From RCIPS: Tue, May 26, 2015 at 5:33 PM

Police Helicopter Medical Assistance to Sister Islands

On the morning of Tuesday 26th May, a 64 year old male visitor from the United States suffered medical issues completing a dive whilst at Little Cayman. Having received primary care from medical staff in Little Cayman, the RCIPS police helicopter was deployed with a specialist dive doctor from George Town hospital. The male was stabilized, and transported back to Grand Cayman, where he was transferred with the doctor by ambulance to the George Town Hospital. The male is currently being assessed, and is stable. The helicopter was especially suitable for this transfer, as the patient not only had to be moved quickly, but also at low level to avoid any decompression complications.

This follows on from a request to the RCIPS Air Operations Unit on Friday 15th May to provide assistance to a critically ill male patient, a Cayman resident, at the Faith Hospital, Cayman Brac. The helicopter crew on that occasion transported a Surgeon together with blood supplies, and were able to land in the car park at Faith Hospital to allow the timely surgical intervention. That male patient subsequently made a recovery.

Police Air Operations Unit commander Steve Fitzgerald said “We are pleased that in both these cases, working with our partners in the medical services, we could make a positive impact on the patients outcome. The landing as Faith Hospital needed teamwork from the ground to clear a landing site, but also displays our versatility with the helicopter we fly”.

IMAGE: Photo, helicopter and medics Little Cayman