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"There was a report of a male over an embankment," said Sgt. David Cirencione of the Ontario County Sheriff's Office.

"For us, it's a job. To preserve life and make it happen as quickly as possible," said Daniel Joseph, Cheshire Fire Department.

Douglas Preston went out early to mow the greens at Bristol Harbor, but co-workers worried when he didn't come back, as scheduled.

"Some co-workers came looking for him because they said he was overdue, he should have been back to the base," Cirencione said.

911 was called and firefighters responded, finding the 68-year-old Preston, and his mower, at the bottom of a hill, just off the course's 15th green.

"I can just imagine how terrifying it was for the gentleman on the mower. But he's in safety and we're almost cleaned up," Joseph said.

"It's rocky, lots of trees and brush down in there," said Cirencione.

It took more than a half-hour to rescue Preston. He was airlifted to Strong Memorial Hospital with serious injuries.

"He was breathing," Joseph said. "We made patient contact and it was a matter of flying him out and getting to the hospital as soon as possible."

Firefighters are familiar with this part of Bristol Harbor. As a mattter of fact, they were just here Monday night, training for a scenario just like this.

"We came down to this same hole and did a simulation. Lo and behold, a week or so later, here we are. That's why we train," Joseph said.

Hours after the mishap, the mower was finally brought out of the woods as well. Police are trying to figure out what caused Preston to lose control of it in the first place.

"You drill to make sure you're ready, so when you suit up, you don't spend time trying to figure out what to do. You just make it happen," Joseph said.