First responders return to Rainbow Lake Trail (Signal Mountain) regarding another rescue call.
At 12:30 p.m., a woman called 911 reporting her husband, 45, missing and that he did not return from a hike from Rainbow Lake Trail Monday night. The wife also reported to 911 dispatchers his car was missing and he did not report to his place of employment.
Signal Mountain Fire and Police Departments responded to 309 Ohio Ave. Signal Mountain Police Department reported the hiker’s vehicle was located at Alexian Village Retirement Village and requested a mutual aid response for additional personnel to assist with the search.
Waldens Ridge Emergency Services (WRES) Special Tactics Rescue Service (STARS) and Hamilton County Office of Emergency Management (HCOEM) Drone Team responded to the scene. Chattanooga Fire Department filled in at Signal Mountain FD Station 1 and Red Bank FD filled in for WRES Station 1.
Rescue officials were able to “ping” the missing hiker’s last location on his cell phone in the area of Rainbow Lake Trail. At 1:30 p.m., one rescue team entered Rainbow Lake Trail and another rescue team entered Edwards Point. These two trails intersect each other and rescue crews planned to compress the search area by coming from two different directions.
At 2:11 p.m., search crews located the hiker with injuries. HCEMS Medic 8 personnel entered the woods to hike down to the patient and assist his injuries. At 4 p.m., rescue crews reported to dispatch HCEMS personnel was providing medical care to the hiker and walking him out on the Edwards Point trail. HCEMS Medic 6 was staged at the Edwards Point trail entrance waiting for the injured hiker and transported him to a local hospital.