Firefighters Rescue Distressed Man from Radio Tower at Pine Knob
(Oakland County Sheriff’s Department, April 20, 2018)
Independence Township, MI – INCIDENT:  21:23 hrs. – Independence Township – Suicidal Subject / Involuntary Committal – #18-71914
SUMMARY:  The Sheriff’s Operations Center received a 9-1-1 call from a subject who stated that he was suicidal and that he had climbed 200 foot tower located on the south side at the top of Pine Knob Ski Resort which is located in the 7000 block of Sashabaw Rd.  The subject stated that he climbed the tower in an attempt to commit suicide by jumping from the tower but he had changed his mind after he had climbed to a height of approximately 200 feet.
 
OUTCOME OF INCIDENT:  Deputies arrived on scene and located the subject who was still on the tower.  Deputies spoke to the subject regarding his climbing down from the tower.  The subject advised Deputies that he afraid and was unable to do so.  Members from the Independence Township Fire Department Technical Rescue Team climbed the tower and secured the subject into a harness which allowed them to lower the subject to the ground.  Once the subject was safely on the ground, Paramedics treated the subject for exposure do to the extremely cold weather conditions.  F.D. Paramedics then transported the subject to McLaren-Oakland Hospital for further treatment.  Deputies accompanied the ambulance to the hospital where they completed paperwork for an involuntary psychiatric evaluation. The tower is owned by the Pine Knob Ski Resort and they lease pace on the tower to other entities.
 
VICTIM INFORMATION:  21 year old male, resident of Independence Township.
 
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