Miami-Dade (FL) Fire Rescue units provided mutual aid to the Hialeah Fire Department and Police Department during a recent hoist call. Some footage of the rescue operations can be seen in the above video.
On December 12, Air Rescue North (ARN) received a call from Fire Alarm Office (FAO) via landline at approximately 0120h and was advised to remain at the station until further direction but prepare for possible multi-victim hoist that Hialeah Fire Department (HFD) is operating. ARN crew removed the stretchers and loaded stokes basket and at 0128h were dispatched to the following location (1 mile west of NW 97 Ave & NW 154 St) with report of five victims back-boarded requiring to be hoisted from a heavily wooded area. While en route, ARN prompted FAO to alert Air Rescue South (ARS) of possible call and we would confirm when on scene.
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Upon arrival to the scene, the rescuers and victims were noted to be deep into a heavily wooded area with limited access. ARN inserted a flight medic into a nearby clearing and were able to direct him to the call with the use of the search light and ICS (tru-link) communication. The vehicle was an overturned Jeep that had driven off an embankment which dropped at a 70o pitch for about 20 feet then it continuously sloped at a 45o gradient, where it was resting on its hood.
HFD had roped off the vehicle to keep it from continually sliding and had placed an extension ladder down the embankment to gain access. HFD had patient #1 already outside the vehicle and back-boarded. Patient #2 was trapped in the overturned vehicle, and they were awaiting arrival of a chainsaw and tools to extricate her from the vehicle.
The other three victims had self-extricated and were able to walk out with assistance. Patient #1 was hoisted via stokes basket and taken to the established Landing Zone (LZ), where she was endorsed to a ground rescue unit for transport. ARN returned to base to refuel for a second hoist evolution while extrication procedures were being performed. ARN ground medic assisted HFD with extrication of patient #2, which required removing trees (chainsaw) and forcing access to the crushed vehicle.
Upon removal and packaging of the second patient, ARN was back on scene and hoist recovery was performed following with recovery of the flight medic. The patient was transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital (JMH Trauma) without incident.
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