Just before 1:00 pm today, Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue crews responded to reports of an 87-year-old male who fell down a steep embankment while hiking along a trail at Wilsonville Memorial Park. The call to 911 indicated that the male was unable to climb back up the embankment.

Once crews arrived on scene, they discovered that the male was accompanied by a female that was also down on the riverbank, both unable to climb back up to the trail. The male and female had been hiking along a trail with their dog, when the dog fell down a 20-foot steep embankment onto the riverbank. The male and female went after the dog to rescue it. The uninjured dog was able to self-rescue and return back to the trail, leaving both the male and female unable to climb back up the steep terrain.

Firefighters rappelled approximately 20 feet and retrieved both hikers, assisting them back up to the trail.

The patients are unavailable for interviews at this time.

Temperatures outside are ideal for outdoor activities such as hiking. Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue wants to remind everyone that if you find yourself in a similar situation, we encourage you to call for help. TVF&R crews are trained to perform a variety of rescues including rappelling down steep embankments.

To learn more about how we can assist you in an emergency, visit http://www.tvfr.com/index.aspx?nid=102