CHP HELICOPTER CLIFF RESCUE

Pacifica, San Mateo, CA - At approximately 3:43pm., CHP Helicopter H-30 was requested by the North County Fire District to respond to Mussel Rock and assist them with a cliff rescue. The location of this victim was unknown. It was reported to the Daly City Police Department and fire department that the victim was near Mussel Rock, approximately 50 feet up from the beach where a male was clinging to a cliff wall. Due to his location ground rescuers could not locate him.
CHP Helicopter 30 arrived overhead and located the victim. Due to his location it was determined that a helicopter rescue would be the safest and fastest way to remove the man from the cliff.
CHP Officer/Pilot Gavitte maneuvered H-30 into a 75 foot hover over the scene as CHP Officer/Paramedic Schmidt was hoisted down by CHP Officer/Paramedic Boothe to the male. CHP Officer/Paramedic Schmidt placed the man into a rescue harness and they were hoisted to H-30. H-30 flew the man to a nearby landing zone where he was transferred from the helicopter to awaiting Pacifica Police Officers and North County Fire personnel.
The California Highway Patrol Golden Gate Division Air Operations unit, based at the Napa County Airport, operates four aircraft (two airplanes and two helicopters) which patrol the 9 Bay Area Counties, approximately 6,923 square miles that is home to a residential population of more than 7 million people. The helicopter is routinely staffed with a CHP Officer/Pilot and a CHP Officer/Paramedic. The helicopter is equipped with a rescue hoist that has 165 feet of cable that can lift patients and/or rescuers, with a cumulative weight up to 500 pounds.

[@sebastien8487]

As a student helicopter pilot, I must comment on how demanding that looks on the pilot, rock solid hovering, fantastic flying. Fantastic crew as well, of course!