Edhat Staff
(Photos: SBSO / Facebook)
Source: Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office
It’s been a busy week for the Air Support Unit!
Since the emergency of the Montecito Mudslides, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff / Fire Air Support Unit has been back to “business as usual.” Within 24 hours, the Air Support Unit responded to 4 calls for service, providing critical lifesaving rescues and air support for local area law enforcement.
In the early evening hours of Tuesday Feb. 6th, Copter 3 responded to a report of a hiker who had fallen over 25 feet at the White Rock day use area on Paradise Rd. The patient, who had suffered a head injury was hoisted out of the canyon where she had fallen, and was flown to Cottage Hospital.
On Wednesday Feb. 7th, Copter 4 responded to a call from Platform Hill House in the Santa Barbara Channel for an oil worker who suffered an injury from an industrial accident. That patient was airlifted from the platform and flown directly to Cottage Hospital.
Later that same afternoon, a burglary suspect from northern Santa Barbara County was spotted in a stolen vehicle and fled from a Sheriff’s Deputy. The suspect then fled on foot and Copter 1 responded to assist. Copter 1 continued to provide air support for Lompoc PD and Sheriff’s Deputies as they searched for and identified the suspect. That same afternoon, Copter 3 responded to a call of a subject who had been thrown from a horse in the Santa Ynez area, and suffered a life threatening head injury. He was flown by Copter 3 directly to Cottage Hospital.
While the critical work of the Sheriff / Fire Air Support Unit is in the spotlight during major emergencies, these past 24 hours truly exemplifies the work the Air Support Unit performs every day.
