The death of bikini-clad hiker Wu Jiyun in a valley highlights the challenges of mountain rescues. On the 26th, a 67-year-old man surnamed Zhuang from New Taipei City went hiking on the Xikaro Ancient Trail in Wufeng Township, Hsinchu County. He accidentally fell off a slope, injuring himself and becoming immobile. The next morning, he called for help, and the fire department dispatched a rescue team to reach him. They secured Zhuang, who was at risk of hypothermia, on a collapsible stretcher and successfully brought him down the mountain for medical treatment around 10 p.m. that evening.
The man surnamed Zhuang had joined a two-day, one-night Xikaro Ancient Trail trip organized by the New Taipei City Mountain Deer Hiking Team. The original plan was to enter through the Jian Shi Elderly Care Trailhead on the first day and exit via the Minsheng Tribe Trailhead in Wufeng Township on the second day. However, on the first day, Zhuang slipped and fell off a slope at the 11-kilometer mark of the Xikaro Ancient Trail, injuring his waist and leaving him unable to walk.
“I’m injured and stuck in the mountains!” Zhuang initially thought he would be able to walk after resting for one night, but the next morning, the pain in his lower back worsened. In a panic, he dialed 119 to call for help from the fire department.
Upon receiving the report, the fire department immediately dispatched five firefighters from the Wufeng Fire Station in the jurisdiction, along with one police officer, to advance into the mountains for the rescue. Around 3 p.m. on the 27th, they found Zhuang at the 7.5-kilometer mark. After an initial assessment, his vital signs and consciousness were relatively stable, so they quickly prepared to bring him down the mountain.
However, Zhuang had spent the night in the mountains with temperatures as low as 5–6°C, and the firefighters were concerned about the risk of hypothermia. They took out a SKED (collapsible stretcher), laid down a sleeping mat and sleeping bag, and had him lie inside the sleeping bag to keep warm and prevent hypothermia. They then secured the collapsible stretcher layer by layer. Subsequently, they proceeded with a two-person team pulling the stretcher forward. In the afternoon, the fire department dispatched seven additional personnel from other stations to assist with the transfer. It took approximately seven hours, and Zhuang was delivered to the trailhead at around 10:45 p.m., where he was transferred to a hospital by ambulance.
(China Times)