Increase in hiking, cycling brings more emergency rescues to regional parks

Four times over the course of four days this past week, Oakland Fire Department’s Gator 21 utility terrain vehicle was deployed for trail rescues in the Oakland hills, a fire department spokesman said.

Sunday morning, a woman hiking in Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park with her family experienced a medical emergency, said Oakland Fire Capt. Brian Oftedal. She was unable to walk out of the park herself, so her family called for help around 10 a.m., he said.