On February 6, 2023, the Honolulu Fire Department (HFD) received a 911 call at 5:51 p.m. for an injured hiker on the Koko Head Trail in Hawaii Kai and responded with 5 units staffed with 17 personnel. The first unit arrived at the trailhead at 6:01 p.m. and ascended the trail. The command post and landing zone was relocated to the Koko Head Elementary School due to a high number of activities at Koko Head District Park. The landing zone was established at 6:02 p.m. Fire fighters made contact with the patient at 6:12 p.m. Meanwhile, rescue personnel departed from Koko Head Elementary School at 6:20 p.m.
The caller, a 33-year-old female, reported she was hiking, suffered a traumatic injury and was unable to walk. Rescue personnel were inserted, by Air 1, near the injured hikers location where they conducted a trauma assessment and packaged her in a rescue stretcher for an airlift extraction. Air 1 transported the injured hiker safely to the landing zone where medical care was transferred to the Emergency Medical
Services unit at 6:42 p.m.
The HFD reminds the public to hike safely and provides the following hiking safety tips:
Plan Your Hike
- Inform others of your plan
- Hike with a partner
- Gather information about the trail
- Assess your capabilities
During The Hike
- Stay on the trail
- Stay together
- Avoid undue risks
- Watch the time
In An Emergency
- Call 911
- Be visible
- Be noisy
- Stay calm
- Stay in place
