SAN DIEGO -- A 47-year-old woman was rescued from the side of a steep cliff in the Cedar Creek Falls area of the East County Sunday afternoon. She was hoisted 80 feet into the Sheriff's Department's ASTREA rescue helicopter after ground crews couldn't reach her.

It was one of the first uses of new video equipment that has been purchased by funds from Department of Homeland Security grants. The video can be downlinked to incident commanders, according to Lt. Dave McNary of ASTREA.

McNary said the equipment "also gives situational awareness to the County Emergency Operations Center, to commands throughout the area, mobile command posts and headquarters all at once. It can also be streamlined over the Internet."

The handheld units cost about $15,000, and there are currently three ASTREA helicopters equipped with the units, with two more to be installed. McNary said his crews can easily communicate with San Diego city police and fire helicopters, many of which already have similar equipment.

McNary also said he sees great benefit in utilizing the cameras and transmitters when the next wildfires strike.