Firefighters arrived to find the man in a tree stand approximately 25 ft high. His harness had a malfunction and wouldn’t release. Personnel set up a system to release the man and then lower him to the ground. One firefighter climbed the tree above the man and tied an anchor point. The victim was placed in a victim harness and then attached to the belay line. He was lifted to allow the deer stand harness to be released. He was then lowered to the ground safely. He was uninjured.
Fall Creek Falls State Park assistant manager Devin Simmons, Van Buren County Sheriff’s Department deputy Denton, Dunlap Fire Department and Van Buren County EMS personnel also responded and assisted.