On July 9, 2025, the Honolulu Fire Department (HFD) received a 911 call at 7:09 p.m. and responded to an injured horseback rider on the Palehua Trail in Nanakuli with 5 units staffed with 13 personnel initially. The first unit arrived on scene at 7:33 p.m. and secured a landing zone at Nanakuli High School to prepare for a search and rescue operation by air.
It was reported that a 38-year-old female was horseback riding, fell down, sustained injuries, and could not continue on her own. Rescue personnel arrived at her side at 7:54 p.m. They performed a medical assessment, administered basic life support treatment, and prepared her for extraction. Air 1 safely airlifted her to the nearby landing zone where medical care was transferred to the Emergency Medical Services at 8:09 p.m. The two other horseback riders, who stayed with the patient, were picked up by Air 1 and taken to safety.
All HFD personnel were accounted for with no injuries.