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Arizona Helicopter Rescue

Liam Riexinger, Freshman


According to Fox News, an Arizona helicopter rescue went terribly wrong when the injured hiker who was being lifted by the helicopter started spinning out of control on the gurney. A 74-year old woman was hiking and suffered a sprained ankle. The woman was located a little outside of Phoenix, Arizona and the Phoenix Fire Department was sent to rescue her. Air turbulence from the helicopter’s motor caused the gurney to start spinning wildly out of control. A line that is supposed to curb these types of spinning on the gurney malfunctioned, and in turn this made the gurney start spinning out of control. The woman was eventually brought up into the helicopter after they were able to stop the rescue basket from spinning. The woman was transported to the hospital, where they examined both her injury and if there was any illness from all the spinning. It is reported that she had nausea and dizziness effects, however there were no serious injuries. The woman was hiking in the Piewesta Peak and injured her ankle, and so the firefighters decided that in that terrain, the best course of action would be to take the woman to a nearby trauma center. In order to do this, they would have to air lift the lady out of the terrain. Unfortunately, as we already know, the line was not attached which caused the spinning. When the helicopter lifted the basket off of the ground, it started spinning wildly without the safety line attached. The pilots tried to bring it closer to the ground to stop the basket because the momentum of the spinning can be very dangerous and nauseating with a 100-pound woman inside.

 

https://www.foxnews.com/us/video-arizona-helicopter-rescue-gone-wrong-gurney-carrying-elderly-woman-spins-uncontrollably-midair

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