Salmon Creek Beach Rescue
July 10th, 2009 | Published in In the News, Rescue
A truck, occupied by two men, drove off of Highway 1 and plummented 75 feet to the beach. The Bodega Fire Department, State Park Rangers, CHP, and the rescue helicopter crew were on hand to extricate and stabilize the injured men before lifting them from the beach to the roadway. They were then turned over to ambulance crews for transport to a local hospital.
Sonoma County Sheriff’s Press Release
On 7-10-09 at about 1930 hours, the Sheriff’s helicopter “Henry-1,” piloted by Paul Bradley, was dispatched along with Bodega Bay Fire Department, CHP and State Parks Rangers to the North Salmon Creek Beach for a pick-up truck that went over the cliff. Two male occupants aged 50 and 17, were still trapped inside the cab of the truck, which was now on the beach after it plummeted 75 feet off the cliff from Hwy. 1
The Henry-1 crew responded to the scene and landed on the beach 12 minutes later. Sheriff’s tactical flight officer and paramedic off loaded from the helicopter and assisted Bodega Bay Fire and State Park personnel in extricating, assessing and treating the injured occupants.
Meanwhile, a second tactical flight officer readied the helicopter for a 100-foot long-line rescue. Both accident victim’s were then flown, one at a time, via a stokes-basket attached to the long-line, along with a tactical flight officer, back up to the bluff along Hwy. 1. The victims, who were in stable condition, were then turned over to ambulance crews for transport to a local hospital.
Henry-1′s versatility allows for beach landings making it a possible to gain quick access to accident or fall victims in this kind of cliff /beach type scenario. The helicopter’s long-line capability, coupled with the second-to-none skill of the pilot, make it an invaluable asset in getting injured victims the medical attention they need in an expedited fashion. The Henry-1 crew routinely trains with Bodega Bay Fire and State Parks, as well as other public safety agencies, in order to provide the highest caliber of life-saving and rescue services.
Case# 090710-045
