Evacuation

[Kokomo_Man]

This is kind of a double post because I posted this in another thread. But I think it’s worthy enough to let more folks see what a professional job our Coast Guard as well as Carnival do in an emergency. If this is violating some kind of double post rule that I don’t know about then I’m sure the moderators will delete it.

 

 

Evacuation

 

 

 

Here’s what I know to be true about the evacuation last night.

 

Somewhere in the late afternoon yesterday the announcement came over the ships loud speaker system for the “sierra team” to report to a cabin on the 6th deck. I knew that the “sierra team” is the medical emergency team. I also knew that they rarely call the “sierra team” unless it is a serious emergency. On a previous cruise they did call the team once when some one broke an ankle and couldn’t move, but other than that I think it’s quite serious when they call the “sierra team”.

 

We didn’t hear anything more until around 11:00 P.M. I was sitting in the Piano Bar (where else would I be) when the microphone at the piano bar went “dead”. Ron Pass looked at the mic… banged on it, but nothing. It was dead. Within a few seconds Butch the Cruise Director came on the ships speaker system and told us that the ship would have to be turned around so that we could rendezvous’ with a helicopter.

 

About 12:30 A.M. a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter arrived. First they hovered over the ship and lowered someone down to the ship. Then the helicopter moved off to the side for a little bit and then came back over the ship. This time they lowered down a basket. I think this is called a “stokes litter”. The helicopter then moved back off to the side and hovered while the patient was loaded into the litter. No one could really see what was happening down on deck. Passengers had been asked to leave the whole area.

 

The helicopter repeated the process in reverse. First the patient went up to the helicopter and then the paramedic was raised back to the helicopter. Then away the helicopter went. The ship turned around and headed back the way we were going.

 

Last night while all this was going on, there was no news on what the new itinerary was going to be. I just knew that I didn’t have to leave the Piano Bar early because I could sleep in this morning.

 

Just before 9:00 A.M. this morning Butch came on the ships speaker system. This included the speakers in the cabins. (I needed a wake-up call anyway). Butch announced that we are going to miss La Romana. Instead we’ll have another “Fun Day at Sea”. Then tomorrow we are going to get to Curacao much earlier than previously scheduled and stay to the scheduled departure.

 

Although I had a tour scheduled in La Romana, I’m just as happy with the extra time in Curacao… and I’m just as happy with a sea day. I could be somewhere on land… up to my “ahh-haa” in snow. So a sea day is just fine with me.

 

But I’m sure Butch has a long line of folks to tell him that he has ruined their entire life. Some will be demanding free cruises for them and their descendants for eternity… and insisting that Carnival buy them a luxury condo in Key West for their pain and suffering. I do think Carnival should provide a condo… during the winter in Siberia for all these folks.

 

We have not been told anything about the patient except that they arrived safely to wherever they went and is receiving the treatment they needed. I don’t expect we will find out any more information from the ship.

 

The next time you see some in a Coast Guard uniform… or any uniform for that matter… go up to them, shake their hand, and thank them for all they do.

 

Bob

USAF (ret)

[fragilek]

not on a cruise (1st cruise in 6 weeks:)) but on a 6hr passenger ferry (france to UK) some people were going mad because the captian was circling the ship around a small life raft which it had spotted in the sea until air sea rescue could arrive. I was dumb -struck I couldn't believe that people would complain about delays ect - some were asking for drinks/food vouchers as the delay was about 1hr.

[BigDfromTN]

Nice write up!

 

Cheers to the CG and all other of our service men and women!

[JaniceB]

Thanks for the update on the evacuation!

 

A big shout out to the Coast Guard and all our servicemen and women!

[Mrsdigi]

Thank you for the info and thank you for your service. My son is an active duty Marine and you are absolutely right when it comes to our veterans!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[NoobCruise]

My husband served 6 years in the USCG back in the late 80s/ early 90s. Thanks for the kudos :) They don't get much recognition and those men and women deserve it, especially the ones who get dropped out of the helicopters! I think I'd have heart failure in one of those baskets lol

[jakesnana]

Thanks for the great write-up about the event. As a military family (DH was USAF, I was USN, youngest son was US Army and oldest son is still active USCG), I really appreciate when someone recognizes all that our service men and women do, on a daily basis, as a service to their country.

