<div style="margin-top: 20px;"><img src="https://www.como.gov/CMS/pressreleases/citylogo-fire.png" alt="City of Columbia Fire Department " width="175" height="101" style="margin-right: 5px;">
<img src="https://www.como.gov/CMS/pressreleases/firelogo.png" alt="Columbia Fire Department" width="115" height="116" style="float: right; margin-right: 0px; margin-left:20px;">
<div style="padding-top:40px;
text-align:center;">
<p style="font-weight:bold; display: inline; line-height:150%; font-size: 115%;"> 201 Orr Street
<br />
Columbia, MO 65201</p></div>
</div>
<div style="clear:both; text-align:center; padding-top: 20px;">
<p style="font-size: 150%; font-weight: bold;">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</p>
<p style="font-size: 120%; margin-top: -5px; font-weight:bold;">September 22, 2025</p>
<p style="float:right; font-weight:bold; margin-bottom: 25px; font-size: 100%; text-align:right;">CONTACT: Katherine Rodriguez
<br />Public Information Specialist
<br />Columbia Fire Department
<br />City of Columbia
<br />573.874.7426
<br />Katherine.Rodriguez@CoMo.gov</p>
</div>
<div style="font-size: 110%; line-height:150%;"><h1 style="clear:both; margin-top: 75px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-weight: bold; font-size: 130%;">Columbia Fire Department rescues hiker in wooded area near Cosmo Park, Sept. 21</h1>
<div class="content"><span style="padding-left: 50px;">(COLUMBIA, MO)</span> - <p style="display: inline;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">On Sunday, Sept. 21, at 11:19 a.m., the Columbia Fire Department (CFD) was dispatched to a report of a fall in the wooded area behind Cosmo Park. The caller reported they had fallen while hiking and were injured; however, they were not able to explain their exact location.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A CFD battalion chief requested assistance from Boone County Joint Communications (BCJC), which was able to provide the caller's GPS location that had been pinged during the 911 call. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"This technology is often the first lifeline in an emergency," Columbia Fire Chief Brian Schaeffer said. "Our communications partners at BCJC serve as the true ‘first responder' in these situations."</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">CFD deployed a utility vehicle (UTV) for off-road patient transport and began searching the woods on foot, being led by BCJC's cell phone data and a grid pattern. Crews were able to locate the patient, access them using specialized equipment and transport them in the UTV to the waiting ambulance. The individual was taken to a local hospital for evaluation and treatment. CFD personnel remained on scene with the patient's dog until a family member arrived to take custody.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This rescue underscores CFD's ability to perform technical rescues in challenging environments. Columbia has more than 60 miles of trails and nearly 3,700 acres of parkland that the department protects. Firefighters are trained and equipped for rescues involving trails, cliffs and large, heavily wooded areas where conventional access is not possible. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Utility vehicles, rope systems and advanced medical equipment allow firefighters to reach and stabilize patients in locations far from roadways. These operations are conducted in line with national best practices, including standards from the National Fire Protection Association, which set the benchmark for technical rescue training and organizational capability.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The incident also highlighted the effectiveness of multi-agency communication through the Missouri Statewide Wireless Interoperability Network (MOSWIN). Managed by the Missouri Interoperability Center, MOSWIN allows local, state and federal response partners to communicate seamlessly across the state and is used daily by CFD.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"CFD remains committed to protecting residents and visitors, whether along city streets, in neighborhoods or deep in Columbia's extensive trail system," Schaeffer said. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">CFD reminds residents to practice caution while enjoying Columbia's parks and trails:</span></p>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Exercise care when walking or hiking on uneven terrain.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Wear a helmet when biking.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Let someone you trust know where you are going and when you plan to return.</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bring a phone and be sure to share your location with a family member or friend.</span></li>
</ul></div>
<br />
<div class="content"></div>
<br />
<div class="attachments"></div>
</div>
<div id="footerline">
<div style="margin-top: 15px; margin-bottom: 20px; text-align:center;"><p>City of Columbia Vision<br>
<em>Columbia is the best place for everyone to live, work, learn and play.</em></p>
<p>City of Columbia Mission<br>
<em>To serve the public equitably through democratic, transparent and efficient government.</em></p>
</div>
<p style="text-align:center;">-30-</p>
</div>
<style>
#pressrelease{ margin:20px; margin-top: 0px;}
.attachments{margin-top: -10px;}
@media print {
body {font-size: 90%; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;}
#pressrelease{ margin: 0px; }
}
</style><p><a style="white-space:nowrap" href="https://www.como.gov/CMS/pressreleases/view.php?id=9397">View this release on CoMO.gov or access a sharable link.</a></p><p>______________________________________________________</p>
<p>You have received this message because you subscribe to the City of Columbia's Web Mail service. To view linked material click on provided links or copy and paste them into your browser's address menu.</p>
<p>______________________________________________________</p>
<p>Archived releases can be viewed online at:
https://www.como.gov/CMS/pressreleases/directory.php</p>
<p>______________________________________________________</p>
<p>If you would like to stop receiving messages, modify list options, or subscribe to other lists visit the Web Mail section of our Web site and follow the instructions provided at https://www.como.gov/Web_Mail/ </p><style>div{margin: 10px;}</style>