San Francisco Fire Department Rescues 12-Year-Old Boy from 300-Foot Cliff at Fort Funston

firefighters 12 years old afternoon california Pacific Ocean

By Jackelyn Cornejo , Parent Herald Feb 12, 12:21 am

Photo: (Photo : ERNESTO BENAVIDES/AFP via Getty Images)

A 12-year-old boy, who found himself helpless on a ridge close to the Pacific Ocean in San Francisco, California, was successfully saved with the aid of a helicopter, as announced by the city's firemen.

San Francisco Fire Department Rescues 12-Year-Old Boy from Cliff

In San Francisco, firemen victoriously saved a 12-year-old who was helpless on a 300-foot cliff at Fort Funston on a Saturday afternoon. The event occurred at nearly 4:50 p.m. on February 10, Saturday.

The boy had descended the ridge at Fort Funston, a previous military installation, and was not able to climb back up. A California Highway Patrol helicopter was used to convey a firefighter to the site, where the boy was then raised aboard.

The San Francisco Fire Department shared the rescue on X, previously known as Twitter, with a video representing a firefighter holding onto the boy as the helicopter raises them from the bluff. Fortunately, the boy remained not hurt, as per KGO.

Located on the southwestern border of San Francisco, Fort Funston is now part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, featuring cliffs that are 200 feet high close to the beach.

Fort Funston at San Francisco

Located in the southwestern corner of San Francisco, Fort Funston is a former harbor shield installation.

Initially named the Lake Merced Military Reservation, it now stands as a secured area within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) and serves as a popular off-leash dog park.

The fort, devoted to Major General Frederick N. Funston (1865-1917), a figure closely associated with San Francisco, features numerous artillery batteries.

Found on Skyline Boulevard at John Muir Drive, west of Lake Merced, the fort was strategically built on windswept headlands along the Pacific coast, overlooking Ocean Beach.

The site also encompasses steep sandstone cliffs that provide a nesting habitat for a colony of bank swallows (Riparia riparia).

The remaining vestiges of a sand dune ecosystem, once covering the western half of San Francisco, thrive along the headlands, with trailheads contributing to the California Coastal Trail traversing through San Francisco County.

Fort Funston stands out as one of the most attractive beaches in San Francisco. The sandy cliffs elegantly descend 200 feet to a remarkable beach at the city's southernmost edge.

Renowned for its wild beauty, this beach is a somewhat hidden gem known to locals, particularly those with dogs, and is a popular destination for hang gliding and flying remote-controlled airplanes off the cliffs.

Accessed from the parking lot atop the cliffs, a steep and rugged path leads down to the beach, offering beautiful views of ice plants clinging to the cliff sides and the crashing breakers below. The return climb to the parking lot can be quite a workout.

Stretching south of Ocean Beach along the bluffs for about a quarter of a mile, Fort Funston Beach is not only scenic but also occasionally frequented by Bottlenose dolphins, seals, and the occasional whale, visible just past the breakers.

However, caution is advised as swimming is not recommended due to the deadly undertow and strong coastal currents. While surfers may occasionally be spotted, the beach is generally deemed too hazardous for most.

For those seeking an easier walk, flat paths along the cliff tops offer spectacular views. Beginning to the right of the parking lot, the paved path transforms into sandy sections and winds along the cliff top, passing through a wooded area and eventually leading to lower levels.

The World War II ruin, Battery Davis, features a tunnel connecting the main path with smaller ones closer to the sea. Although the path heads toward Ocean Beach, it doesn't quite reach the destination.