Lewes firemen trained in helicopter water rescue

The Delaware State Police helicopter flew low over Nassau Valley Vineyards March 14, assisting Lewes Fire Department officials in a water-rescue training exercise.

The Delaware Fire School Helicopter Rescue Awareness Class teaches local firemen how to be part of the rescue crew in the back of the DSP helicopter, said Robert McMahon, a training pilot with DSP. He said it is the goal of the Delaware Air Rescue team to train all fire departments in the state in helicopter rescue methods. Hundreds of Delaware firefighters have already received the training, he said.

The exercise called for emergency personnel to use a basket attached to a line from the chopper to carry several people in distress to safety from a small pond behind Station 2 near the Nassau Bridge.

McMahon said this type of rescue technique was recently used when a woman was stuck in the marsh near Rehoboth Beach. It would've been difficult to send rescue crews in the marsh, he said, so they used the helicopter and basket to pull her to safety.