PIKESVILLE, MD – Over Memorial Day weekend, the Maryland State Police Aviation Command (MSPAC) carried out two aerial hoist rescues—one for an injured hiker in Frederick County and another for an injured kayaker in Garrett County.
On May 25 around 5 p.m., emergency crews in Frederick County responded to Wolf Rock in Catoctin State Park, where a hiker had fallen from a rock face. Due to the challenging terrain, lengthy ground extraction time, and the severity of the injuries, MSPAC assistance was requested. With Trooper 3 occupied on another mission, Trooper 2, based at Joint Base Andrews, was dispatched.
Frederick County Fire Rescue provided medical care and helped prepare the patient for extraction. A Trooper/Rescue Technician was lowered onto the cliff to secure the injured hiker using a patient extrication platform. Trooper 2 then hoisted the individual from the scene and transported them to R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center for further treatment.
The following day, May 26, around 3:53 p.m., Garrett County emergency responders were called to a remote section of the Youghiogheny River for a kayaker who had been injured. Given the rugged terrain and delayed ground access, an aerial rescue was deemed necessary. Trooper 5, based in Cumberland, responded to the call.
Upon arrival, Trooper 5 located the injured kayaker on the riverbank. A Trooper/Flight Paramedic was lowered to assess and prepare the patient for extraction using an Aerial Rescue Vest (ARS). The kayaker was then hoisted into the helicopter and flown to Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown, West Virginia.
The Maryland State Police Aviation Command, operational since 1970, runs ten AW139 helicopters from seven statewide bases. These aircraft provide 24/7 service for medevac, law enforcement, search and rescue, disaster response, and homeland security missions. These operations are made possible through coordination with local fire, EMS, law enforcement agencies, as well as partners like the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Park Police.
