Kalbarri rescue: Injured man rescued from Four Ways gorge trail, carried up cliff in stretcher by 15 vollies

A fun canoeing trip in the Kalbarri gorges turned into a logistical nightmare on Friday when a man severely injured his knee — leaving him having to be carried out by 15 emergency responders on a stretcher. On Friday about 9.30am, the State Emergency Service was called to Four Ways Trail in Kalbarri to answer a call for help. A man, part of a canoeing group in the gorge, slipped on gravel and damaged one of his knees. The injury was severe and caused significant muscle damage, leaving him unable to walk. Kalbarri SES manager Steve Cable said once called to the scene he quickly got a team together, including three police officers. Mr Cable said when people were injured in the gorges, usually the only way out was to carry them. “So, as we always do, we scrambled a combined crew, went down to the location, put him in a stretcher and did the rather arduous carry out,” he said. “We carried him to the top, put him in the back of the vehicle, drove him to the ambulance, put him in the ambulance and that was another rescue done.” Mr Cable said the injured man was carried up the steep cliff by a rescue crew of about 15 people. Once SES received the emergency call from the bottom of the Four Ways gorge, Mr Cable said he instantly knew he would need more people to help than what he could supply. The rescue crew consisted of SES, Parks and Wildlife, police and other volunteers. “That’s how we usually operate out there, we get a whole crew together because it’s just so hard,” Mr Cable said. Injuries in the gorges are not as common as they used to be, according to Mr Cable, but the main three call out reasons were medical episodes, heat stress and injuries. “If you can make sure you’ve got communications and water out there, that’s essential,” he said. “If something happens to you, at least you have plenty of water until help comes along. Also, try and sit in the shade if you can.”