Deer hunters preparing their tree stands for the upcoming season in Cayuga County can rest a little easier this year knowing if the worst happens, local fire departments are prepared to help.
Firefighters from the departments in Aurelius, Throop and Owasco, along with AMR ambulance, completed a simulated training exercise Monday night in order to be better equipped to respond to calls of hunters falling out of tree stands.
Aurelius Fire Department Captain David Perkins, who organized the training, said the department was motivated to hold such simulations after responding to four different incidents where hunters fell from their stands over several years.
Thankfully, none of those incidents resulted in fatalities. According to the state Department of Environmental Conservation, however, out of 12 reported falls in 2017, half were fatal. Perkins said that number illustrates the need for local departments, especially in a rural area like Cayuga County, to be prepared.