Medical evacuation on Getaway

[hepf]

Two weeks ago we were on Norwegian Getaway and we experienced 2 helicopter medical evacuations. One on Monday at 4:20 am, I wake up to go to the bathroom, and I heard some unconventional noise, I went outside my balcony to see that a Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter was overflying the ship; I stare at it until it flew away. Next day I was able to know that it was a pregnant woman that had a complication but had already delivered and both she and the son where OK.

 

The next evacuation was on Thursday August 6th, at 4:00 pm; so we were able to see the whole thing. The Cruise Staff prepared the whole evacuation almost 4 hours in advance (cleared several decks and areas removing the lounge chairs) and the actual evacuation took only about 30 minutes.

 

The Shipp’s staff prepared with the emergency brigade, ready with pressured water hoses, firefighters and support personnel. The US Coast Guard helicopter pilot showed incredible skills maintaining such stability for such a long time on a moving vessel and with the sea wind, and the US Coast Guard rescuer is a true hero!

 

I’m attaching a link to the video I took.

 

Unfortunately I don’t know the condition of the patient and what the outcome was, but I pray for his wellbeing.

[Boorin]

Thanks for the post. I couldn't view the video but do hope that they are both doing ok.

[MommaBear55]

Sounds like the woman must have been traveling after 24 weeks pregnant if everything is alright. Never sure why people want to push that very important date.

[Donna_In_India]

We were on the same cruise and I had heard about the evacuations. I have no idea how we missed the one on Thursday!! Hope everyone is okay.

[Cruzinnana47]

Thanks for sharing that video. This is just one example of what the U.S.C.G. does on any given day. Saw a medevac years ago on the NCL Majesty and it was truly impressive. Those pilots are certainly skilled keeping the helicopter as steady as possible over a moving cruise ship with often choppy seas and very windy conditions.

 

Hope those passengers are OK.

[Bluefox]

I cruised for our "baby moon" right at 23 weeks. I am glad they impose restrictions on pregnant ladies because my whole pregnancy had gone fine and I had my first complications on the cruise. Nothing to be evacuated for, but issues none the less. I gave birth at 32 weeks and he was in the NICU for 3 weeks. I would be terrified to deliver at 24 weeks. I would never push those limits and risk the health of my baby by sailing further along. We had to get my doctor to sign off to the fact that I was not past 24 weeks at the date of the sailing.

[rydan]

Coast guard is underrated. Just as vital as any of the armed services. They provide an incredible service to us.

 

God bless all those silent heroes who protect and serve us all...[emoji631]🇨🇦

[Jenjer]

No way she was 23/24 weeks and the baby is fine. 24 weeks needs lots of interventions they are very sick. They can be fine but not at birth. So she was most likely farther along than that and didn't tell the ship she was pregnant. Or they wanted to tell you a happy story.

 

 

For both patients that has to be terrifying. Hope all are doing well. I could not imagine being evacuated out like that.....scary But it is comforting to know it is a option.

 

The helicopter was really cool how it went sideways and then zoomed off

[hepf]

rydan, I fully agree with you, Coast Guards are true heroes! And in this case the evacuation was on a ship on calm waters, they do that in the middle of storms, and that is true risk.

 

The information I got from the woman, was that she had bleeding 3 weeks before but never reported it as she feared losing the cruise (no insurance), and then she had the complications on the ship. I agree with everybody that a cruise has to be meant to enjoy, and you will not be able to do it if you put yourself at risk.

[hepf]

Boorin, I’m putting the video link again as you said you couldn’t see it.

 

[CruisePrincess575]

Video doesn't play.

[Bluefox]

Well, I bet that medical evacuation cost her more than if she had just cancelled...

[mking8288]

OP, great time-lapsed video link on YT, thank you for sharing.

 

Video doesn't play.

 

What OS & browser are you using or trying to do this on ? It's fine on desktop PC running Chrome (Firefox is better for others, YMMV) - Windows 10 Pro and also fine on iphone 5s under iOS 8.4 using YT's search/history function (signed into my account) ... Trying clearing your cache & cookies and on a different browser/tablet. ;)

[Philob]

Well, I bet that medical evacuation cost her more than if she had just cancelled...

 

Coast Guard part is courtesy of the US taxpayer; her bill starts when they land.

 

There's an on going rescue right now 900 miles off the California coast.

 

A crewman on an auto transport ship is sick (brain hemorrhaging?); too far for helios, so the CA Air National Guard is going to drop four pararescuemen from a C-130 into the ocean. They get into an inflatable, then get on board the transport ship to treat the crewman.

[ndabunka]

rydan, I fully agree with you, Coast Guards are true heroes! And in this case the evacuation was on a ship on calm waters, they do that in the middle of storms, and that is true risk.

