Lost Hikers Found in Dartmouth Woods
DARTMOUTH — Dartmouth police and fire crews rescued two hikers who were lost in the woods in a rural area of North Dartmouth on Wednesday night.
Police said in a release that emergency first responders received a call at around 8:45 p.m. from two hikers who were lost in the woods off Collins Corner Road.
As the hikers cell phone battery was running "extremely low," according to police, dispatchers eventually communicated with them via text.
The hikers were told to stay calm and stay put, according to the release.
As night fell, Dartmouth police officers and crews from Dartmouth Fire District 3 entered the woods and found the lost hikers at around 9:15 p.m.
A popular local land trust nature reserve, Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust's Ridge Hill Reserve, is located on Collins Corner Road, and abuts the much larger Copicut Woods area surrounding the Copicut Reservoir.
However, it is unclear if the hikers got lost in that area or elsewhere.
"I am very pleased with the outcome of this incident," Dartmouth Police Chief Brian Levesque said.
"Thanks to the calm demeanor and quick-thinking of our dispatcher(s), the hikers were provided with helpful information that made it much easier for first responders to locate them."
Dartmouth police shared a link to important safety tips from the U.S. Forest Service advising hikers to stop, stay calm, and think if they believe they are lost.