Tonight’s WCFD7 and NASWI joint exercise (photos & video)

As planned, a joint training exercise with Whatcom County Fire District 7 (WCFD7) and Naval Air Station Whidbey Island (NASWI) Search and Rescue was held this evening at the Mountain View school campus.

The exercise was to be of two parts. First the NASWI helicopter would locate “Rescue Randy,” a crash dummy WCFD7 had placed in the field to simulate someone injured on a sandbar in a river. This would require dropping off crew to prepare Randy for hoisting along with the crew back into the helicopter.

Second, WCFD7 crews would prepare Randy at a crash scene for transport by helicopter and then perform the transfer to the helicopter.

Neighbors lined the fences around the grounds and filled the parking lot and playground to watch the action close up.

Below are pictures and videos from the first exercise and a briefing of the WCFD7 trainees.

WCFD7 personnel watch as NAS Whidbey Island SAR crews simulate a rescue via helicopter at the Mountain View school campus (June 12, 2017). Photo: Whatcom News

Participants share information during joint exercises at Mountain View Elementary School campus (June 12, 2017). Photo: My Ferndale News