Crapo, Dorchester County, Maryland - Two Maryland State Police Helicopters based on Maryland’s Eastern Shore collaborated with the regional "HEAT" Team from the Salisbury Fire Department to successfully rescue an injured hunter from a remote, swampy, hunting area after a firearm accident.
At approximately 12:51 p.m. on Friday, October 22, 2010, SYSCOM, the communications center for the Maryland State Police Aviation Command, received a request for a medevac of a male hunter whose black powder rifle malfunctioned and fired, causing injuries to the hunter’s shoulder. The requested response was to an isolated, swampy area approximately 2 miles from the nearest road, which was the 2500 Block of Willeys Neck Road, near Crapo, Dorchester County, MD. Due to the remote location of the patient, and the uncertainty of available landing areas nearby, it was determined that an overhead rescue by hoist might become necessary.
SYSCOM in turn dispatched the two closest multi-mission helicopters to the scene. MSP Helicopter Trooper 6, based in Easton, was dispatched, along with Trooper 4, based in Salisbury. Trooper 4, at the time of dispatch, had been participating in a joint training exercise with members of the Salisbury Fire Department Special Operations Unit, who have long been members of the High Elevation Aerial Team, or "HEAT". Part of this training exercise included working with new equipment and procedures for performing exactly this type of aerial rescue.
Trooper 4, with a crew consisting of MSP Pilot Gary Jacobsen, Trooper First Class/Flight Paramedic Carl Hardcastle, Salisbury Firefighter/Paramedic Eric Cramer, and Salisbury Firefighter/EMT Donnie Phippin; responded to the scene to meet Trooper 6, with a crew consisting of MSP Pilot Mark Peters, and Trooper First Class/Flight Paramedic Jeremy Krebs. After size up and coordination, it was determined that Trooper 4 would utilize the rescue hoist to lower Firefighters Cramer and Phippin to the victim. Once on the ground, Cramer and Phippin treated and prepared the injured hunter, loading him into the newly acquired rescue litter, then tended trail lines to guide the victim as he was lifted by Trooper 4’s hoist, operated by Hardcastle and Jacobsen. Once the victim was safely inside Trooper 4, he was flown back to a hard surface landing area where Trooper 6 was waiting to treat and transport the patient. The injured hunter was transferred to Trooper 6, where Peters and Krebs then transported him via helicopter to the Trauma Unit at Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury, Maryland. The victim remains hospitalized at this time, recovering from his injuries.
Trooper 4 recovered the rescuing firefighters and returned them to their base in Salisbury. HEAT Teams are regionalized resources of specially trained firefighters who are equipped and available Statewide to assist MSP Aviation Command with performing a wide range of rescues using the multi-mission capabilities of MSP helicopters. The Salisbury Fire Department Special Operations HEAT Team generally assists on all aerial rescue requests on Delmarva and the mid-Shore region.
The firearm incident leading to the victim’s injuries is being investigated by the Maryland Natural Resources Police.
The Salisbury Fire Department not only provides fire suppression, rescue and EMS treatment and transport services, but also has a Special Operations Division consisting of services of Haz Mat, Dive, Marine, Trench Rescue, Confined Space Rescue, High Angle Rescue and HEAT.
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11 comments:
Good job guys!!!
MSP Aviation Rocks!
Great Collaboration MSP and SFD.
If anybody can find something negative to say about this I'll be willing to contribute to a fund to pay for their lobotamy. Great job MSP and SFD. The MSP helicopter program is one of the best uses of tax money that I know of--any politician that disagrees will never get my vote.
Great job done by all involved. I'm wishing the injured hunter a speedy recovery.
Good job Cramer and phippin. The truth is that theres nothing special about this. Anyone could be lowered from that bird. This Special Operations Team isnt special at all. There are very few members on this so called team. Its a glorified gang of ego hounds lead by the king of attention seekers Mr. Bragg. No surprise that Pookey was no where in the loop. Probably intoxicated agin like last weekend at the fire. Happy that the hunter will survive, but really nothing special about it.
Where was the Executive Officer of the "TEAM" ? Drunk at the Green Turtle again. Where was the Head Hog of this "Special Team" the Pirate Bragg. Where he always is. Far from the action but pounding his chest. MSP probably wouldn't allow him on board for fear of hanging himself.
Thank you all who were involved. It's ashame people have to be negative. I hope it's not one of your family members one day that needs help when an accident happens. The hunter was in the helicopter and in route to the hospital in an amazingly quick time for where he was located. Thank you once again.
You can find dedicated people on the Special Operations team that arent in it for the photos or the awards they give to themselves. Good Job to the people able to assist on this.
I havent scene the executive officer of the Salisbury Special Operations Team at the Green Turtle alot lately. I do see the acting deputy chiefs personel vehicle there all the time. It can be found in the 15 minute only carry out pick up spot for hours at a time.
This injured hunter is a member of MY family and I assure you it is incredibly SPECIAL. For "anonymous" to say otherwise is insane. I am very grateful to all involved in his rescue, from his friend who was trained and was the first to assist, to the police, fire, rescue and any persons associated with their training. Sounds like the "anonymous" comments are from either a jealous individual who wouldn't know the meaning of a true hero or someone who has a personal vendetta against Mr. Bragg. Regardless, comments such as these negative ones have no place here. The people responsible for rescuing the injured hunter performed their job and should be commended, not criticized. "Anonymous" should really take a look in the mirror at his/her own ego. Obvoiusly there are some issues if he/she feels the need to blog about the personal life of a trained professional who puts his life on the line to assist others every day.
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