Astoria Woman Survives 100 Foot Fall off Cliff

A woman survives a 100 feet fall off a cliff near the Astoria Column. At 12:31am Astoria Fire & Rescue along with Astoria Police Department were dispatched to a report of a female had fallen over the side of a cliff. Astoria Police Officer Riley responded to the call and was flagged down by three friends on the roadway. She was taken about 200 feet off the roadway to the location where the female had fallen. As firefighters arrived in the area they assessed the situation and immediately requested assistants from the Clatsop County High Angle Rescue Team (HART).

The Clatsop County Sheriff Department assisted with blocking off the road allowing only fire and rescue personnel to the scene. The High Angle Rescue Team arrived on scene and quickly began setting up their ropes and lowered down the side of the cliff to assess the woman’s location and medical condition. Lewis & Clark Fire Department was requested for assists with the rescue. Two of the High Angle Rescue Team members lowered down over the cliff with a rescue stretcher and equipment to rescue the woman. The female was equipped with a harness and helmet then placed into a stokes basket. As the rescue members secured the patient in the basket, fire and rescue personnel worked to set up four rescue ropes. It took several fire and police personnel to raise the patient up the cliff. This was a slow and tedious process taking over 5 hours. Once the patient was safely at the top of the cliff, personnel carried her out of the woods to the roadway, where Medix and fire emergency medical personnel were able to assess her medical conditions and she was transported to Columbia Memorial Hospital where she was entered into the trauma system.

There were 20 personnel committed to this rescue from Astoria Fire & Rescue, Astoria Police Department, Lewis & Clark Fire Department, Clatsop County High Angle Rescue Team, and the Astoria Community Emergency Response Team. Off duty Astoria firefighters and volunteers were called in to cover the city during the rescue. Clatsop County Sheriff Department assisted with securing the area and Warrenton Police Department provided police coverage for the city. Medix assisted with medical treatment.