Cape Cod Coast Guard crew helping with Florida rescue efforts after Hurricane Ian
SANDWICH - A Coast Guard crew from Cape Cod is part of the life-saving mission in Florida. The team consists of two pilots, a flight mechanic, and a rescue swimmer. Without any knowledge of the region, or even street signs or mailbox numbers to guide them, the highly trained team flew in and went right to work.
"If we have the ability to land nearby in the neighborhood - whether a soccer field or a park or the street if a crew deems it wide enough - they'll land the aircraft and send the rescue swimmer and flight mechanic to engage with those individuals and assess medical care required," explained Lt. Commander Dan Reilly.
If unable to safely land, that rescue swimmer is hoisted down - to retrieve stranded patients by basket stretcher.
"You can show up to anywhere in the country, meet any Coast Guard crews, having never met them before, but you can all jump into the helicopter and work seamlessly to execute these rescues," Reilly pointed out.
Air Station Cape Cod has heard few updates from the team since their Tuesday arrival - signaling the significant demand for help.
"The Coast Guard is going to be there as long as we need to be there to see the mission through," Reilly said.