Maryland State Police Trooper 5 Perform Aerial Rescue in Frederick County, Virginia

State of VA - On Saturday at approximately 2:21 p.m., rescue personnel from Frederick County, Virginia, were called to a remote trail near Cove Campground. They responded to a report of a UTV rollover with an injured patient.

The patient's location was hard to reach and expected to take a long time to reach by ground.

Because of this, and the nature of the injuries, Maryland State Police Aviation Command was asked to help with an aerial hoist rescue.

Trooper 5, the MSP helicopter based in Cumberland, Maryland, responded to the scene. On the ground, emergency medical services and rescue crews kept caring for the patient and helped get them ready for the rescue.

A Trooper and Rescue Technician were lowered from the helicopter into a clearing in the trees. There, the patient was prepared for the aerial rescue using a Patient Extrication Platform, known as a PEP Bag.

The pilots of Trooper 5 held the helicopter steady above the wooded area while the patient was hoisted up. Once the patient was safely inside the aircraft, the flight crew flew them straight to a local hospital for treatment.

The rescue was carried out using an AgustaWestland AW-139 helicopter. Maryland State Police Aviation Command has served the state since 1970.

The agency runs a fleet of ten AW139 helicopters from seven bases across Maryland. These aircraft provide around-the-clock coverage for Maryland residents and visitors, handling missions like medical evacuations, law enforcement support, search and rescue, homeland security, and disaster assessment.

Missions like this one depend on teamwork between local fire, rescue, EMS, law enforcement, and other partner agencies.