GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK – Great Smoky Mountain National Park officials were notified this morning that Cindy Hill, 45, of Columbia, Md., died last night of injuries sustained while day hiking in the Greenbrier area of the Park. The victim was pronounced dead shortly after 10 p.m. at Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center in Knoxville, Tenn.

At about 11:45 a.m. Monday, the Park received a 911 alert of the

accident.  The incident occurred when Cindy Hill and her husband, Ron, were

hiking along the Greenbrier Road which was temporarily closed due to snow.

They walked approximately 3 miles from the ranger station when they stopped

to take a photograph on some rocks along a stream.  Mrs. Hill lost her

footing on a rock and slipped into swift moving water.  Her husband grabbed

her, but she slipped away from his grasp.  Mr. Hill was able to reach her

again about 20 yards downstream.  He pulled her to the shoreline where he

initiated CPR, but she was unresponsive.  While running back towards the

ranger station to get help, Mr. Hill encountered another visitor who called

911.

     Park Rangers and Gatlinburg Fire and EMS responded to the emergency

and arrived at the scene simultaneously.  Paramedics began advanced life

support, but she remained unresponsive.  She was transported by Gatlinburg

ambulance to Fort Sanders Sevier Medical Center where emergency personnel

were able to establish a pulse.  She was then subsequently transported by

air to Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center for additional treatment, but

attempts to revive her were unsuccessful, and she was pronounced dead.