CHESTERFIELD — A 13-year-old girl who was seriously injured while tubing in the Chesterfield Gorge Reservation was rescued from the site Friday thanks to a multi-agency effort.
According to a post on the Massachusetts State Police Facebook page, the girl was tubing with her father and brother when she was knocked unconscious and injured. The post also says that troopers assisted in the rescue just after noon.
“The difficult terrain along with the severity of the girl’s injury made the rescue and extrication extremely difficult,” reads part of the post.
After almost 2½ hours of effort, the girl, her brother, her father and another tuber were removed from the gorge, police said. The father and brother also sustained minor injuries and the family was transported to Baystate Hospital by EMTs from Highland Ambulance.
Chesterfield Fire Chief David Hewes, who was not on the scene for the rescue, said that while the gorge is beautiful it’s “a tough rescue to get people out of.”
He praised Williamsburg Deputy Fire Chief Daryl Springman, who commanded the rescue effort, and noted that it was an effort that drew in multiple fire and police departments.
“Mutual aid is essential,” said Hewes, noting that the rescue would not have been possible without it.