Cliff Rescue - In Ruston?

The Ruston Fire Department got to use some new skills on Friday when they used ropes to rappel down a steep hillside (or cliff to some) to rescue a woman and her two beagles. 

When the woman's dogs disappeared over the edge of the hill at the end of  N. Orchard Street (near this picture), she climbed down to collect them herself. Once down there, she realized she could not safely get back up without risking falling much further down the very steep hill. So she called 911.

Once there, fire chief Don Torbet tied off and rappelled down. He helped get the dog owner into a harness so she could be pulled up. Firefighters made a makeshift harness for the dogs out of a bag and soon had all safe at the top of the cliff. All is a days work, although cliff rescues are not too common in Ruston.