Coast Guard, Narragansett Firefighters Medevac Man From Block Island

NARRAGANSETT, RI—A U.S. Coast Guard crew from Station Point Judith and members of the Narragansett Fire Department transported a man suffering from possible internal bleeding off Block Island in foggy conditions Friday night.

Crews were sent to medevac the man because of the weather and low visibility, which made civilian transport unavailable, according to a U.S. Coast Guard news release.

Watchstanders at the First Coast Guard District command center received a request from Block Island Medical center for the transport at around 6:30 p.m.

A Coast Guard flight surgeon deemed the medevac was necessary after conferring with Block Island Medical Center staff, the Coast Guard said.

A 45-foot Response Boat Medium crew from Station Point Judith was launched at around 8:15 p.m. with two Narragansett Fire and Rescue emergency medical technicians on board.

It took nearly two hours for the vessel to arrive at Block Island and pick up the patient. The vessel returned to Point Judith at around 10:45 p.m. where additional Narragansett firefighters were waiting to transport the patient to South County Hospital.

"The last ferry had run for the night, and visibility was too low for a helicopter to launch,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class William Holz, the officer of the day at Station Point Judith. “Our boat crew, along with the EMTs, pushed through visibility as limited as 50 yards to reach the patient and get him the advanced care he needed."

Photo: Patch file photo.