Man airlifted after 12-foot roof fall in remote Southern Humboldt

Emergency crews responded Wednesday afternoon after a 55-year-old man fell about 12 feet from a roof in a remote section of southern Humboldt County. The incident occurred around 1:20 p.m. on Jan. 14 in the 1300 block of Bellus Road, east of Garberville near the mountain community of Harris.

Palo Verde Volunteer Fire Department and other local first responders were paged for a code 3 medical response. An air ambulance was requested after the initial report; Reach 5 accepted the call and anticipated arriving on scene at 2:16 p.m. Scanner updates show the patient was loaded into the Reach helicopter by 3:18 p.m. No further information about the person’s injuries or condition has been released.

The response highlights the challenges rural Humboldt residents face when serious injuries occur far from trauma centers. Remote roads and rugged terrain can lengthen response and transport times, increasing reliance on volunteer fire departments and air medical services. Those systems are essential but also stretched by long distances, weather and limited staffing, which affect how quickly someone can reach definitive hospital care.

Falls from roofs are a common source of traumatic injury and can be particularly dangerous in rural settings where immediate advanced care is not next door. For families and neighbors in Southern Humboldt, this episode is a reminder about basic safety when doing roof work or other home maintenance: stable ladders, a spotter, and professional help can reduce risk. It is also a prompt to consider how quickly you could summon help if you are out on the ridge or on a stretch of Bellus Road with spotty cell service.

Travelers should use caution in the area where emergency personnel were operating as crews and vehicles converged on the scene. If you encounter emergency operations on county roads, slow down and move over to give responders room; your actions can protect both the injured person and the crews assisting them.

The incident underscores larger public health and policy issues for Humboldt County: the critical role of volunteer responders, the importance of reliable emergency communications in remote pockets, and the need for community awareness about injury prevention. Our two cents? Treat roof work like any risky job here in the hills—plan for safety, have someone nearby, and keep your phone charged so help can find you fast if the unthinkable happens.