Man and his dog rescued after a fall down embankment

Published 1:30 am Tuesday, March 8, 2022

PORT ANGELES — A man and his dog were rescued after they fell over an embankment into a near-vertical drop into Lee’s Creek ravine in Gales Addition on Tuesday.

Neither were hurt, according to Clallam 2 Fire-Rescue Chief Jake Patterson, in a press release issued late Tuesday afternoon.

No injuries were reported among emergency responders or bystanders.

Firefighters were dispatched at 2:40 p.m. to a report of a person who had fallen 50 feet and was unable to get to the top of the embankment. The man’s son-in-law said that a Black Labrador had fallen first and the 72-year-old man had attempted to retrieve him. The soft hillside had given way and the man had slipped farther down the steep hillside, Patterson said.

Both the man and dog managed to find a flat spot to await rescue.

A fire district vehicle was used as an anchor point for lowering the rescuer since no other suitable option was available, Patterson said.

Firefighter/paramedic Margie Brueckner was lowered down to rescue the man and dog. At the man’s direction, the dog was rescued first and brought up to the edge. Once the dog was safe at the top, firefighter/paramedic Brueckner returned down the embankment to retrieve the man.

From the time of initial arrival, it took one hour to retrieve both the dog and his owner.

Although he suffered no injuries, the man was taken to Olympic Medical Center in Port Angeles by Olympic Ambulance for evaluation of other medical issues, Patterson said.

Initially the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue team was asked to bring a specialized dog rescue harness, but the dog was so friendly and amenable to being carried up that the harness wasn’t needed, Patterson said.

Clallam 2 Fire-Rescue responded with three ambulances, one fire engine and two command vehicles with a total of 19 personnel, 16 of whom were certified as rope rescue technicians. Olympic Ambulance responded with one ambulance and four personnel.

All units cleared the scene by 4:11 p.m., the fire chief said.