A hiker in need of urgent medical assistance was rescued by Maryland State Police Aviation Command's Trooper 3 helicopter in Washington County, as reported on the Maryland government's news site. The incident occurred on the Maryland Heights Overlook cliff, where the hiker suffered a severe medical emergency.
The dispatch of Trooper 3 came about yesterday at 1:33 p.m., following Washington County's call for an aerial hoist due to the patient's critical state and the tough terrain that made a ground rescue effort challenging at best. Maryland State Police Aviation, coupled with Washington County Fire and Rescue Services and the Frederick County Department of Fire and Rescue Services, launched a coordinated effort to save the distressed hiker.
Operating the Leonardo Agusta Westland AW-139 helicopter, the Trooper 3 pilots skillfully positioned the aircraft around 125 feet above the perilous landscape. A Trooper/Paramedic was lowered from the hovering craft to stabilize the injured party before being hoisted back up to safety and subsequently transported to Meritus Medical Center in Hagerstown for treatment, details of which were outlined in a public announcement.
The rescue signifies the continued dedication and capability of the Maryland State Police Aviation Command (MSPAC), which has been operational since 1970, equipped with a fleet of 10 AW139 helicopters stationed across seven bases throughout Maryland, providing numerous services such as medevac, law enforcement, search and rescue, homeland security, and disaster assessment, missions that rely heavily on the supportive network of local agencies including fire and rescue, EMS, and law enforcement, in addition to partnerships with the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Park Police.
