San Diego lifeguards and firefighters Sunday rescued a surfer who suffered a medical emergency while in the water in the Bird Rock area, authorities said.
At 12:36 p.m., lifeguards and firefighters from the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department responded to the cliffs near Calumet Park about a surfer experiencing an unknown medical emergency, Lt. Andy Lerum of Lifeguard Services said.
The man in his 60s experienced a possible heart-related ailment or seizure, but rescuers were not sure of the exact nature of his medical emergency, Lerum said.
The man swam to the beach, where he collapsed and lifeguards began tending to him, the lieutenant said. He was taken by stretcher about 30 yards to the bottom of the cliff.
Firefighters used the department's Rescue 44 truck, equipped with a crane, to lift the surfer from the beach to the top of the cliff, Lerum said. An ambulance then took the man to a La Jolla hospital for evaluation. He was reportedly in stable condition.