State Police Helicopter Crew Rescues Victim From Cliff In Washington Co.

A Maryland State Police helicopter crew performed a hoist rescue off of Maryland Heights Overlook in Washington County on the afternoon of Wednesday, October 21, 2015. Shortly after 12:00 p.m., the Maryland State Police Helicopter Dispatch Center (SYSCOM) received a call from the Washington County 911 Center regarding an injured person on the Maryland Heights Overlook . The remote location and steep terrain precluded a timely extrication by ground.

The crew of Trooper 3, based at Frederick Municipal Airport, was dispatched and immediately began preparing for a hoist rescue. Once overhead, an aerial reconnaissance was conducted and the crew determined the best method of extraction was to deploy a State Police trooper/rescue technician with rescue equipment to the patient on the cliff.

After positioning the aircraft over the cliff at an altitude of approximately 60 feet, a State Police trooper/rescue technician was lowered onto the top of the cliff to assess the situation. Ground rescue teams from the Hagerstown Fire Department and the Potomac Valley Fire Department worked diligently using a stokes basket to remove the patient from a crevasse to an area that was safe enough to perform an aerial hoist.

The patient was retrieved from the cliff using the aerial hoist, moved to the aircraft cabin and transported to Frederick Memorial Hospital. State Police trooper/flight paramedics administered advanced life support care during air transport to the hospital.

The Maryland State Police Aviation Command operates a fleet of 10, Augusta-Westland AW139, helicopters based out of seven sections throughout the state. This mission is a clear demonstration of the multi-mission capability these aircraft provide to our allied public safety partners and the citizens of Maryland.