Cop chopper medevacs North Side patient

| 10/07/2013

Landed Hutland Casevac (273x300).jpg(CNS): An elderly patient was taken to the Cayman Islands hospital Wednesday, 10 July, via the police helicopter when the medical emergencycalled the cop chopper into action. The 81-year-old man was suffering from chest and back pains this morning when the Fire Service emergency medical responder arrived at his home around 10:40am. The EMR determined that he needed to get to hospital for further assessment but the North Side ambulance was engaged with another medical call. In order to ensure the sick man received medical attention quickly as possible,  911 dispatched the police helicopter with an HSA paramedic and the RCIPS emergency medical responder trained crew, configured as an Air Ambulance.

The fire service assisted in blocking off roads in the area to allow the helicopter to land at the entrance to Hutland Drive. The patient was then flown to Owen Roberts International Airport where he was picked up by a waiting ambulance and transported to the Cayman Islands Hospital.

This latest medevac follows one which took place on Tuesday, 2 July, when a 62-year-old man was transported from Little Cayman to Grand Cayman.The patient had been suffering from a suspected heart complaint and was medevaced along with a paramedic by the RCIPS Air Operations Unit as no other air ambulance options were available.

Despite the criticisms,the RCIPS has received regarding the helicopter and the complaints of its cost, Steve Fitzgerald, the officer in charge of the RCIPS Air Operations Unit, explained how important the unit has become now that it can function as an air ambulance as well as fighting crime.

“The versatility and speed of response of the helicopter and the training of our crews, together with our partnerships with the HSA and other agencies, ensure that we are continuing to maximize the potential for the benefit of the people of the Cayman Islands, residents and visitors alike,” he added.

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  1. anonymous says:

    PPM PLEASE LOOK IN TO THIS.

    Good Job last week i call 911 and when the Ambulance came they told me that they had NO AC and the Windows could not go down, when MRS Moyle got as a new Ambulance for North Side, Miss Julie sent it to Cayman Brac andgave us the old one from the Brac it has 265,000 miles on it. It was so HOT on the way to Town they had to call for BACK UP FROM TOWN TO HELP, i am asking my New GOVT to please help North Side East END AND Bodden Town with a New one.Thanks 

    • Poppy lane crew says:

      Yes Madame Julie has done alot things she will never have to answer for, safely cuddle up in the speaker of the house job because of political expediency Sold Cayman out for a title and CNS is absolutely right got the best deal possible for herself. I wonder which part of hero's square she has allotted for her grand statue!

  2. Anonymous says:

    Another one-sided feel good "copter caper" to justify it's existence. Fact is it's a terribly expensive resource that we are all paying for.

    • Anonymass says:

      Dude, don't try and put a price on a person's life. You're not going to get traction with that argument.

      Its like pointing out that MedEvac was never in the original reasoning for the helicopter so using it now as an after-the-fact justification doesn't really fly. An extra ambulance, or three, would be cheaper than the helicopter for these responses. But no one is going to care. All they see is 'life saved = good'. Damn the costs, full speed ahead.

  3. Anonymous says:

    That’s about all it’s good for!

  4. Anonymous says:

    So if camera crews had time to respond, why not ambulance from GT?

    • Anonymous says:

      A mobile phone photo from someone there?  Easy to work that one out.

  5. Anonymous says:

    And who paid for all that……..??

    • Anonymous says:

      I spot a troll.

    • WHAT !!!!!!! says:

      The same Gov $$$$$  that had too go out on numerous occasions and rescue stupid fishermen who dont check there boats  too see if they got enough gas / oil / life vest / and a good working engine..Also the same gov $$$ that made rescue of stupid people jumping from cliffs at pedro..Also the same  gov $$$ money that rescued a farmer  who thought he knew where he was going in land and got lost.. It was ALL LIVE PEOPLE I was talking about so what the heck difference does it make that it saved another life..Come on people LIGHTEN UP you would had want the same thing done for you or your family if the AMBULANCE from your area was out on another job…KEEP FLYING THE COPTER !!!!!

    • Anonymous says:

      Really!  Is that all you can say. How about "Well done.  This was a great way to use our money. A life was possibly saved.". Shame on you. There is money being wasted elsewhere but this is not one of them. 

  6. Caymanian Concern says:

    Well done!  I'm really glad to hear this person got the help they needed.  Thank you police chopper.

    • Anonymous says:

      The Police Helicopter is so very useful. I hope that we can keep its service. Good crew, keep up the good works.