Indiana Conservation Officers helped rescue an injured hiker from the Charles C. Deam Wilderness near Lake Monroe Sunday.
According to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, they received a report that an ankle injury left the person unable to hike out.
Dispatchers obtained the hiker's GPS location through a cellphone. And officers found the group near the shoreline of Monroe Reservoir, then launched two patrol boats to reach them.
One boat located the hikers, while the second transported firefighters from the Monroe Fire Protection District to provide medical care.
Officials said the hiker’s vehicle was parked several miles away, making a hike back through the wilderness terrain unrealistic.
"Having reliable patrol boats to extract the injured hiker was extremely important on this call-for-service," said Indiana Conservation Officer Trevor Sager.
Sager said the water rescue was more efficient for the first responders to reach the hikers compared to reaching them on foot.
This rescue also serves as a reminder for hikers visiting the Deam Wilderness area this summer.
"Make sure somebody knows which trail you will be on and when you are due home," Said Sager.
He recommends planning routes in advance, sharing trail information with friends or family, carrying sufficient water and food, and bringing backup battery packs for cellphones.
