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Clear skies and brisk trades meant idea conditions for recreational athletes but a busy afternoon for Honolulu Fire Department personnel today as crews responded to a rash of rescue calls around the island.
Around 2:15 p.m. firefighters were called to assist an injured woman at the Makapuu tidepools. A rescue helicopter transported the woman to Sandy Beach, where she was transferred to the care of paramedics.
At 4:09 p.m., rescuers rushed to Sand Island, where a female child was involved in a near-drowning incident. Witnesses were performing CPR on the child when the crew arrived to take over. The child revived as HFD personnel continued CPR and she was transferred to Emergency Medical Services.
As that situation was unfolding, another HFD crew was responding to a 4:25 p.m. call to assist a pair of paddlers who were blown out to sea near Maunalua Bay in Hawaii Kai. A rescue boat was dispatched to bring the man and woman back to shore. Neither person was injured.
At 5:06 p.m., fire rescue personnel were called to an area above the Tripler Ridge Trail where four hikers were lost. The crew located the hikers, who were then airlifted off the trail. None of the hikers were injured.
According to HFD spokesman Capt. Robert Main, HFD crews also responded to several emergency calls involving missing swimmers. All of the parties involved in those calls were eventually safely accounted for.
“Those kinds of calls are fine with us,” Main said. “Those are just people being cautious. We don’t mind turning around. It’s better than being called too late and having to look for bodies.”
