BALTIMORE (January 03, 2018)—A Maryland State Police Aviation Command helicopter crew rescued a man suffering from a medical condition and in need of immediate treatment from a shipping vessel underway in the Chesapeake Bay early this morning.
Shortly before 2:00 a.m. today, the United States Coast Guard Sector Maryland-NCR received a request from the vessel's medical personnel and subsequently requested a Maryland State Police helicopter to assist. The motor vessel Salome, flagged in Singapore, was underway in the Chesapeake Bay north of the Bay Bridge, headed for the Port of Baltimore.
Trooper 2, the Aviation Command's Washington Section helicopter stationed at Joint Base Andrews, responded to the call for help. The crew included pilot in command Timothy McMahon, second in command Daniel Summerville, crew chief/flight paramedic Trooper First Class Edward Strapp and rescue technician First Sergeant Jonathan Larsen.
When Trooper 2 was overhead the ship, the State Police crew completed a detailed reconnaissance of the vessel and determined the best course of action and approach to rescue the 39-year-old male victim. Due to the condition of the victim, the Aviation Command rescue technician was lowered to the ship's deck to assist with stabilization and packaging for extraction. The rescue technician was hoisted back to the aircraft with the victim. With the patient safely on-board, Trooper 2 immediately transitioned from a search and rescue platform to a medevac operation and transported the patient to Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis, Maryland.
As a partner in Maryland's world renowned integrated emergency medical services system, the Maryland State Police Aviation Command provides around-the-clock coverage throughout the state for a variety of airborne public safety missions. Ten AW-139 helicopters based out of seven sections across the state provide medevac, search and rescue, aerial law enforcement, and homeland security services.