Elderly Fisherman Rescued from Steep Riverbank in Pittsburgh Suburb
An elderly fisherman was rescued on Saturday after being trapped on a riverbank at the bottom of a steep, 20-foot hill. The man, whose identity has not been disclosed, suffered an injury that left him stuck on the hillside below train tracks running through Emsworth, a suburb of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
It remains unclear how the man was injured. However, the Emsworth Volunteer Fire Company reported that three of its stations were alerted to the incident around 9:45pm. First responders quickly arrived at the scene and spotted the elderly man before requesting additional help from another fire station.
Emergency crews climbed down to the man and secured him with a rope system. Eight people formed a line and pulled the rope together to lift him to safety. According to David Novak, a communications operator at the Moon Township Police Department, crews used a stokes basket—a stretcher designed to be lifted via ropes or cables—to transport the man.
The entire rescue operation took just 25 minutes from the time first responders were dispatched, as reported by the Emsworth Volunteer Fire Company.
The effort involved personnel from multiple agencies, including the Emsworth and Avalon Volunteer Fire Companies, the Bellevue and North Fayette Township Fire Departments, Northwest EMS, and the Ohio Township Police Department.
Novak also mentioned that Norfolk Southern trains, which run along the tracks above the riverbank where the man was trapped, were temporarily halted during the operation.
Once rescued, the injured man was placed in the stokes basket and transported to Northwest EMS for treatment. His condition is currently unknown.
On the Facebook post announcing the rescue, several locals expressed their gratitude and admiration for the Emsworth Volunteer Fire Company. One person wrote, “Some rope rescue!!! You guys do it ALL!!! Awesome!” Another commented, “Thank you! We appreciate you!” A third said, “Great job. Ty (thank you) for your service to the communities. That’s a dangerous place to fish. Especially for an older guy.”
The Daily Mail has reached out to the Emsworth Volunteer Fire Company for further details about the incident and how the man became injured.
Recent Successful Rescue Operations
In recent weeks, there have been several notable rescue operations carried out by first responders. On March 21, a New Jersey teenager with autism was found by FBI pilots after a 36-hour search. Aerial footage showed the teen curled up next to a tree in a heavily wooded nature preserve near his home. Officials secured the boy and led him on an hour-long hike out of the woods to reunite him with his family.
Also on March 21, two Maryland state troopers saved an infant who was choking. The incident was captured on camera as an officer rushed to save the non-breathing baby, performing life-saving measures while the mother watched helplessly. The troopers, Taylor Hersh and Jonathan Stoltzfus, were praised as heroes for their quick actions.
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