Unconscious Teenager Airlifted to Safety at Devil’s Gate Dam

A teenage girl from Glendale was airlifted to safety Wednesday afternoon following an overdose incident that prompted a complex rescue operation at Devil’s Gate Dam in Pasadena. A teenage boy accompanying her was able to walk out of the steep area on his own.

Pasadena police and fire crews responded to the scene at approximately 3:12 p.m. after receiving reports of an intoxicated juvenile requiring help in the park area south of the reservoir below the dam, according to officials.

The girl was unconscious and her location in the canyon complicated rescue efforts due to the dam’s high walls and challenging terrain, according to reports.

Arriving firefighters immediately requested additional resources upon assessing the situation. 

The rescue operation ultimately involved three fire engines, two trucks, two rescue ambulances, an urban search and rescue team and a County helicopter.

LA County Fire Department’s Copter 22 hoisted the patient from the canyon. She was then transported in stable condition to Huntington Hospital for treatment. The Pasadena Urban Search and Rescue 32 unit remained on scene throughout the airlift operation.

The incident, which closed at 6:03 p.m., required nearly three hours to complete and drew support from multiple agencies, including the Pasadena Police Department. 

The rescue operation caused traffic delays on the adjacent Foothill (210) Freeway near the Linda Vista exit.