Leaf blower used to rescue injured woman stuck on Sandwich mountain, NH officials say

Rescuers made use of a lawn care tool in order to safely transport an injured hiker off of a mountain in New Hampshire, state officials said.

A 42-year-old woman from Nashua was hiking on Mount Israel, a 2,630 foot summit in Sandwich, New Hampshire, when she injured her ankle on Nov. 5, according to a news release from the state’s Fish and Game Department. Sandwich is about 50 miles north of Concord.

Responders from eight nearby fire departments, in addition to the Lakes Region Search and Rescue Team and New Hampshire Fish and Game Conservation Officers, were dispatched to the area. Upon arrival, rescuers found the woman, who was unable to walk, about 2 miles from the trailhead.

They placed her in a litter and began carrying her back down the trail. However, the rocky path was covered in fallen leaves, posing a slipping hazard, according to the release.

So they used a leaf blower to clear the trail of leaves for about a mile, allowing the team carrying the litter to safely make the descent.

The woman made it back to the trailhead around 7 pm, about four hours after rescuers were called, and was taken to a hospital, according to the release.

A spokesperson for the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment from McClatchy News.

The department conducts nearly 200 search and rescue operations every year for “hikers, climbers, OHRV operators, children, elderly persons (Alzheimer’s and dementia patients) and subjects of suicide,” according to its website.

This story was originally published November 7, 2022 at 5:22 PM with the headline "Leaf blower used to rescue injured woman stuck on Sandwich mountain, NH officials say."