On Tuesday, November 10, 2020, at approximately 6:15 a.m., fire and rescue personnel from St. Mary’s and Charles Counties responded to the 43000 block of Medleys Neck Road and Poplar Hill Creek Lane in Leonardtown, for a high angle rescue with an injured hunter in a tree stand.
Crews arrived on the scene to find an adult male hanging upside down by his safety harness, approximately 30 feet up the tree.
Firefighters from Leonardtown, Valley Lee, Hollywood, Seventh District, NAS Patuxent River and Waldorf operated on the scene with rescue equipment to lower the victim to the ground.
The victim was then transported to an awaiting ambulance approximately a quarter mile away by UTV 5.
Crews reported the hunters stand malfunctioned and collapsed. Luckily, he was wearing a safety harness which saved him from a 30+ foot fall.
The 31-year-old male victim was transported to an area hospital with a possible broken leg and injuries reported to be non-life-threatening.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources responded to investigate the incident.
DNR urges all hunters to use safety equipment, as one of the most popular pieces of equipment used by deer hunters is a tree stand. Tree stands can be dangerous if they are used incorrectly or carelessly. Nationally, one in three hunting injuries involves a tree stand. Falls from tree stands can be caused by a variety of factors, including a weakness in the stand’s structure and incorrect installation which can lead to serious injuries or death. To help prevent these accidents, follow these safety precautions.
All photos are courtesy of the Seventh District Volunteer Fire Department.
