Fire rescue crews — and a very busy helicopter — successfully aided five hikers in three locations overnight and into this morning.

The most dramatic effort began last evening at the Kuliouou Ridge Trail.
The parents of a teenage boy with diabetes called 911 when the boy and two companions failed to return as planned from a hike on the ridge.
Fire Capt. Earle Kealoha said in a news release that rescuers responded to the call about 6:30 p.m.
Crews located the boys and tried to reach them, only to be stymied by the terrain and loss of daylight.
Because of the boy’s medical condition, it was decided to continue the operation into the night.
The fire department borrowed night-vision goggles from Honolulu police and sent its helicopter up.
The helicopter was able to get within 25 feet of the boys, and a bag containing medication and water was dropped to them.
A fire rescue specialist was then taken up by the helicopter and he rappelled down to join up with the hikers shortly after 1 a.m. He brought more supplies, including warm clothing and additional lighting.
The search was suspended at that point but HFD units remained at the scene until daylight broke and the rescue could resume.
Rescuers resumed efforts at 5:41 a.m. and had the three hikers safely on the ground at 6:21.
Although none of the three suffered any injuries, city paramedics conducted a precautionary assessment of the hikers.
About the time the boys were being brought down, another call came — this time from the cell phone of a man in his 60s who had spent the night on the Koolau ridge line near Waihole after a hike became too strenuous.
Since the ridge was socked in by clouds, the fire helicopter couldn’t find the hiker and so he was told to stay in place until the clouds burned off, fire Capt. Terry Seelig said.
Meanwhile, a call came in for an injured hiker above Lyon Arboretum in Manoa.
Since the helicopter wasn’t going to be needed at Waiahole for a while, it was sent to help with the rescue in Manoa.
When it arrived, Manoa firefighters, using the arboretum’s all-terrain vehicle, were already bringing in a middle-aged man who had suffered a foot injury.
The helicopter then returned to Waihole, where it was able to set down near the hiker and bring him back.