 

The information I got from the woman, was that she had bleeding 3 weeks before but never reported it as she feared losing the cruise (no insurance), and then she had the complications on the ship. I agree with everybody that a cruise has to be meant to enjoy, and you will not be able to do it if you put yourself at risk.

 

I hope the lady recovers quicky but let's face it, there are som very daft people in this world. If she had "no insurance" then she is going to be paying for the "rescue" portion of that cruise for a long, long, long time. Emergency evacuations are the PRIMARY reason we buy insurance at all. I can't imagine trying to identify all the costs that we would have incurred in either Alaska or Hawaii should an emergency had occurred.

Edited August 19, 2015 by ndabunka

[davesgirl51]

Coast guard is underrated. Just as vital as any of the armed services. They provide an incredible service to us.

 

God bless all those silent heroes who protect and serve us all...[emoji631]🇨🇦

 

David, CoastGuard, his son and 2 grandsons, Marines say, "Thank you." :)

[david_sobe]

Whether you are transported by ambulance on land or emergency evacuated by helicopter at sea I think this is a private matter that should not be photographed or videotaped and placed on youtube as some vacation video. I sure would not want me or my loved ones videoed like this. If your child was in an ambulance with a life threatening issue and your neighbor came out taking video and photos I am sure anyone would not be pleased with the neighbor.

Once on Epic there was a serious medical evacuation and the captain asked people to not take photos because the flash could impact the helicopter but that did not stop so many from taking all sorts of pictures. Not sure why being on vacation makes people forget about common sense and morals.

Edited August 19, 2015 by david_sobe

[zqvol]

I hope the lady recovers quicky but let's face it, there are som very daft people in this world. If she had "no insurance" then she is going to be paying for the "rescue" portion of that cruise for a long, long, long time. Emergency evacuations are the PRIMARY reason we buy insurance at all. I can't imagine trying to identify all the costs that we would have incurred in either Alaska or Hawaii should an emergency had occurred.

 

 

You don't pay for Coast Guard evacs. The rescue portion isn't going to coast the family anything.

[Bluefox]

Curious- where were you when the Coast Guard came? I'm wondering how far they travelled.

[denas]

You don't pay for Coast Guard evacs. The rescue portion isn't going to coast the family anything.

 

Her portion will start from arrival at the hospital. If she requires medical transport to get back home, she will pay. Insurance would have covered transport from whatever hospital she is at back home and costs for hotels for her family nearby. Transporting a baby from the NICU at whatever hospital she is currently at to one at her home is pretty expensive. Or she is stuck living at a hotel for the next several months near the NICU wherever the coast guard left her. This is the part people don't get. Sure, the coast guard will take you to the nearest medical facility in the Carribean or East Coast depending upon where you are, but getting back home from there is all on you without insurance. Everyone either lives nearby until well enough to travel on a commercial plane or pays for a medical transport!! Both options can be very expensive!! In addition, if the coast guard doesn't take you back to the U.S., chances are your health insurance will not cover your hospital stay at a foreign hospital. The cruise ship is considered a foreign hospital. Probably ran up a couple of grand in medical care on the ship before transport. Easily as much as the cruise!!

[hepf]

Curious- where were you when the Coast Guard came? I'm wondering how far they travelled.

 

We were on the second at sea day going from Tortola to Nassau, I assume we were close to Turks and Caicos, and most probable the helicopter came from Florida. And 3 hours passed from the time the evacuation was announced to the actual time of arrival, so I’m assuming we were about 350 Miles from the Florida coast (which makes sense when looking at the location in Google Maps).

[cantonoh1753]

It looks like the ship didnt even stop for the evacuation.......

 

Did it at least slow down during the transfer when the copter was hovering??

[mking8288]

From what I understood, USCG typically flown these mission with their Sikorsky MH-60T Jayhawk with a range of about 300 miles radius + onscene time, and might be too far for them to be flown out of the Florida/Miami area base (with its 700 NM range) - but, it flew from out of a Bahamas base and transported the patient for onward critical care, etc.

 

Don't believed the ship needed to come to a full stop, just slow enough for the copter to come in, hover above safely - taking into consideration wind direction and sea states, etc. & lower their rescue crew and complete the transfer hoist, etc. with all the safety precautions taken - and, return to base.

 

There should be, I knew I read those previously, a brief summary of these "incidents" at sea posted by the PIO at each of the CG "sector" station on a regular (monthly) basis.

 

Edit - found the official news - link here http://www.uscgnews.com/go/doc/4007/2577242/

 

Video of another cruise ship rescue - of a crew member - shared by the CG http://www.uscgnews.com/go/doc/4007/2577642/

Edited September 3, 2015 by mking8288