Off-Road Rescue on the Rail Trail: Niverville Fire and Greenport Rescue Team Up

Niverville, NY - Responders from the Niverville Fire Department utilized off-road rescue apparatus Sunday to locate and extract an injured bicyclist along the regional rail trail in northern Columbia County.

On September 20, Niverville crews were dispatched alongside Greenport Rescue Squad to a report of a bicycle accident along the recreational trail system. Because the incident occurred in an area inaccessible to standard road ambulances and structural fire apparatus, the department mobilized its specialized off-road utility task vehicle, UTV 45-60, to reach the scene.

Firefighters and emergency medical personnel navigated the trail corridor, made contact with the injured rider, and provided initial medical evaluation and stabilization. Responders packaged the patient and transported them via UTV 45-60 off the trail system to a staging area, transferring care to Greenport Rescue for further treatment and transport.

Department officials noted the rider was operating a traditional pedal bicycle—not an electric bike—and credited the cyclist for wearing a helmet, which significantly reduced the potential severity of head trauma. Responders also issued a community safety reminder, emphasizing caution and situational awareness along the trails as calls for service in the corridor continue to rise.