 

BTW, you are sooooo correct in that the men and women of the USCG do not get near enough recognition for the sacrifices they suffer or the danger they put themselves in. I am sure I would be one of the people who don't realize just how much the USCG does for us, if my son wasn't there.

[MrPete]

This is kind of a double post because I posted this in another thread. But I think it’s worthy enough to let more folks see what a professional job our Coast Guard as well as Carnival do in an emergency. If this is violating some kind of double post rule that I don’t know about then I’m sure the moderators will delete it.

 

 

Evacuation

 

 

 

Here’s what I know to be true about the evacuation last night.

 

Somewhere in the late afternoon yesterday the announcement came over the ships loud speaker system for the “sierra team” to report to a cabin on the 6th deck. I knew that the “sierra team” is the medical emergency team. I also knew that they rarely call the “sierra team” unless it is a serious emergency. On a previous cruise they did call the team once when some one broke an ankle and couldn’t move, but other than that I think it’s quite serious when they call the “sierra team”.

 

We didn’t hear anything more until around 11:00 P.M. I was sitting in the Piano Bar (where else would I be) when the microphone at the piano bar went “dead”. Ron Pass looked at the mic… banged on it, but nothing. It was dead. Within a few seconds Butch the Cruise Director came on the ships speaker system and told us that the ship would have to be turned around so that we could rendezvous’ with a helicopter.

 

About 12:30 A.M. a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter arrived. First they hovered over the ship and lowered someone down to the ship. Then the helicopter moved off to the side for a little bit and then came back over the ship. This time they lowered down a basket. I think this is called a “stokes litter”. The helicopter then moved back off to the side and hovered while the patient was loaded into the litter. No one could really see what was happening down on deck. Passengers had been asked to leave the whole area.

 

The helicopter repeated the process in reverse. First the patient went up to the helicopter and then the paramedic was raised back to the helicopter. Then away the helicopter went. The ship turned around and headed back the way we were going.

 

Last night while all this was going on, there was no news on what the new itinerary was going to be. I just knew that I didn’t have to leave the Piano Bar early because I could sleep in this morning.

 

Just before 9:00 A.M. this morning Butch came on the ships speaker system. This included the speakers in the cabins. (I needed a wake-up call anyway). Butch announced that we are going to miss La Romana. Instead we’ll have another “Fun Day at Sea”. Then tomorrow we are going to get to Curacao much earlier than previously scheduled and stay to the scheduled departure.

 

Although I had a tour scheduled in La Romana, I’m just as happy with the extra time in Curacao… and I’m just as happy with a sea day. I could be somewhere on land… up to my “ahh-haa” in snow. So a sea day is just fine with me.

 

But I’m sure Butch has a long line of folks to tell him that he has ruined their entire life. Some will be demanding free cruises for them and their descendants for eternity… and insisting that Carnival buy them a luxury condo in Key West for their pain and suffering. I do think Carnival should provide a condo… during the winter in Siberia for all these folks.

 

We have not been told anything about the patient except that they arrived safely to wherever they went and is receiving the treatment they needed. I don’t expect we will find out any more information from the ship.

 

The next time you see some in a Coast Guard uniform… or any uniform for that matter… go up to them, shake their hand, and thank them for all they do.

 

Bob

USAF (ret)

 

 

 

What ship was this?

[soccersharon]

What ship was this?

 

 

Breeze :)

[cv322]

Thanks so much for your informative report...you're right, we don't thank them enough! I hope the patient is OK.

[jimbo5544]

Great post, we had this happen a while back on the Valor (I think byt not positive). We were near cuba and noticed several things. First the ship began to come aroud into the wind, an announcement was made , a Coast Guard jet began a lazy loop around, then the helicopter evac happened. Remembered thinking at the time how I felt for the ill person and family and how proud I was as an American to have a country and organzation to be able to do this.

[Shipbound]

not on a cruise (1st cruise in 6 weeks:)) but on a 6hr passenger ferry (france to UK) some people were going mad because the captian was circling the ship around a small life raft which it had spotted in the sea until air sea rescue could arrive. I was dumb -struck I couldn't believe that people would complain about delays ect - some were asking for drinks/food vouchers as the delay was about 1hr.

 

Some people do not care as long as their live are not interrupted but when it hits home it is a different story. look at the Eastern part of the U.S that was hit by hurricane Sandy some of the people Lost everything and yet people complain about missing a port. The people that complained about missing a port probably complain at home as well, there is an old saying a lepoard never changes their spots

 

Gary