by Geoff Fox
Maryland State Police Aviation Command performed an aerial hoist rescue for a mountain biker who had a medical issue while in Rocky Gap State Park in Cumberland on Sunday, July 19.
State Police said just after 11 a.m. this past Sunday, rescue personnel from Allegany County were dispatched to a remote area on a trail within Rocky Gap for a mountain biker who had experienced a seizure and subsequently fell.
Due to the remote location of the victim, extended extrication time, and the nature of the injuries, Maryland State Police Aviation Command was requested to perform an aerial hoist rescue.
Trooper 5, the State Police helicopter based in Cumberland, responded to the area, police said.
Local emergency medical services and rescue personnel maintained patient care on the ground and assisted in getting them ready for transport.
Once Trooper 5 was overhead, a trooper/rescue technician was lowered down to the scene into a clearing of trees where the patient was prepared for aerial extraction via an aerial rescue vest device.
The pilots of Trooper 5 hovered over the wooded area, successfully and safely hoisting the victim into the aircraft, police said.
Once the patient was inside, the flight crew transitioned directly into a medical evaluation role, transporting the victim to a local hospital for treatment for their injuries.
