Pat Cyr and Forest Collins, both of Franklin Search & Rescue, lead the way during a rescue call on the Cranberry Peak Trail near Stratton last week. (Steve Mitman photo) STRATTON — Rescuers from a number of local emergency response teams responded to a hiker in need in the Bigelow Range near Stratton last Monday, July 5.

The 17-year-old girl from Utah was hiking with friends on the Cranberry Peak Trail when she began experiencing seizures.

Her friends were able to obtain a cell phone signal and contacted the authorities for help. A NorthStar ambulance crew was the first team to make contact with the patient around 12:30 p.m.

As more rescuers arrived the patient was loaded into a litter basket for the trip to the ambulance located at the trail-head. About 25 people took turns carrying the patient an estimated 1.5 miles down the trail. A rope belay was used to secure the litter for two different steep sections of trail.

High humidity and temperatures in the 90’s made the relatively short carry-out a challenge. The rescue took about 3.5 hours and included volunteers from Eustis Fire Department, Carrabassett Fire Department and Franklin Search & Rescue.