Chelsea State Bank ad

Chelsea firefighters use rope rescue Saturday for sledding accident

Chelsea Area Fire Authority firefighters were called to Keezer’s Hill, a sledding hill in Lyndon Township, to assist Huron Valley Ambulance with a rescue of a female sledder who was injured.

The hill is located off M-52 on Waterloo Road and the woman was injured and at the bottom of the hill. It’s believed she hit a tree while sledding, firefighters said.

“We did a low angle rope rescue” said Firefighter Robert Stelzer, which is a specialized rescue technique that involves a “stokes basket,” equipment that is used to slide across ice and snow.

Stelzer said when firefighters arrived the woman had head, back and neck pain and was already on a backboard and HVA personnel had wrapped her up to keep her warm.

Lt. Lance Baird said firefighters were called to the hill at 3:33 p.m. Saturday, and once the ropes were secured, it took them about 26 minutes to get the woman from the bottom of the hill to the top — about 50 yards.

The hill is located about a half-mile from the road and the sledder was unable to walk back up the hill.

The firefighters regularly train on rope rescue techniques and Stelzer said, “it’s always exciting to use rescue techniques that we’ve been training.”

The woman, believed to be in her 40’s, was transported to Chelsea Community Hospital with non life-threatening injuries, Baird said.

Also assisting in the rope rescue operation were Capt. Derek Klink and firefighters Chris Collier, Roger Chapman, Chuck Downer and Zack Lessner.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

More News

Chelsea City Notice: Public Hearing for 511 Congdon Rezoning Request

March 25, 2024

April 4: Ballet Storytime at Chelsea District Library

March 25, 2024

Mary Lee Penney Named 2024 Woman of Chelsea State Bank Award Winner

March 24, 2024

Chelsea’s Jordan Braman Inducted into Phi Kappa Phi

March 24, 2024

April 18: Father Enzo Addari Retirement Celebration

March 24, 2024

March 31: Easter Events at Zion Lutheran Church

March 24, 2024

No City of Chelsea Meetings This Week

March 24, 2024

Chelsea Kiwanis Club Hears From the Chelsea Area Fire Authority

March 23, 2024

Great Showing for Chelsea Girls Track and Field at SEC Indoor Invitational

March 23, 2024

Chelsea Boys Track and Field Achieves Goals at SEC Indoor Invitational Meet

March 23, 2024

This Week’s Washtenaw County Road Commission Planned Road Projects

March 23, 2024

Washtenaw County Health Department Releases Annual Report

March 23, 2024

WCC Summer, Fall Registration Open

March 23, 2024

Chelsea School District March Students of the Month

March 22, 2024

Carley Grabarczyk Signs Letter of Intent to Purdue Northwest

March 22, 2024

Adult Learners Institute Announces April Schedule

March 22, 2024

Take a Journey Through Holy Week at Zion Lutheran Church

March 22, 2024

March 22: Final Lenten Fish Fry at St. Mary Church

March 22, 2024

Reminder: Spring Fling Craft Show from Fishville Farms at Chelsea Fairgrounds March 23

March 22, 2024

Recent Obituary: Thomas Joseph McGaw, Jr.

March 22, 2024

Jim Bristle and Loren Heller Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award Recipients

March 21, 2024