First responders rescued 19 individuals trapped by rising water in the area of Fawn's Leap on Route 23A in Hunter on Tuesday afternoon, according to the Kingston Fire Department.
The department deployed members of its Rope Rescue Team under mutual aid to an elevated stream in Greene County to assist nine individuals in the area of Rat’s Hole on Route 23A and 10 people at Fawn’s Leap, located in the Kaaterskill Creek just above Moore's Bridge.
The four-hour rescue involved helping two people who were in immediate danger of being swept downstream by rushing water, and descending a roughly 30-foot vertical drop using ropes above rushing, firefighters said.
"This is a very real reminder to monitor local weather conditions, particularly when near waterways," Kingston Fire Department stated on its "Heavy rain can quickly raise stream levels to extremely dangerous levels, just like it did today."
Assisting with the rescue were members of the Twin Cloves Technical Rescue Team, Greene County Paramedics, Greene County Sheriff’s Office, New York State Forrest Rangers, Ulster County Sheriff's Office, Centerville Fire Department and Ulster Hose Co.#5.
