A multi-agency effort in Renton rescued one person who fell an estimated 70 to 100 feet.
According to the Renton firefighters union,, early on Oct. 1, Renton firefighters were dispatched alongside Puget Sound Fire, King County Medic One and the Renton Police Department to a technical rope rescue above Maple Valley Highway.
According to the Renton fire union, Renton police were searching for an individual with their thermal imaging drone and discovered a person who fell an estimated 70 to 100 feet down the backside of a steep hillside off Monterey Drive NE.
According to Renton Police Department spokesperson Sandra Havlik, this incident began just after midnight Oct. 1, when officers responded to a report of a suspicious subject running through a backyard on Monterey Drive NE. Havlik said that officers located an abandoned vehicle at the scene, which was later determined to be involved in a possible hit-and-run incident with two parked vehicles.
Havlik said that at about 1:24 a.m., officers found the suspect when he yelled for help. Due to pending charges, Havlik said the police department could not release any further information.
According to the Renton fire union, firefighters spent nearly an hour cutting through vegetation and building rope systems to access the person who fell. The union stated that the rope rescue systems are designed to safely navigate extreme angles and vertical drops, allowing crews to move with precision and stability.
“The terrain presented significant challenges to rescuers: dense overgrowth, thick brush, steep grades, and sections of vertical sheer rock,” according to the union.
When contact was made with the person who fell, they were stabilized and removed from the hillside. Renton fire union spokesperson Marc Donnell stated that the person who fell was conscious at the scene and was subsequently transported to the hospital.
“This incident underscores the value of continuous joint training across Zone 3 rescue agencies. Rope rescue operations require specialized skills, advanced equipment, and seamless coordination among multiple teams,” according to the Renton union. “The successful outcome today was made possible by the strong partnership between Renton Fire, Puget Sound Fire, King County Medic One and Renton Police.”
