USCG File Photo
ALAMEDA, Calif. – After successfully medically evacuating a burn victim, the U.S. Coast Guard completed a three-day coordinated rescue operation 60 miles off the coast of San Francisco today.
A crew from Coast Guard Air Station San Francisco medically evacuated a 46-year old crewmember in an MH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter from the 960-foot motor vessel YM New Jersey after he sustained burns from one the ship’s boilers on Jan. 27. A C-130 Hercules aircraft from Coast Guard Air Station Sacramento was also on scene providing long-range rescue support.
The ship’s medical crew was able to stabilize the man after he sustained the burns; however, the ship sent a message to the Coast Guard’s 17th District command center in Juneau, Alaska requesting medical assistance following the incident.
The vessel was on its way from Hong Kong to Panama and, based on the perspective medevac locations, the Coast Guard’s 11th District command center in Alameda, Calif. assumed responsibility for the rescue effort. The command center’s watchstanders maintained communications with the New Jersey as it transited toward San Francisco monitoring the man’s health.
The man was evacuated at 6 p.m. and taken to Air Station San Francisco where emergency medical services were waiting to take him to St. Francis Memorial Hospital.
“This type of rescue isn’t unusual,” said Coast Guard command duty officer Drew Molla, who took part in the rescue effort. “We conduct medevacs from boats in transit all the time.”
“He was in stable condition; however, this medevac was neccessary to prevent any future complications and to ensure he gets all the medical treatment he needs,” said Molla.
