Injured Female Hiker Airlifted at Leacock Trail

The Los Angeles Fire Department airlifted an injured female hiker at the intersection of Bienveneda Avenue and Leacock Trail in Pacific Palisades Saturday morning.

LAFD spokesman Erik Scott told Pali Patch that the call came in at about 9:36 a.m. and and responded to the area, which is about 1 mile north of Sunset Boulevard. According to Scott, 25 firefighters were dispatched via ground and air.

An LAFD air unit located the woman and lowered down paramedic firefighters who then treated her and provided pain management, according to Scott. The firefighters hoisted her back up into the helicopter, which was deemed the quickest way to transport.

According to Scott, the hiker, a 56-year-old woman, suffered an extremity injury. At about 10:15 a.m., she was transported to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in serious condition.

The LAFD offered the following safety tips:

• Consider what timeframe you are hiking. Don't hike too late in the evening, when you could be susceptible to the environment, such as lack of light or cold.
• Know your location. When you call 9-1-1, the first thing a dispatcher will ask is where you are located, so observe any landmarks that might help responders find you.
• Bring enough water.
• Make sure you are healthy enough to hike, especially if you're hiking in the deep fire roads.
• Be mindful of the wildlife you are sharing the area with, including snakes and coyotes.
• Bring a cellphone when possible and make sure you have a fully-charged battery.
• Let someone know you are hiking and what trails you may take.

Firefighters also told Pali Patch one more tip. If you are hiking in a remote area, you may want to park your car in a visible location and leave a note inside. That way, if you get lost someone knows where you were headed.