On November 11 at approximately 2:58 p.m., the Suffield Police received an emergency 9-1-1 call regarding a possible injured hiker located in Sunrise Park, located at #2075 Mountain Road in Suffield. Sunrise Park consists of heavily wooded areas and hiking trails surrounding White’s Pond on the side of West Suffield Mountain. It borders the Metacomet Trail and is a popular hiking location.
A caller reported that while walking through the park, she encountered a woman who had sustained an ankle injury but was ambulatory and did not appear to need medical assistance. The caller walked for approximately one hour before returning to a parking area and discovering that the injured hiker’s vehicle was still present and the injured hiker had not yet returned.
Suffield Police responded and arrived on scene within five minutes. Sgt. J. Nelson of the police department began searching the wooded areas and trails as members of the Suffield Fire Department and Suffield Volunteer Ambulance arrived on scene and began deploying special off road vehicles and equipment to rescue the victim. Sgt. Nelson located her after searching the thickly wooded area for approximately fifteen minutes. He provided medical care and comfort to the woman, who had sustained a leg injury, as he directed responding EMS, fire, and police personnel to his location.
Suffield Ambulance, Fire Department, and Police staff arrived at the site through the use of an off-road vehicle, and then by hiking in the remainder of the way. The woman was treated and transported out of the wooded area to a local hospital. This rescue, which concluded just as the sun began to set, was successfully and safely conducted as a result of the joint cooperation and interoperability of Suffield’s Fire Department, Volunteer Ambulance and Police Department.