Medical emergency and rescue at Fort Ross Reef
July 3rd, 2009 | Published in In the News, Medical, Rescue
Sonoma County Sheriff’s Press Release
On April 26, 2009 at 8:45 AM the Sonoma County Sheriff’s helicopter, “Henry-1″ responded to Fort Ross Reef for a medical emergency. Initial reports indicated that CPR was in progress on a subject near the campground. This area north of Jenner is a popular diving location.
A Fish and Game warden was in the area and started medical care with good Samaritans also stepping in. State and County Park rangers, a Sheriff’s Deputy and Timber Cove Fire volunteers also responded to assist with the incident that actually was occurring in the parking area commonly known as the Fort Ross Terrace, an area where divers park before hiking a couple hundred yards to the bluff above the ocean. This is also the access point for divers wishing to swim in and around Fort Ross Reef.
Half way through the ten minute flight to the coast, Henry-1 received information from on scene personnel that there was a report of a missing abalone diver in the same area. The missing diver was completely unrelated from the medical emergency. Since there was no paramedic on scene, Henry-1 landed and dropped off Paramedic Dmitri Menzel to handle the medical emergency. Menzel brought advanced life support equipment including a heart monitor /defibrillator from the helicopter and took over life saving efforts.
Pilot Paul Bradley and Sgt. Eric Thomson took flight and began to search for the missing diver. He had become separated from his three diving partners who were now back on shore and panicking over the loss of their friend. During the search, a Reach helicopter landed on scene to assist Henry-1′s paramedic with the medical emergency. They transported the victim to Sutter Hospital in Santa Rosa. The patient was alive but his medical history and current status is not known. Information gathered on scene reports that this 61-year-old unidentified Daly City man had been diving for abalone alone and had collapsed 100-feet from his vehicle upon return to the parking area.
Thomson and Bradley flew around the area of Fort Ross Reef and quickly located the missing diver. He was several hundred yards off shore on the ocean side of a large rock and was not visible from shore. There were no other divers in the area. The tide had been out but was now coming in, causing some surf action. The diver did not have any fins and appeared to be in distress, sitting on a rock. The helicopter crew flew over the diver and gave the international “are you okay?” hand signal (placing one hand on the head) but the diver did not respond.
The helicopter landed back on the bluff and prepared for a long line rescue. One end of a 100-foot rope was attached to the belly of the helicopter and the other end was attached to the seat harness worn by Sgt. Thomson, who had also donned a wetsuit. Pilot Bradley flew the helicopter with Thomson suspended on the rope directly to the diver. Thomson placed the diver into a rescue harness and both men were flown back to the bluff.
The diver, 48-year-old Nathan Ng of Millbrae, CA was grateful for the rescue. He said he had become exhausted and disoriented, making his way farther out the reef instead of towards shore. He didn’t think he could make it back to shore by himself. A short video of the rescue was recorded and may be found on the Sheriff’s website soon.
CR# 090426-007
