RESCUED FROM THE ROCKS: CREWS FREE BOY TRAPPED FOR 3 HOURS.Byline: Bhavna Mistry Daily News Staff Writer Tired and weak, an 11-year-old boy was pulled to safety Tuesday in a dramatic three-hour rescue after he slipped into a crevice crevice /crev·ice/ (krev´is) fissure. gingival crevice the space between the cervical enamel of a tooth and the overlying unattached gingiva. crev·ice n. in a huge rock. Paul Hartness had climbed into the crack in the house-size boulder on a dare from a friend, but slipped and became wedged wedged - 1. To be stuck, incapable of proceeding without help. This is different from having crashed. If the system has crashed, it has become totally non-functioning. If the system is wedged, it is trying to do something but cannot make progress; it may be capable of doing a few 18 feet below the rock's flat surface. The boy finally was hoisted out by rescuers who included members of the Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. County Fire Department's urban search and rescue The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please [ improve this article] or discuss the issue on the talk page. team, that helped search for Oklahoma City bombing See Terrorism "The Oklahoma City Bombing" (Sidebar); Venue "Venue and the Oklahoma City Bombing Case" (Sidebar). victims. ``I was scared but now I'm fine,'' Paul said as he was carried by a stretcher stretcher /stretch·er/ (strech´er) a contrivance for carrying the sick or wounded. stretch·er n. down the rocky hill Rocky Hill, town (1990 pop. 16,554), Hartford co., central Conn., a suburb of Hartford, on the Connecticut River; settled c.1650, inc. 1843. Chemical coatings and synthetic textiles are made there. Rocky Hill was an important river port from 1700 to 1820. toward a waiting ambulance. At Antelope Valley This article is about the Los Angeles County region. For the census-designated place in Wyoming, see Antelope Valley-Crestview, Wyoming. The Antelope Valley Hospital, Paul was treated for minor cuts and rope burns rope burn skin abrasion caused by the heat of friction by a rope on the skin; caused by entanglement in a rope or poor casting technique. . Hospital officials said he was in good condition and was expected to be released Tuesday night. The adventure began a little after noon Tuesday when Paul and two friends went climbing on a rocky hill behind the other boys' home. One boy dared Paul to climb through a crevice piercing a large boulder, but as he moved forward he slipped down five to eight feet, fire officials said. Paul had started through the crack from one side of the boulder, so that when he fell he ended up about 18 feet from the rock's top. The crack is about a foot wide at the top and three to four inches at the bottom. ``He didn't listen to me and started to go down,'' said Rodney Kunkel II, 11, who was with Paul. ``He couldn't find no grips and his foot slipped.'' After the fall, Rodney and his brother, Travis, tried unsuccessfully to free their friend, then went for help to their sister at home. ``I tried to get him out twice,'' said Rodney Kunkel. ``I tried to pull on his arm and then I tried to pull on his leg.'' ``I thought he'll never get out,'' the boy added. ``I'm not going out that way again.'' Rodney and Travis' sister, Krystal, said the boys often climb the graffiti-scarred rock, which is on a rocky hill surrounded by housing tracts in the community 15 miles east of Palmdale. ``They always go up there,'' she said. ``Nothing like this ever happens.'' When firefighters arrived, they placed a rope around Paul's body to prevent him from slipping any farther. Then they poured cooking oil over him to ease the crack's grip on his body. Descending into the crack to reach him, rescuers tied pads around his wrists, and pulled him up. ``We pulled on him at an angle,'' said fire Capt. Tom Jones. ``It was difficult at first and then he came right out.'' Officials said that the boy assisted their efforts, moving sideways at their direction as far as he could. He talked to them as they passed him water during the ordeal. ``He's a brave little guy,'' said Jones. ``He was wedged in really tight.'' Fire officials said they were happy that the incident ended well. ``On rescues like this, you work real hard,'' said Jones. ``It's a good feeling he came out and he's not hurt and that none of our people are hurt. I don't think he'll be doing any more dares.'' CAPTION(S): 3 Photos, Map PHOTO (1 -- color) A firefighter holds Paul Hartness, 11, as he is removed from a rock Tuesday. (2 -- color) Paul Hartness, left, gets a hug from his brother, Tom, 16, after the youngster was rescued in Lake Los Angeles. (3) Rescue workers carry Paul Hartness to an ambulance after a three-hour confinement con·fine·ment n. 1. The act of restricting or the state of being restricted in movement. 2. Lying-in. confinement in a rock Tuesday. Jeff Goldwater/Daily News Map: Lake Los Angeles site of rescue |
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