DERBY — A logger who injured himself in the woods was rescued thanks to the quick actions of a neighbor who noticed the man’s truck and horse trailer were still parked off Derby Pond Road after the sun had gone down.
According to Derby Line Fire Chief Craig Ellam, Jason McAllister had gone into the woods to harvest logs, when he suffered an injury to his leg sometime around 2 p.m. on Wednesday.
McAllister was able to stay calm, and managed to splint his leg and attempt to walk out, heading back to his parked truck. However, the nature of the injury made it impossible for him to make it out without help.
McAllister was stuck in the woods, left to wait for help as the daylight hours came to an end.
Thankfully, Reg Smith was looking out for his neighbor. Smith quickly went into the woods to look for McAllister at around 7:45 p.m., after he saw his truck and horse trailer were still parked after dark. Smith located the logger, phoned 911, and stayed with him until help would arrive.
Firefighters arrived and had to carry McAllister out of the woods. He was taken by ambulance to the hospital to be treated for his injuries.
The rescue did not stop there, as McAllister had a horse that was still in the woods that needed to be located and led out.
A firefighter even drove the horse to a residence in Newport Center to be held as McAllister was being treated at the hospital.
