[madskdc]

It looks like a paraglider requires a minimum of 30 yards of runway to take off and land (assuming there's nothing obstructing it at the end of those 30 yards, like trees), with some pilots suggesting 150 yards without tall trees to safely take off. I could see that being an issue in a lot of areas, especially mountainous areas where flat areas are only in the valley.

That said, I don't have any personal experience with paragliders, so perhaps there are VTOL options?

[Retric]

Take off requires a cliff or small runway depending on wind conditions, but you can do a pinpoint landing just like a parachute, which seems to be the concern. I suspect they are going to be walking back either way to keep an eye on the injured person.