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LEBANON, ME - The Lebanon Rescue Department responded to Skydive New England for the report of two skydivers who had been injured while skydiving. The call was received shortly after 10:30 on Friday, September 18, 2009.

When the ambulance arrived on scene about eleven minutes after the call, they located a 22-year-old female patient from Newfields, NH who was lying on the grass. There were medical personnel on scene who had started treatment and had the patient stabilized.

The other male patient reportedly had left the scene and went to get checked out for what was reported to be minor injuries.

The female patient was placed into the Lebanon Ambulance and transported to Frisbie Hospital in Rochester. A Frisbie Hospital Medic had been requested while at the scene and met with the Lebanon Ambulance enroute to the hospital.

"It was reported to us that the two injured had been tandem skydiving and had a great jump until they got to about 30 feet off the ground and a change in wind conditions caused them to fall to the ground and caused them to land hard on the ground and sustain the subsequent injuries. We usually only receive about 8-10 parachuting accidents a year, most of which are minor injuries, which is amazing when you realize they do over 25,000 jumps annually. The female patient was transported with what appear to be non-life threatening injuries." Assistant Chief and Public Information Officer Jason Cole advised. "With the change in wind conditions at the last second, these freak accidents happen."