Coasties Release Videos of Night Rescue of Injured Firefighters as Flames Lick Nearby Trees
The Coast Guard rescued two injured firefighters from a ridge near Canyon Creek in the Trinity Alps Wilderness Area early Friday morning.
At 9:14 p.m. Thursday the U. S. Forest Service requested the Coast Guard’s assistance with the rescue of two injured firefighters. The firefighters had been hit by falling rocks and reportedly sustained serious head, back and leg injuries while working in steep terrain on the Middle Fire.
Coast Guard Sector Humboldt Bay launched an MH-65D Dolphin helicopter crew who flew to the area and located the injured firefighters within 10 yards of the fire line in a clearing that the fire crew on scene had cut in the forest to allow for an extraction. The helicopter crew approached the extraction zone and made a high-altitude, tree-top hoist from 240 feet, the helicopter’s maximum hoist range.
The injured firefighters were flown to Weaverville airport and transferred to emergency medical services.
“This rescue was extremely challenging due to the proximity to an active fire, the high elevation and the rugged terrain,” said Lieutenant Commander Derek Schramel, the pilot in command of the mission. “I’m very proud of how our crew worked together with our fire service and law enforcement partners in Trinity County to save these two men.”
Video by Petty Officer 3rd Class Taylor Bacon
Earlier Chapter: Two Firefighters in Trinity County Medevacked to Hospital
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Awesome courage and expertise. Wow. Just wow.
^^^what Guest said^^^
👍👍👍!
Word.
WOW! Can’t watch this without tearing up. Amazing skill, courage, and commitment. Our coasties are the best of the best!
Coast guard FUCKING ROCKS!
yes, they do!!!
It doesn’t get any more AWESOME than that, folks! It really doesn’t!
What the Coast Guard and the forest service do is just incredible. They really risked their lives for all of us be safe all of you
Heroes all!
I was a Hotshot for many years and rocks and snags were our biggest threats. Especially at night. Hearing someone yell ROCK! ROCK! ROCK! You look up and all you see is headlamp glare and dust. Then you listen for the sound for a sense of the size, speed, and direction. You hug the ground and hope it bounces over you. At least during the day you can watch it try to dodge it. But at night, you duck and hope for the best.
There is no golden hour in this country. If you get hurt at night up there chances are a helicopter will not be able to rescue you. This night was a good night for a rescue by the Coast Guard. Let’s hope this becomes possible more often.
Americans at their best!
Beautiful teamwork!
Best wishes for a full and speedy recovery to our firefighters injured in the execution of their difficult job.
God bless America
We pay the wrong people the big bucks — it should be folks like this that get it, not “stars” or jocks or CEOs.
No joke!!!
Badass!!! Definitely should be making the big bucks instead of wimpy ceos, i agree!
I feel safer knowing you coasties are out there for us!!! Thank you!
My single friends&i watched this and they wanna know how do we meet guys/gals like these??? Is there an online dating site just for coasties&firefighters? 😊
Can I let go of the edge of my seat yet? That was amazing! Incredible job Coasties!
Thank you for your service.
Amazing work. Very impressive training and skill.
Hope the men recover fully