Unreal heli rescue

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RedBlanketRunner

RedBlanketRunner

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Years later and I still think back on this. Dang!

Way out in the boondocks, completely forested area. A friend and I saw a rider take a header off a mountain bike. FX clav. blown pupil. We were on vacation, no serious rescue gear, but immobilize with a home brew C collar, good old duct and some masking tape. Highway patrol arrived and put in the call. CDF chopper responding. But where in heck is he going to come down? The road had maybe 15 feet between tree branches on either side.
Up the road was an construction and work area for the road department. HP assisted us taking him up there. The clear area was maybe 30-40 feet by 50. In came CDF. It circled the area taking it in from all view points then down it came, trimming the branches of the trees on either side - mostly 100 footer fir trees. Loaded the patient and back up they went, no prob at all.
I'm still in awe of that pilot.


And if anyone can tell me what choppers CDF was flying in the 1980s I'd very much appreciate it. I think they were UH-1 Hueys.
 
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i think it's California division of forestry
 
UH-1s,still in use.
For a guy that was there and has such knowledge, I’m surprised you are asking.
 
On a good day in fair weather I can tell a 747 from a Cessna.
Chopper is a fat chunky thing, can carry about 6 people easily, can carry a water bucket and is unbelievable noisy to fly in. Makes you look forwards to getting out and go hot spotting.
 
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Not if you can’t tell a SEL from a 747...
 
DrParasite said:
division
Click to expand...

*Department 😁

And I can confirm we still use the UH-1S... although we're switching to the Sikorsky Firehawks... I'm going to miss the sound of the Hueys flying overhead on fires
 
CALEMT said:
*Department 😁

And I can confirm we still use the UH-1S... although we're switching to the Sikorsky Firehawks... I'm going to miss the sound of the Hueys flying overhead on fires
Click to expand...

CALFIRE now...even slicker!😁
 
CCCSD said:
CALFIRE now...even slicker!😁
Click to expand...

Ackchyually it's technically California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection/ CAL FIRE (your unit) Unit... just a small mouthful...

Oh and I'm no rotor head but I think we have the UH-1H... to me a Huey is a Huey.
 
Yeah...just bustin your chops. I remember when it was Cal Div Forestry, that’s when I first worked Sched B.
 
CALEMT said:
I'm going to miss the sound of the Hueys flying overhead on fires
Click to expand...
NOD! Swinging your McLeod while thinking, you're welcome to dump some of that wet stuff on me!
 
RedBlanketRunner said:
Years later and I still think back on this. Dang!

Way out in the boondocks, completely forested area. A friend and I saw a rider take a header off a mountain bike. FX clav. blown pupil. We were on vacation, no serious rescue gear, but immobilize with a home brew C collar, good old duct and some masking tape. Highway patrol arrived and put in the call. CDF chopper responding. But where in heck is he going to come down? The road had maybe 15 feet between tree branches on either side.
Up the road was an construction and work area for the road department. HP assisted us taking him up there. The clear area was maybe 30-40 feet by 50. In came CDF. It circled the area taking it in from all view points then down it came, trimming the branches of the trees on either side - mostly 100 footer fir trees. Loaded the patient and back up they went, no prob at all.
I'm still in awe of that pilot.


And if anyone can tell me what choppers CDF was flying in the 1980s I'd very much appreciate it. I think they were UH-1 Hueys.
Click to expand...

Literally nothing written above happened.
 
RedBlanketRunner said:
Years later and I still think back on this. Dang!

Way out in the boondocks, completely forested area. A friend and I saw a rider take a header off a mountain bike. FX clav. blown pupil. We were on vacation, no serious rescue gear, but immobilize with a home brew C collar, good old duct and some masking tape. Highway patrol arrived and put in the call. CDF chopper responding. But where in heck is he going to come down? The road had maybe 15 feet between tree branches on either side.
Up the road was an construction and work area for the road department. HP assisted us taking him up there. The clear area was maybe 30-40 feet by 50. In came CDF. It circled the area taking it in from all view points then down it came, trimming the branches of the trees on either side - mostly 100 footer fir trees. Loaded the patient and back up they went, no prob at all.
I'm still in awe of that pilot.


And if anyone can tell me what choppers CDF was flying in the 1980s I'd very much appreciate it. I think they were UH-1 Hueys.
Click to expand...

I thought this sounded familiar, so I asked about it.
OP wasn’t there.
 
Patient was an endocrinologist, Redding medical center.
 
I for one have been enjoying lots of popcorn ever since the appearance of The Legend. Initially, I gave benefit of the doubt and waited...now, so glad I have my boots on, cause bull feces is getting deep!
 
Wut.
 
I hate to indulge but honestly, I don’t think it sounds too far fetched.

Public safety aviation in military equipment is still kind of the Wild West. It was much more so back in the 1980’s. The culture is very cowboy.
 
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