Bellingham, Washington – Two People Injured After Falling Down Cliff at Larrabee State Park

Bellingham, Washington (May 8, 2019) – Two people were injured after falling down a cliff in Larrabee State Park just before 8 p.m. on Wednesday night. Rescue crews retrieved the couple and treated them on the shoreline, before transporting them by boat and later by ambulance to St. Joseph’s Hospital. Due to privacy laws, the identities of the victims cannot be revealed, ad while their medical conditions are unclear, one is said to have been critically injured and the other was less seriously hurt.

While the cause is not yet determined, it would appear that the two fell out of a hammock and ended up 30 feet down the cliff which was near the park’s main entrance on Chuckanut Drive South. They landed in the rocks near the water, which made a water rescue more feasible for responding crews.

About Falls and Related Injuries

According to the World Health Organization, falling down is the 2nd leading cause for accidental or unintentional deaths. This is second only to road traffic injuries as the leading cause of unintentional injury death. While most cases of falls are non-fatal, as seen in this case, it can still be cause for concern due to the injuries related with falls. An approximate amount of 37.3 million falls are said to require medical attention every year. Injuries may not always be serious, but have the potential to be life-threatening or disabling – examples of injures with long-term effects are broken bones (commonly fractures in the hip or wrist) or head injuries, as falls are the leading cause for traumatic brain injuries.

While falls are a matter of concern for all people, there are some factors which can make falls more risky for some. Age is one of these factors – particularly, the elderly and children are said to be at most risk in falls. Adults over the age of 65 are said to suffer the most number of fatal falls. Furthermore, adult victims may be more susceptible to future falls once they have sustained injuries from another fall. Children are at risk due to having developing bodies, and innate curiosity to explore. Factors such as environment, occupation, alcohol or substance use, and other medical conditions can also affect the risk of falls. As such, we urge everyone to do what they can to help prevent falls. Be sure to look out for hazards in the area which may lead to a fall. Keeping the body healthy is also a good way to help prevent falls, as a healthy body will have far more coordination and be ready to respond to a fall should it happen. There are many ways to ensure our safety, and preventing falls is one of them.

[cta]