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Stranded hikers in Griffith Park's Bronson Canyon--famous in TV history for being Batman's batcave--are common enough that the Los Angeles Fire Department has a well-rehearsed rescue plan. "We've done at least a dozen identical rescues," explained Brian Humphrey, a veteran public information officer with the department. Today, that three-tiered plan went into effect--an aerial ladder was extended to to rescue the hiker, some 50 feet above the cave, successfully. That was Plan A.
Depending on the situation, Plan B is used, which is a rope rescue from above. Plan C, only used in dire situations, is a hoist operation via helicopter. The latter is problematic, however: the down draft from the helicopter's blades can be too intense for loose soil in this area, often injuring the stranded and rescuers.
Officials were alerted to the hiker's situation shortly after 4 p.m. He was rescued lest than 45-minutes later and was evaluated by medics. Recent rescues in the same spot include on January 17th of this year, April 23rd of 2008 and in October 5th of 2007.
The location has not just been used for old Batman episodes. Dozens of films and TV shows have used the canyon and cave as a filming location including Army of Darkness, Star Trek, Little House on the Prairie and, of course, Attack of the Crab Monsters.
