VIDEO: Firefighters Honored For Harrowing Mountain Rescue
BEAUMONT (CBSLA) — Body cam footage shows the dramatic moments when Riverside County firefighters rescued a man suspended precariously after falling off a cliff.
The man was found hanging 8,000 above sea level, upside-down over Lily Rock on the San Jacinto mountain range. He had broken his lower and upper leg after falling several hundred feet.
"He was upside-down, still on his rigging, attached to his rope system, but he wasn't able to move," Helitack Capt. Dave Rodriguez with CAL FIRE Riverside told CBS2 News. "He could've passed away had we not been able to get him off that hill."
Rodriguez and three other firefighters who aided in the chopper rescue were recently awarded medals of valor for their heroism on the dangerous terrain.
"Firemen don't like recognition, but it was very nice to be recognized for that," said Rodriguez. "I would just wish him the best of luck and hope that he is able to recover from all those injuries, and that he lives a good, long, happy life."
The man's climbing partner died in the fall.