Washington Sheriff’s Office Chopper Rescues Sick Hiker from Trail

Ill Hiker Had to be Airlifted from Snoqualmie Trail

The King County Sheriff’s Office uses its choppers for multiple things, like yesterday rescuing a sick hiker.

The Washington State King County Air Support Unit

If you get in trouble and need to be emergency evacuated, it would be the King County Air Support Unit would most likely the group that will come save you. The King County Sheriff’s Office Air Support Unit in Washington State was created in 1991 and is the only full-time air support unit for law enforcement in the state. They mostly fly search and rescue missions and also support law enforcement when needed.

They cover the western half of Washington State as the primary support for search and rescue. The unit hasn’t always performed search and rescue missions, adding that service in 2007. The unit can work in both day and night situations because it is equipped with NVG (night vision) equipment.

Hiker Needs Evac After Falling Ill on Snoqualmie Pass

The King County Sheriff’s Office got reports of a hiker near Middle Fork Trail in Snoqualmie Pass that had suddenly needed immediate evacuation to a hospital. The Air Support Unit was in the middle of a training exercise when they got the call. After finding the remote location, the Unit had to land on a nearby sandbar while medics hiked into the woods to prepare the hiker for evac.

Air Support Had to Park on Sandbar to Save Gas

The preparation of the hiker took some time so Air Support shut down the chopper and waited to conserve fuel for the return flight. After the medics returned to the chopper with the sick hiker, the Air Support Unit flew them back to Seattle and dropped them off at the heliport at Harborview Medical Center. There have been no reports or updates on the current health of the rescued hiker. Washington has some of the most isolated and difficult mountainous terrain in the United States.