Mutual Aid NYPD In Nassau County for Boat Crash

[Gerard]

Dramatic pictures of NYPD Air Sea Rescue 12 providing mutual aid in Wantagh after a deadly boat crash. Looks like
they pulled out at least one victim and flew them to an LZ at a staging area.

http://www.newsday.com/long-island/nass ... -1.1500143

[cancidas]

not to be taken the wrong way, but do nassau or suffolk have any air assets that could do the job?

[mmedford]

not to be taken the wrong way, but do nassau or suffolk have any air assets that could do the job?

I believe they do...

I was under the impression that NC/SC-PDs and the NYPD...kinda had a gentlemen's agreement regarding providing support for each other...

[moose135]

not to be taken the wrong way, but do nassau or suffolk have any air assets that could do the job?

NCPD certainly has helicopters for medevac, but I don't know what their operations schedule is (they aren't airborne around the clock). It may be that NYPD had a helicopter airborne that could reach the scene quicker than launching one of the Nassau birds.

[moose135]

Actually, reading the story today, it appears that Coast Guard, NYPD and NCPD helicopters all participated in the rescue:

http://www.newsday.com/long-island/nass ... -1.1500143

[T-Bird76]

Those pictures are far from dramatic....

This is a terrible accident but having been a boater on the south shore my entire life these accidents are far to frequent and generally not an innocent accident. At first glance one assumes boating the waters of the south shore is an easy task, its rather the opposite. The Great South Bay, South Oyster Bay, East and Mid bay are fraught with danger. Even during the day in clear weather you can easily run aground and if you are traveling at a decent speed you're going to get hurt or die. Last night there was a full moon so visibility on the bay was pristine and I doubt an issue. I'm sure excessive speed, perhaps drinking, and careless boating caused this to take place. I'm still amazed you don't need a boating license to pilot a boat. Spend one Saturday in July on the Great South Bay and you'll get a lesson in chaos like you've never seen before.

[engine46]

not to be taken the wrong way, but do nassau or suffolk have any air assets that could do the job?

Yes, they do. Nassau's helicopters are based at Bethpage, Suffolk's at Islip. When first arriving units (including two or three NCPD helicopters) realized the amount of injuries, they requested NYPD Aviation, as they can transport more patients than NCPD.

[cancidas]

Yes, they do. Nassau's helicopters are based at Bethpage, Suffolk's at Islip. When first arriving units (including two or three NCPD helicopters) realized the amount of injuries, they requested NYPD Aviation, as they can transport more patients than NCPD.

i know that nassau's bell 407s are little-capable, but do they have a hoist? what does suffolk fly? a-stars?

[Gerard]

Yes, they do. Nassau's helicopters are based at Bethpage, Suffolk's at Islip. When first arriving units (including two or three NCPD helicopters) realized the amount of injuries, they requested NYPD Aviation, as they can transport more patients than NCPD.

i know that nassau's bell 407s are little-capable, but do they have a hoist? what does suffolk fly? a-stars?

At least one of the NC 407s has a hoist http://www.helispot.com/photo/0003347

SCPD flies two AStars (#1 and 4), one MD902 Explorer (#2)and an EC-145 (#3). Both the Explorer and EC-145 have hoists.

NYPD Air Sea Rescue also has Scuba divers assigned to the unit full time.
In the dramatic :) video and pictures you can see the divers helping to off-load the aided.
That must have been some scene at Wantagh Park.
It also looked like they took the victims back to the staging area rather than direct to NUMC. At least the 412 did. Maybe they
wanted to stabilize them first? The four survivors are in pretty bad shape also.

[Gerard]

> I'm sure excessive speed, perhaps drinking, and careless boating caused this to take place.

Well according to witnesses excessive speed was a factor but WHY is still to be figured out. Maybe a mechanical
problem or medical?
Interesting that a few weeks ago I was driving over the Wantagh Bridge and looking out over the water where the accident
occurred and thinking the same thing, this is not easy to maneuver in the daytime, at night it must be exremely difficult
with all the marshy areas.

