NMSP rescue hiker in the Gila

Crews hoist down from helicopter to rescue woman.

Crews hoist down from helicopter to rescue woman.

TODD: 5:17. ONLY ON 7, AN AMAZING RESCUE BY NEW MEXICO STATE POLICE IN THE GILA. SASHA LENNINGER IS LIVE TO SHOW US THE VIDEO. SASHA, YOU WERE SAYING THIS WAS A VERY CHALLENGING RESCUE FOR THE CREW. SASHA: THEY ARE SOME OF THE BEST TRAINED FIRST RESPONDERS IN OUR STATE. EARLIER THIS YEAR, THEY RESCUED A HIKER AND ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS AND DIFFICULT PARTS OF OUR STATE AND THEIR HELICOPTER. ALL IT TOOK WAS JUST A MATTER OF MINUTES. >> SHE WAS VERY EMOTIONAL. SASHA: NEW MEXICO STATE POLICE HOISTING A HIKER TO SAFETY IN SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO. THIS WAS ON MARCH 28. THE HELICOPTER CREW GETS A CALL ABOUT SOMEONE IN THE GILA HAVING HEART PROBLEMS. >> SHE WAS HIKING FROM CANADA TO MEXICO ON THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE. SASHA: THAT WOMAN ARMED WITH A GPS GAVE OFFICERS HER EXACT LOCATION. MOMENTS LATER THE CREW SPOT HER FROM THE HELICOPTER. >> SHE WAS WELL PREPARED FOR WHAT SHE WAS DOING. SHE HAD A WHITE TARP OUT WITH HER, WALKING STICKS CROSSED. SASHA: BUT THIS HOIST RESCUE WAS NOT EASY. >> THE GILA IS THE WORST IT GETS FOR US. IT’S EXTREMELY THICK, A VERY VERY DENSE FOREST. IT’S USUALLY A REALLY HIGH ALTITUDE. SASHA: TOP OF THAT, THEY WERE LOW ON FUEL. OFFICER KURUTS TENORIO AND PARAMEDIC LT. RON BENAVIDEZ GO OVER THEIR CHECK LIST AND COME UP WITH A PLAN. >> I COULD SEE HER. SHE WAS SITTING DOWN SO SHE WAS NOT HAVING A HEART ATTACK OR ANYTHING I COULD SEE FROM THE AIR. SASHA: THAT PLAN, HOIST DOWN THE PARAMEDIC TO THE WOMAN. >> JUST TALKING TO ME, I KNOW SHE’S STABLE. SHE HAS AN AIRWAY. THEN I WILL ASK HER MINOR QUESTIONS, LIKE CHEST PAIN. SHE SAID NO. ALL SHE SAID SHE HAD WAS A HEADACHE. SASHA: THEY BRING THE HIKER BACK UP. ONCE ON BOARD, SHE STARTS CRYING. >> I PUT HER IN THE SEAT, I KIND OF TAPPED HER AND SAID, YOU’RE OK, YOU’RE OK. JUST STAY RIGHT HERE AND THEN I WENT BACK OUT AND GOT RON AND GOT OUT OF THERE. SASHA: THE WOMAN CONCERNED SHE’S HAVING A HEART ATTACK. YOU CAN SEE THE TWO, PUT A MONITORING DEVICE ON HER. HER TENSIONS EASE A FEW MINUTES LATER. THE HELICOPTER EVENTUALLY LANDED IN SILVER CITY AND MET AN AMBULANCE. WE ARE HAPPY TO REPORT THE WOMAN DOING JUST FINE AND IS ALREADY BACK OUT HIKING. TODD: SASHA, THIS RESCUE WAS DONE ON STATE POLICE’S NEW CHOPPE SASHA: YEAH. THEY UNVEILED IT EARLY LAST YEAR. MARCH OF IT’S A LOT LARGER THAN 2020. THEIR OLD ONE, WHICH GAVE THEM THE CHANCE TO ADD A LOT OF NEW TECHNOLOGY AND EQUIPMENT. WHICH PLAYED A KEY FACTOR HERE. ONE NEW PIECE OF TECHNOLOGY AS THEY CAN PUNCH IN GREAT COORDINATES AND THEY CONTRACT SOMEONE QUICKLY. BEFORE THAT THEY HAD TO SPOT THE PERSON FROM ABOVE. THE HELICOPTERS ARE ABLE TO FLY AT HIGHER ALTITUDE AND WE HAV

NMSP rescue hiker in the Gila

Crews hoist down from helicopter to rescue woman.

