FORT PAYNE, Ala. — A Georgia woman was successfully rescued from the water after being washed over Little River Falls on May 25.
According to the National Park Service. Kenzie Wetzel was walking along the area above Little River Falls where she slipped on a rock, became caught up in the current, and was washed over the edge to the pool of water 35’ below. Wetzel was able to make her way to the rocks in the middle of the pool and await help. First responders were immediately dispatched and on-scene within minutes and a search and rescue operation was initiated.
Multiple agencies responded to the incident, including National Park Service rangers, Fischer Rescue Squad, Fort Payne Fire Department, Dogtown Volunteer Fire Department, DeKalb Ambulance Service (DAS), Cherokee County Sheriff Office, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) State Troopers and ALEA Aviation, and Air Evac Lifeteam.
A representative for the National Park Service said that first responders were able to get to Wetzel’s location, access her injuries, and determine the best course of action to extract Wetzel from the canyon. An ALEA helicopter was dispatched to extract Wetzel and deliver her to the Little River Falls parking lot where the DeKalb Ambulance Service accessed her injuries. She was delivered to an area hospital by the Air Evac Lifeteam helicopter.