[Nick]

Yes, they do. Nassau's helicopters are based at Bethpage, Suffolk's at Islip. When first arriving units (including two or three NCPD helicopters) realized the amount of injuries, they requested NYPD Aviation, as they can transport more patients than NCPD.

i know that nassau's bell 407s are little-capable, but do they have a hoist? what does suffolk fly? a-stars?

This 407 I saw at the JB air show had a hoist. Pretty new bird too.

[Gerard]

not to be taken the wrong way, but do nassau or suffolk have any air assets that could do the job?

NCPD certainly has helicopters for medevac, but I don't know what their operations schedule is (they aren't airborne around the clock).

I believe they are "down" between 11:30PM and 6AM BUT have a pilot (and AEMT?) on call during those hours with about a 45 minute
ETA. Not sure if that has changed and there is an agreement between Nassau and Suffolk Aviation units to support each other
in mutual aid. I actually saw a news conference detailing this agreement.
Someone else mentioned a "gentlemens" agreement between NYPD and NC. From my experience over the years watching, listening and
reading the airborne units in this region (NYPD, NC, SC, NJSPD, NYSPD, USCG) all are very supportive of each other and there is no
problem in calling another agency for help.

[fk6065]

NCPD aviation operates from 07:00 to 23:00 hours. During the off hours the pilot and technician are on call. It is generally at least a 60-90 minute wait until a bird goes airborne overnight.

SCPD aviation is in operation 24 hours a day. They too used to go out of service for the overnight. Then a few years ago, at least 8 maybe a little more, there was a bad accident in Dix Hills (?) on the Northern State Pkwy. The FD Chief asked for the SCPD for a med evac and was told they were off duty for the night and had a 2 hour eta for a call in.

The Chief who had a serious trauma that was heavily entangled in the auto needed to go to Stoney Brook Medical Center. He was looking at 45 minutes to extricate the patient from the auto. He had his dispatcher contact Westchester County 40 Control, the FD, to find out what the eta for a Life Star Med Evac from Westchester would be. They said approx 35-45 minutes.

He had them launch and just as the patient was removed from the auto the helo was landing. Patient went to Stoney Brook and lived. Suffolk County PD restored 24 hour aviation service a few weeks later.

NYPD was requested to assist last night because their helo's can transport more than one patient while Nassau's birds can only carry one. So with multiple trauma patients they needed all the help.

I believe the Coast Guard helo that eventually arrived was from Atlantic City.

[cancidas]

SCPD aviation is in operation 24 hours a day. They too used to go out of service for the overnight. Then a few years ago, at least 8 maybe a little more, there was a bad accident in Dix Hills (?) on the Northern State Pkwy. The FD Chief asked for the SCPD for a med evac and was told they were off duty for the night and had a 2 hour eta for a call in.

wow, pretty embarasing. to have air medical assets and not have them available 24/7 is downright foolish.

[Gerard]

NCPD aviation operates from 07:00 to 23:00 hours. During the off hours the pilot and technician are on call. It is generally at least a 60-90 minute wait until a bird goes airborne overnight.

SCPD aviation is in operation 24 hours a day. They too used to go out of service for the overnight. Then a few years ago, at least 8 maybe a little more, there was a bad accident in Dix Hills (?) on the Northern State Pkwy. The FD Chief asked for the SCPD for a med evac and was told they were off duty for the night and had a 2 hour eta for a call in.

The Chief who had a serious trauma that was heavily entangled in the auto needed to go to Stoney Brook Medical Center. He was looking at 45 minutes to extricate the patient from the auto. He had his dispatcher contact Westchester County 40 Control, the FD, to find out what the eta for a Life Star Med Evac from Westchester would be. They said approx 35-45 minutes.

He had them launch and just as the patient was removed from the auto the helo was landing. Patient went to Stoney Brook and lived. Suffolk County PD restored 24 hour aviation service a few weeks later.

NYPD was requested to assist last night because their helo's can transport more than one patient while Nassau's birds can only carry one. So with multiple trauma patients they needed all the help.

I believe the Coast Guard helo that eventually arrived was from Atlantic City.

Cool story. Thanks. Just one correction(sorry), LifeStar is from Connecticut and Stat Flight is from Westchester.