Maryland State Police Helicopter Crew Rescues Hunter In Dorchester County

(Cambridge, MD) – An injured hunter stranded near Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge was rescued Friday by a Maryland State Police Aviation Command (MSPAC) helicopter.

The crew from Trooper 6, assigned to the Easton Section, responded to the area of Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge shortly after noon on Friday. They were summoned to conduct the aerial rescue after Dorchester County emergency responders were called for a man that fell from a tree stand.

According to ground personnel, the man fell approximately 14 feet from a tree stand and required medical attention. The Dorchester County Department of Emergency Services (DES) contacted SYSCOM and requested the Maryland State Police Aviation Command conduct the rescue due to the severity of the injuries and the remote location and marshy terrain.

Once at the scene, the crew from MSPAC’s AW139 helicopter established communications with ground rescuers, who were providing medical care to the injured hunter. From overhead, the crew deployed a state trooper paramedic, who was equipped with medical equipment and rescue gear. The trooper, along with Dorchester County ground rescuers, provided medical care and packaged the hunter for aerial extraction. The hunter, accompanied by the trooper paramedic, was then hoisted 80 feet to the aircraft. He was then flown by the crew of Trooper 6 to a trauma center, while receiving advanced medical care en route to the hospital.

The Maryland State Police Aviation Command has served Maryland citizens since 1970 and operates a fleet of 10 AW139 helicopters from seven bases throughout the State. Each aircraft provides coverage 24/7/365 to Maryland residents and visitors. The MSPAC 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 our partners at the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Park Police.

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 CONTACT: Director Donald Hawkins – MSPAC Flight Operations, donald.hawkins@maryland.gov, 410-238-5802