Joint medivac drill at Hobart Beach crucial to “life-or-death” cases

The Eaton’s Neck Fire Department and the Suffolk County Police Department’s Aviation Section hosted a joint drill on medical evacuation in the Hobart Beach parking lot yesterday, February 18. They were joined by members from the Northport, Centerport, Greenlawn, Dix Hills, Cold Spring Harbor, and Huntington Manor fire departments as well as the Suffolk County Police Department’s 2nd Precinct and the Asharoken Police Department.

The drill worked on landing zone and medical assessment procedures and practicing patient transfer between ambulance and helicopter. Medivacs are used in cases that require immediate medical attention in which over-ground transport will take too long before reaching hospital attention or when special care not available at local hospitals is needed.

“Out here on the Neck it can be a long ride to a hospital and having the Suffolk PD Aviation Section available to expedite patient care can be a life-or-death difference,” said Chief John Pokorny of the Eaton’s Neck Fire Department. 

“During all emergencies, seconds matter, which is why training for these responses is so critical,” Suffolk County Police Acting Commissioner Robert Waring said. “Exercises like this one are beneficial to familiarize fire departments with the operations of our police helicopters to ensure seamless transports and successful outcomes during dire situations.”

Chief Pokorny said the drill was well-coordinated between the SCPD Aviation Section and local fire departments and thanked Waring and the Aviation Section for conducting the training and the neighboring departments for participating in the drill.