Hawaii County Chopper Emergency Landing

[snorkle]

The pilot of the County helicopter did a fantastic job; Safely landing after an engine failure near the Pololu Valley. The aircraft and crew were conducting emergency evacuations in preparation of Iselle.

More details HERE

(Star Advertiser)

[rainyjim]

I wonder what they were evacuating and why it was an emergency?

[Mimosa]

RJ - This is S.O.P. for our county fire and rescue .
No cell reception in the deep remote valleys so the county sends the fire rescue chopper to let folks know that it is time to dig out to safer area's.
Sometimes they fly up the coast to warn surfers of sharks seen from cliff side that the surfers have no clue about.
They are our true life savers on this island.
Great pilots and crew.
Very proud of them.
Life is a Blessing

[snorkle]

The specifics of their mission will certainly come out eventually. I'm pretty sure they weren't joy riding or picnicking.

What I do know for certain is that an engine failure in a helicopter is a one shot deal. One chance to go through all the emergency procedures and also hope for good luck while auto-rotating to the ground. It's difficult even over flat farmland, much less this Island's terrain.

A lot of people think of the County Helicopter as a nuisance; but I've seen them do water drops on fires, evacuate injured surfers and accident victims, and perform other search and rescue ops.

Our Fire department crews provide a vital service; and a situation like this only demonstrates their professionalism and high level of training.