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Firefighters rescue injured, lost hikers on Christmas Day

Honolulu firefighters rescued two injured hikers from the Lanikai Pillbox Trail in Kailua and found two lost hikers on the Jeep Trail in Kaena in separate incidents on Christmas Day.

Five Honolulu Fire Department units comprised of 16 firefighters responded to a 911 call of an injured hiker on the Lanikai Pillbox Trail at 2:16 p.m. and the first unit arrived at the trailhead 10 minutes later.

The 61-year-old woman suffered an undisclosed injury that prevented her from descending the trail.

Firefighters loaded her onto Air 1, which transferred her to an ambulance.

Then firefighters received a 911 call at 3:58 p.m. for a distressed hiker on the Lanikai Pillbox Trail and sent five units with 16 firefighters. The first unit arrived at the trailhead at 4:06 p.m.

A 56-year-old man had been hiking on the trail for 20 minutes with two others when he experienced an unspecified medical condition. Air 1 flew him to a waiting ambulance.

Then at 6:34 p.m., HFD responded to a 911 call of two lost hikers on the Jeep Trail.

The first of five units and 12 firefighters arrived at 6:56 p.m. and secured a landing zone for Air 2 at the Yokohama Beach parking lot in preparation to search by air because of limited visibility.

The caller, a 54-year-old man, and a 56-year-old woman started hiking at 4 p.m. and became lost in darkness.

Air 2 found the pair at 7:21 p.m. and flew them to the landing zone at 7:38 p.m. where they declined medical attention.

HFD recommends that hikers bring a fully charged cell phone and backup battery, calling cell phones a potential “lifesaver.”

The department also recommends that hikers remain on trails and stay put if they become lost.

“Most accidents happen when hikers leave the established trail and disregard warning signs,” HFD said.

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