New Mexico State Police hoisted a hiker to safety in Southern New Mexico.On March 28, NMSP got a call about a hiker having heart issues in the Gila National Forest."She was hiking from Canada to Mexico on the Continental Divide," said NMSP Hoist Operator Kurtus Tenorio. The woman was well prepared. She had a GPS, giving crews her exact location, as well as a white tarp that she laid out, along with walking sticks, which made it easier for the helicopter to spot her.On helicopter video, you can see Tenorio and Paramedic Lt. Ron Benavidez figure out the best way to rescue the hiker, given their location. The Gila National Forest is not the safest place when it comes to helicopter rescues."The Gila is the worst it gets for us. It's extremely thick, a very, very dense forest and it's usually a really high altitude," said Tenorio.On top of that, it takes a lot of fuel to fly out to the Gila, meaning the crew was low on fuel when they arrived.Tenorio and Benavidez decided a hoist rescue was the best way to save the hiker."I could see her. She was sitting down so she was not having a heart attack or anything I could see from the air," said Benavidez. Once on the ground, Benavidez began asking the woman questions."I know she's stable. She has an airway. Then I will ask her minor questions, like chest pain. She said no, All she said she had was a headache."After a quick check of the hiker, the crew hoists her back up. Once on board, she started crying."I put her in the seat, I kind of tapped her and said, you're OK, you're OK. Just stay right here and then I went back out and got Ron and got out of there," said Tenorio. "I could tell she was very scared by the white in her knuckles and the hesitation that she had."The woman told NMSP she was having a heart attack. Benavidez and Tenorio then put a monitoring device on her.NMSP landed the helicopter in Silver City where they were met by an ambulance, that took the hiker to the hospital.The crew was able able to get fuel.According to NMSP, the hiker has recovered and is doing just fine. They add, she is already hiking again.

CATRON COUNTY, N.M. —

New Mexico State Police hoisted a hiker to safety in Southern New Mexico.

On March 28, NMSP got a call about a hiker having heart issues in the Gila National Forest.

"She was hiking from Canada to Mexico on the Continental Divide," said NMSP Hoist Operator Kurtus Tenorio.

The woman was well prepared. She had a GPS, giving crews her exact location, as well as a white tarp that she laid out, along with walking sticks, which made it easier for the helicopter to spot her.

On helicopter video, you can see Tenorio and Paramedic Lt. Ron Benavidez figure out the best way to rescue the hiker, given their location. The Gila National Forest is not the safest place when it comes to helicopter rescues.

"The Gila is the worst it gets for us. It's extremely thick, a very, very dense forest and it's usually a really high altitude," said Tenorio.

On top of that, it takes a lot of fuel to fly out to the Gila, meaning the crew was low on fuel when they arrived.

Tenorio and Benavidez decided a hoist rescue was the best way to save the hiker.

"I could see her. She was sitting down so she was not having a heart attack or anything I could see from the air," said Benavidez. Once on the ground, Benavidez began asking the woman questions."I know she's stable. She has an airway. Then I will ask her minor questions, like chest pain. She said no, All she said she had was a headache."

After a quick check of the hiker, the crew hoists her back up. Once on board, she started crying.

"I put her in the seat, I kind of tapped her and said, you're OK, you're OK. Just stay right here and then I went back out and got Ron and got out of there," said Tenorio. "I could tell she was very scared by the white in her knuckles and the hesitation that she had."

The woman told NMSP she was having a heart attack. Benavidez and Tenorio then put a monitoring device on her.

NMSP landed the helicopter in Silver City where they were met by an ambulance, that took the hiker to the hospital.

The crew was able able to get fuel.

According to NMSP, the hiker has recovered and is doing just fine. They add, she is already hiking again.

NMSP rescue hiker in the Gila

Crews hoist down from helicopter to rescue woman.

GET LOCAL BREAKING NEWS ALERTS

Top Picks