Tennessee Highway Patrol Aviation and THP Special Operations Respond to Cummins Falls State Park to Rescue Critical Teen

13 year old Rescued and Flown to Vanderbilt Medical Center

NASHVILLE - Yesterday, the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) Aviation and members of the THP Special Operations Unit responded at the request of Jackson County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) to respond to Cummins Falls Park Services to perform a hoist rescue. The THP Aviation was advised that a 13 year old female was swimming and slipped out of her life jacket. She was recovered from 13 ½ feet of water and was unconscious. The female victim was initially pulled from the water and resuscitated by several park visitors, Isiah Alvarez, John Douwes, Levi Brewington, Randall Elston and three other individuals who names are not yet known along with EMA and Cummins Falls Rangers. YouTube video of the THP air evacuation, https://youtu.be/jdUyj-BYrl4

Once on the scene at Cummins Falls, State Park THP aviation and Special Operations performed an air rescue of the young female. The rescue team consisted of Pilot, Lieutenant Brad Lund, Sergeant Denney Mitchell, Trooper Todd Logan and Trooper Brian Ramsey. Trooper Ramsey operated the hoist and lowered Trooper Logan along with a backboard and PEP (Patient Extraction Platform) bag to the victim. Trooper Logan oversaw the quick placement of the victim onto a backboard and into the PEP bag. After the victim was safely secured, Trooper Ramsey then hoisted the victim into the helicopter.

The victim was flown a short distance by THP Aviation to the parking area where an Erlanger Life-force helicopter was standing by. Sergeant Mitchell and Trooper Ramsey then carried the victim to the waiting Life-force aircrew. The victim was flown to Vanderbilt Medical Center. Additionally, THP Cookeville District Captain Robert Christian deployed Trooper Wilhite to the scene to assist with communications which proved to be very valuable to the operations. The THP Aviation and Special Operations Unit crew responded quickly and performed exceptionally well. The THP aviation service is the state government’s only air rescue unit.

The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security’s (www.TN.Gov/safety) mission is to serve, secure, and protect the people of Tennessee.

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