Person air lifted to hospital after going over the falls in Maple Ridge park

A woman who was swept over the falls in Golden Ears Park had to be rescued Wednesday afternoon after receiving serious injuries.

Around 1:30 p.m. Maple Ridge firefighters were called to the park for a potential water rescue along with Ridge Meadows RCMP and BC Ambulance Service.

The fire department sent a duty chief, a rescue support unit, and an ATV-type vehicle, and a tender.

At first they were unsure about where in the park the person needed help, but learned from park staff that the person had made it out of the water in the Gold Creek area, below the Lower Falls, said deputy chief Geoff Spriggs.

Firefighters had to stabilize the female patient before using a rope rescue system to transport her to the Polaris ATV and down the trail to an air ambulance.

“I don’t know the extent of injuries,” said Spriggs, although, he noted, they were serious enough to warrant the attendance of Advanced Life Support paramedics and an air ambulance to take the female patient to hospital.

Ridge Meadows Search and Rescue also attended and team leader Brent Boulet confirmed the patient had been swept over the falls.

READ MORE: Pair survives going over waterfall in Golden Ears Park

ALSO: Body of man who went over falls at Gold Creek recovered

Even though his team responded to the call, by the time they reached the area of the park, Maple Ridge firefighters had already performed the rescue, he explained.

The whole operation took around four hours said Spriggs.

Boulet noted how lucky the person was to have survived the fall, noting that is the second time it has happened within the past few weeks.

On Saturday, July 8, two other people survived being swept over Gold Creek Falls in Golden Ears Provincial Park.

Since 2013, The News has reported on four fatal incidents from people going over the falls.