Emergency services successfully rescued an elderly woman with dementia who became stranded in bushland near Wollombi this afternoon.
At 2:53 pm, Cessnock Volunteer Rescue Association (VRA) was activated for a vertical rescue after the woman fell while walking in the bush. She was initially located by a local Rural Fire Service (RFS) member, who raised the alarm.
On arrival, paramedics were treating the woman’s injuries while VRA operators cleared vegetation to create a safe exit path. Once stabilised, she was placed on a scoop stretcher and prepared for a vertical lift using a belay rescue system. The rescue team safely carried her up an embankment and transferred her to an ambulance for further assessment and treatment.
The operation involved a coordinated response from VRA Rescue NSW, NSW Ambulance, NSW Police Force, and the NSW Rural Fire Service. Authorities confirmed that sufficient resources remained available for any other incidents in the area.
