On Nov. 5, 2024, at approximately 7 a.m., rescue personnel from Grant County were dispatched to a remote area on a mountain for an injured hunter who fell from a tree stand. Due to the remote location, extended extrication time and the nature of the hunter’s injuries, the Maryland State Police Aviation Command (MSPAC) was requested to perform an aerial hoist rescue.
Trooper 5, a helicopter crew based in Cumberland, Maryland, utilized the AgustaWestland AW-139 helicopter to perform the rescue. A Trooper/Rescue Technician was lowered down to the scene into a clearing in the trees, where the hunter was prepared for aerial extraction via a patient extrication platform device. Emergency medical services and rescue personnel maintained patient care during ground operations and assisted with packaging of the patient.
Trooper 5 hovered over the wooded area and successfully hoisted the hunter, who was transported Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown, West Virginia, for further assessment and treatment.
The MSPAC has served since 1970 and operates a fleet of 10 AW139 helicopters from seven bases in Maryland. Each aircraft provides round-the-clock coverage to Maryland residents and visitors. The agency’s missions include medevac, law enforcement, search and rescue, homeland security and disaster assessment. The success of the missions relies heavily on the cooperative efforts of local fire, rescue, EMS, law enforcement agencies and partner agencies.
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CONTACT: First Sergeant Jeffrey Leppert, MSPAC Cumberland Section, (301) 777-8400.