks for the note. In the interest of accuracy, I should make it clear that the very brief *exit* (scene) of the Batmobile "leaving the Bat Cave" is all that was filmed at the location in the 1960's.
Thanks to the magic of editing, that three-second long action sequence makes it seem as though the George Barris creation is exiting an earlier scene (actually filmed on a sound stage) and not a really short and heavily disguised earthen tunnel bored in the hillside of the former quarry.
Many Firefighters have asked those who mysteriously hike the hillside above the 'cave' entrance what they were hoping to see or find, and not a one yet has mentioned Wayne Manor - but we wonder! (smile).
Respectfully Yours in Safety and Service,
Brian Humphrey
Firefighter/Specialist
Public Service Officer
Los Angeles Fire Department
Post a Comment
Comments to this blog are approved or disapproved without editing.
We seek to offer a broad cross-section of *public* thoughts that are specific to the topic at hand and genuinely polite in tone - regardless of opinion.
Kindly post your comments below.