The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office Aviation Unit completed a milestone rescue operation Saturday, providing advanced life support for the first time while responding to an off-road vehicle crash on the San Jacinto ridge truck trail.
On April 11, the aviation unit’s RESCUE 9 helicopter was dispatched to the rugged ridge trail following reports of a crash. According to a statement from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office, a victim required immediate medical attention after sustaining several injuries in the crash. The victim was ultimately transported with injuries of unknown severity.
To reach the victim in the remote terrain, RESCUE 9 hoisted a paramedic and an emergency medical technician down to the crash site. After rendering initial treatment on the ground, the medical personnel and the victim were hoisted back into the helicopter. The
crew then flew the patient to a designated landing zone, where an awaiting ambulance assumed care and transported the individual to a local hospital.
The Sheriff’s Office highlighted the response as a landmark achievement for the agency. Saturday’s incident was the first call in which the Aviation Unit successfully provided advanced life support (ALS) to a person in need.
The department attributed the new operational capability to the dedicated efforts of the Aviation Unit’s members and the direction of Sheriff Chad Bianco, officially establishing the unit as an ALS asset for both residents and visitors of Riverside County.
