Phone app helps rescuers find injured hiker near Penticton

Members of Penticton Search and Rescue and the Penticton Fire Department came to the rescue of an injured hiker earlier this week.

Search and Rescue manager Randy Brown said in a media release the group responded to a request for assistance to evacuate a 21-year-old woman who injured her knee while hiking in the upper Wiltse Flats area on Sunday, Nov. 22.

Rescue teams were able to identify the injured woman’s location Sunday afternoon after her companion used the TraiForks application on his cell phone.

Members of the Penticton Fire Department also attended the scene, assisting in a high-angle rescue to move the woman to a location where she could be airlifted.

The victim was transported to Penticton Regional Airport by helicopter and transferred to Penticton Regional Hospital. Her conditions is not known.

Penticton Search and Rescue reminds outdoor enthusiasts to dress warmly in layers, wear good footwear, tell others where you are going and prepare a small pack with essentials when venturing in the wild.

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