Davis Volunteer Fire Department Company 20 was called out for an entrapment situation in a remote area of Tucker County.
Mark Wolstoncroft and his family from McDonald, Pa., were hiking near Table Rock Outlook when the eight year old girl suddenly disappeared.
The child was in front of the hikers when she fell down a crevice in the rocks. The opening was approximately 10 feet long and 18 inches wide. The child fell down 15- 20 feet and was out of sight.
Company 20 arrived and none of their eight men could fit into the seam. Two young men from Garrett County College Adventure Sport Program just happened to be on the rocks to do some repelling.
Callon Hower and Lee Ware offered assistance to help the child. Ware was small enough to fit in the opening and got within six feet of the girl. He talked her through getting the harness around her upper body and then guided her as firefighters pulled her to safety. She was taken to Garrett County Memorial Hospital, in Oakland, Md., where she received eight stitches and was released.
Parsons Volunteer Fire Department was on scene with two trucks and six personnel, along with Canaan Valley Volunteer Fire Department with three units and eight men. Also on scene was EMS 55 for medical assistance.
Davis Fire Chief, John Callaway said, “Scott Dearborn was a great asset as he talked to the child to keep her calm. During the conservation with the child, Dearborn found out it was her birthday, he made the announcement over the radios. Tom Klus, responding from Company 10, heard the call, stopped in Davis and picked up cupcakes for her. All companies and agencies involved worked together to achieve positive results.”
Callaway also said he called Garret County College and gave praise for the two young men who helped at the scene.