Coast Guard coordinates medevac of man from cruise ship in Key West, Florida. The Coast Guard coordinated the medevac of an 81-year-old man from the Royal Caribbean's Serenade of the Seas cruise ship. "Due to the man's medical emergency, making the decision for the cruise ship to come into Key West to transfer him safely to EMS was the medically necessary option to save his life," said Capt. Adam Chamie, Sector Key West commanding officer. "These situations are always about saving a life and by coordinating with our partner, the Key West Fire Department, we were able to get him to higher level care as swiftly as possible." A Coast Guard Station Key West small boat crew escorted the Serenade of the Seas to Key West's Pier B for the medical evacuation. After the medevac occurred, the cruise ship proceeded back to sea to continue its voyage. Read more.
Coast Guard medevacs boater near Manasquan, N.J. On Nov. 1, watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay received a call from the captain of a fishing vessel that a crewmember was losing and regaining consciousness while having difficulty breathing. A Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew was launched to medevac the crewmember after it was determined that weather conditions would not allow for a boatcrew to safely transfer him ashore. The aircrew arrived on scene, hoisted the crewmember, and transported him to Atlantic Care Hospital in Atlantic City. Read more.
Coast Guard Sector North Carolina brings awareness to dangers of colder water temperatures. As temperatures drop along the mid-Atlantic coast, the Coast Guard urges all boaters to prepare for the water temperature, rather than the air temperature. Hypothermia occurs as your body temperature falls below 95 degrees Fahrenheit. The average water temperature along the mid-Atlantic during the winter months is 53 degrees Fahrenheit, which can cause unconsciousness in about an hour and estimated survivability is between one and six hours. Learn about dangers of colder water temperatures and the precautions boaters should take to prevent injury or death shared by Lt. Josh Gilbert, command duty officer with Coast Guard Sector North Carolina. Video of Coast Guard cold water operations is available here.
Coast Guard rescues two boaters near Morehead City, N.C. On Oct. 30, watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector North Carolina command center received information from Carteret County dispatchers that a small boat had capsized after taking waves over its side, stranding the two boaters. A Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew launched along with a Coast Guard Station Hobucken Response Boat-Small boatcrew to locate the boaters. Once on scene the Jayhawk aircrew helped to vector in the location of the boaters to boatcrews. The boaters were taken to awaiting emergency medical services personnel at the Cedar Island Ferry Terminal after one was observed to potentially exhibit symptoms of hypothermia. Read more.