OPINION — I want to express my deepest gratitude to the incredible firefighters who recently rescued me from the Andrew Kinsey Trail. During my hike, I suffered an ankle injury that I initially thought was a sprain, but it turned out to be broken and dislocated. Anyone familiar with that trail knows how steep and rocky it is. The recent rain made the terrain considerably worse.
What first came into mind was how were these firefighters going to get me down? I was in extreme pain. It was pretty scary when I found out that they were going to carry me down in a basket stretcher. But the firefighters and the medical fireman, who was monitoring my vital signs, immediately put me at ease, reassuring me that I was in good hands.
I think what kept me calm during this ordeal were their reassuring voices filled with confidence as they talked to each other about safely navigating over the rocks and ditches. It took thirty minutes to carry me down that difficult trail.
