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Stemming from an incident last September, four men of the US Coast Guard have received medals for their part in rescuing two injured firefighters. The firefighters were battling the Middle Fire in northern California. They’d been injured by falling rocks and were reported to have serious head, neck, and back injuries. The US Forest Service called the Coast Guard for assistance in evacuating them.<\/p>\n
Coast Guard Sector Humboldt Bay dispatched an MH-65D Dolphin. Approaching the fire, the helicopter crew found the injured within 10 yards of the wildfire. Firefighters on the ground had cut a very small clearing in the woods to effect the rescue.<\/p>\n
The crew of the helicopter, led by Cmdr. Derek Schramel (pilot), Lt.j.g. Adam Ownbey (co-pilot), Petty Officer 1st Class Graham McGinnis (an aviation survival technician), and Petty Officer 3rd Class Tyler Cook (an aviation maintenance technician), dropped their hoist. They conducted a hoist drop from the maximum length of 240 feet.<\/p>\n
PO1 McGinnis went down into the rugged terrain, mere feet from the raging inferno. Loading up the inured firefighters one by one and then ascending himself.<\/p>\n
Hovering over a fire is a tremendous act of airmanship. Updrafts create intense buffeting on the helicopter. To do so with precision 24 stories off the already high altitude ridge is especially impressive.<\/p>\n
Both injured firefighters were successfully evacuated and brought to a nearby hospital for treatment.<\/p>\n
This week, the Coast Guard awarded CDR Schramel and PO1 McGinnis the Distinguished Flying Cross for their “outstanding airmanship and devotion to duty.” LTJG Ownbey and PO3 Cook both received Air Medals for their role in the mission.<\/p>\n
Source;\u00a0Coast Guard News<\/a><\/p>\n News of the original rescue are here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"