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Thu Sep 2, 2010
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Parachutist rescued from a tree, Ellington Conn.
| Story/Photos by: Jim Michaud C99
Submitted: 5/17/2010 
Just before 1:30 Sunday afternoon Ellington Fire responded to a report of a parachutist who was trapped and injured after landing in a tree near Ellington Airport. The incident occurred on Meadow Brook Rd in some trees next to a cornfield. A 36 year old woman was about 20 to 25 feet up in the tree with the parachutist caught high above that. Donald Branson Vice President of The Connecticut Parachutists Inc. scaled the tree and was with her until she was lowered to the ground by the Ellington Fire Department. Ellington Fire Chief Michael Varney is an instructor in rope and high angle rescues and handled the rope rescue himself climbing above the victim and with help from personnel on the ground were able to lower the victim down safely. Ellington Airport is home to a large parachuting business and club so the department has experience dealing with this kind of incident. It took about 45 minutes to get her down from the tree, the student jumper was not injured and actually laughing at times about her predicament. She said while avoiding power lines a gust of wind pulled into a row of trees. Once on the ground she gave big hugs to two unidentified people who watched the rescue operation unfold. Click for more photos |
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