Sedona AZ (September 2, 2013) – On Saturday, August 31, 2013, at approximately 11:30 in the morning, the Coconino County Sheriff’s Deputy assigned to the Forest Lakes area and Forest Lakes Fire Department personnel responded to Forest Service Road 237 Milepost 7 emergency call about a thirteen year-old boy who had fallen an unknown distance in Mogollon Rim Cheveleon Canyon.

At the time of the fall, the child and his father were on a Bear Hunt in an area approximately 1,000 feet below the top of Cheveleon Canyon in very rugged and steep terrain. Upon arrival, Emergency First Responders determined they were not equipped to safely access the location where the child came to rest.

The Coconino County deputy immediately requested the assistance of the Arizona Department of Public Safety Air Rescue Helicopter, the Gila County Sheriff’s Office Tonto Rim Technical Rope Rescue Team, and the Coconino County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Technical Rescue Team. Due to inclement weather, rain and thunder storms, DPS helicopters stationed in Flagstaff and Phoenix both responded. Considering the serious nature of the child’s injuries and the severe weather conditions, it was reasoned that with both helicopters responding at least one would be able to reach the canyon location in a safe and timely manner.

Immediately following the arrival of the first rescue helicopter, a medic crew member was flown to the bottom of the canyon to hike up to the child’s location. Once he reached the boy, the DPS medic immediately administered advanced life support. He then secured the child in a medical basket suspended under the recue helicopter and the child was flown from the canyon to a safe location on the ground.

Due to the weather, commercial medical air transport was not an option so the DPS helicopter was reconfigured on the ground to support a long distance medical flight. The helicopter then carried the child to Payson Airport where the airship was re-fueled before flying on to a Medical Trauma Center in the Phoenix area. The second DPS helicopter short hauled the child’s father to a DPS Air Rescue Hanger where he was transported by ground to the Phoenix center to be with his injured child.

The child received emergency medical care for serious head, facial and leg injuries. More information will be forthcoming as known. The father and child are from the Phoenix, Arizona, area.

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