DAKOTA COUNTY, Minn. (WCCO/CNN/CNN Newsource/WKRC) – Rescuers saved a man in crisis from the top of a 250-foot-high radio tower.
Highly skilled rescuers from the Dakota County Special Operations Team undertook a daunting task, climbing 250 feet up a radio tower to rescue a man in crisis. The dramatic rescue was captured on camera, showcasing the team’s bravery and expertise.
“I’ve never experienced anything this physical or mentally draining,”Sergeant Alex Eckstein of the Dakota County Special Operations Team told WCCO.
When speaking to the station, Sergeant Eckstein described the rescue as a typical shift that turned into a high-stakes save. “You’re thinking a lot of things—how are we going to get there, how are we going to get up there, how are we going to get this person down,” Sergeant Eckstein told WCCO’s reporters.
Drone footage revealed the precarious height at which the man was stranded.
“Unbelievable that person was able to hold on that long,” Eckstein told WCCO, emphasizing the challenge of the situation. “Nobody likes to be that high up.”
The team quickly mobilized, hauling and hoisting equipment necessary for the rescue.
“They told me to start climbing and I climbed,” one team member told WCCO, describing the process of hooking and unhooking to the tower.
When speaking with the station, Sergeant Eckstein noted, “250 feet and then 25-30 minutes of climbing, straight climbing is pretty daunting.”
“Went to the training for it, but didn’t think I’d ever climb 250 feet to get somebody down,”Chief Sam Seal, also of the Dakota County Special Operations Team, told WCCO.
At the top, Chief Seal relied on his training to secure the man.
“I put the patient harness on him,” Chief Seal told WCCO, before repelling down to safety.
The team successfully brought the man to the ground, demonstrating their commitment to saving lives.
“We don’t want to do it again but we will be prepared for it,” Sergeant Eckstein told WCCO.