HONOLULU (KHON2) — Hiking on Oʻahu is a very common activity for both residents and visitors. And having to be rescued from a hike is also fairly common.
So, KHON2.com caught up with two of Honolulu Fire Department’s leaders in the rescue game to find out what they see most often and how you can ensure you don’t have to meet them in a rescue situation.
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Every year, HFD teams respond to hundreds of mountain rescues; and many of them are on popular trails like Diamond Head and Koko Crater.
Others take place in far more dangerous spots: illegal ridgelines, overgrown valleys and narrow ledges where one wrong step or sudden gust could turn a hiker’s mistake into a life-or-death mission.
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“It’s not just the hikers that are at risk,” said Zachary Potter, pilot for HFD. “It’s also the rescuers.”…