17-year-old boy suffers serious injuries at Drysdale Falls

A 17-year-old boy was in a Halifax hospital Wednesday after suffering serious injuries at DrysdaleFalls, a steep waterfall between Truro, N.S., and Tatamagouche.

RCMP said the teen had jumped about 16 metres from acliff at the waterfalls into a swimming hole Sunday afternoon.

Tatamagouche Fire Chief Ian MacDonaldwas grim when he spoke about getting the emergency call at 2:30 p.m.

During his 30 years as a volunteer firefighter, he's seen multiple tragediessome resulting in death at the remote waterfalls.

"Before I left my house to go on the call, I contactedRCMP, EHS (Emergency Health Services), special hazards in case we needed rope and put LifeFlight on standby. I've been through this before."

'A problem spot'

By the time he and the other firefighters trudged to the falls, the young man had been pulled from the water and CPR was being performed. The crew carried the injured teen down the riverbed to the road, where an ambulance and the LifeFlight helicopter were waiting.

"It was a little over a hour to get in and get out," MacDonald said. "We certainly feel bad for that young guy."

In addition to the remoteness of the location, the rescue was made difficult because cellphone and radio coverage are spotty, so communication with other emergency responders wasn't reliable.

It makes for nerve-racking rescues, the fire chief said.

"It's just a problem spot. People need to stay out of there."

Private property

Over the years, firefighters have had to rescue people dangling from cliffs, people who've fallen and some who simply couldn't go through with it oncethey climbed up to jump into the water.

"One woman, she was from New Brunswick, was very apologetic. She was scared. But I feltbad for her children who had to sit and witness that."

In June 2007, a man from Oxforddrowned at the site while swimming with friends and family.

It was after that incident thatMacDonaldattended a meeting with the Transportation Department, police and then-Conservative MLA for ColchesterNorth, Karen Casey,to discuss solutions to the problem of people hiking into the site and being injured.

The falls are located on private property and the owners were also concerned about safety.

'They don't seem to realize the danger'

But regular patrols atthe falls, concrete blocks, fences and no-trespassing signs have all failed to keep the public out, MacDonald said.

There's usually at least one incident every year, he said.

"I find it is mostly people from outside our community. They don't seem to realize the danger."

RCMPCpl. Dal Hutchinson knows why the area is such a concern to emergency responders. He, too, isn't sure what can be done to keep people from getting injured at DrysdaleFalls.

"Drysdale Falls is a well-known location to residents throughout Colchester County. Having worked in the area for fouryears and growing up in Truro, I'm well aware of the dangers and issues that exist at Drysdale Falls," he said in an email.

Nearby beach better option

MacDonaldputs some of the blame on the photos of the picturesque falls and online articles thathave called it a "must-see" place. He was also critical of YouTube videos showing people taking extreme risks, diving and leaping from great heights into pools below the waterfall.

"They romanticize it."

He suggested people go to RushtonsBeach Provincial Park, about 20 minutes away, as an alternative.

"That's a better place for swimming."