Video: Coast Guard medevacs injured logger west of Portland, Ore.

ASTORIA, Ore. — The Coast Guard medevaced an injured logger approximately 35 miles west of Portland, Ore., Monday.

Coast Guard Sector Columbia River in Warrenton, Ore., received an agency assist request from Washington County, Ore., Search and Rescue at approximately 7:30 a.m., stating an injured logger with two broken legs and severe bleeding was in need of a helicopter hoist just north of Highway 6, just west of Glenwood, Ore., in the vicinity of Gales Creek.

Sector Columbia River launched an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Astoria. The crew arrived on scene to discover the logger situated at the bottom of steep, rugged terrain surrounded by tall trees. Local EMS was on scene but unable to get a vehicle to the patient due to the terrain.

The helicopter lowered a rescue swimmer through a tight opening in the trees, then lowered a rescue basket and a litter. Due to the severity of the mans injuries, the Coast Guard flight surgeon for the case decided to hoist an EMT to accompany the patient in the helicopter.

“We maximized efficiency by using trail lines to lower equipment in addition to the hoist cable,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Bradford Simmons, the helicopter rescue swimmer on the case. “We were able to hoist the EMT in the rescue basket while I was preparing the injured logger for a hoist in the litter.”

“The trees and steep terrain created a unique situation causing us to use every available inch of our 200-foot hoist cable,” said Lt. Cmdr. Nathan Coulter, Aircraft Commander for the search and rescue mission.

After successful hoists of the EMT and logger, the crew transported them to Oregon Health and Science University Hospital in Portland.

The logger was last reported to be in stable condition.