A hiker was safely rescued after going missing in the McKenzie Bridge area on Friday, according to the Upper McKenzie Rural Fire Protection District. UMRFPD officials said that the rescue operation was a coordinated effort with the Lane County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue. The hiker was found approximately 570 feet into a heavily wooded area, where terrain challenges included wetlands with water depths of up to four feet. The rescue involved a basket to ensure safety.
A drone unit equipped with infrared cameras was deployed to aid in the search. UMRFPD noted that the unit was acquired through the OEM SPIRE grant program. While the search was underway, an unrelated emergency call required some resources to be reallocated. UMRFPD emphasized their ability to handle multiple incidents due to weekly training and extensive instruction.