Dawn Princess & USS Ronald Reagan

[cruzegirl]

It seems there was a medical emergency on board the Dawn Princess on Dec. 15th. A young girl had a ruptured appendix while at sea in Baja. The USS Ronald Reagan assisted in evacuating her and taking care of her.... Excellent.

Girl evacuated from cruise ship to USS Ronald Reagan for emergency appendectomy

 

Monday, December 17, 2007

 

By USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) Public Affairs Medical personnel aboard the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) transfer a patient from an HH-60H Seahawk from Helicopter Anti-Submarine Warfare Squadron Four (HS) 4 following an emergency medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) at sea. The crew of Ronald Reagan and HS-4 helped MEDEVAC a 14-year old Illinois girl who had suffered from a ruptured appendix while vacationing aboard the Dawn Princess cruise ship off the coast of Baja, Mexico. Upon arrival to the ship, the ship's surgeon conducted an emergency appendectomy and the patient is resting comfortably aboard Ronald Reagan.

 

 

 

U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Joseph M. BuliavacABOARD USS RONALD REAGAN (CVN 76), At sea - Sailors from the San Diego-based USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), and the pilots and aircrew of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Four (HS-4) rescued a teenage girl Dec. 15 who suffered a ruptured appendix while aboard a cruise ship in the Pacific Ocean.

 

The 14 year-old girl from Albion Ill., experienced abdominal pains while aboard the Dawn Princess. The Bermuda-flagged vessel was located off the coast of southern Baja California, Mexico and was approximately 550 miles away from Ronald Reagan the distress call was issued late Saturday when evening.

 

"It's a great example of the type of things we are called upon to do, and it's neat we were able to execute it as well as we did," said Capt. Terry B. Kraft, Ronald Reagan's commanding officer.

 

"I was most impressed with the teamwork on board the ship. Everybody rallied together," added Kraft. "It was a great coordinated effort between our helicopter squadron, HS-4, our medical folks and the Sailors here on the ship that enabled us to head down there very quickly. I'm also very proud of our ship's surgeon, who completed a successful operation."

 

Under the direction of Commander, U.S. Third Fleet and Rear Adm. Phil Wisecup, Ronald Reagan Strike Group Commander, USS Ronald Reagan responded to the call for help because it was the closest vessel with a hospital and the ability to transport and stabilize the patient.

 

Ronald Reagan launched two HH-60H helicopters from HS-4 at approximately 5 a.m. Dec 15 to transport the patient from the Princess cruise liner to Ronald Reagan for medical treatment. Because the cruise ship was unable to provide a landing area for the helicopter, a basket was lowered in order to raise the patient into the helicopter for transport.

 

"The patient was stable upon arrival, however with a presumptive diagnosis of a ruptured appendix, she was taken straight in to the operating room," said Cmdr. Theron Toole, Ronald Reagan's senior medical officer.

 

Reagan's surgeon, Cmdr. George Linville, performed the emergency appendectomy. According to Toole, the patient is currently resting comfortably aboard Ronald Reagan.

 

"She's getting the best care and her prognosis for a full recovery is good," said Toole.

 

Toole said that most cruise ships don't have surgical or advanced medical capabilities and are limited to minor emergencies and some shock/trauma situations.

 

The HS-4 crew flying the rescue mission was commanded by Lt. Cmdr. Gregory J. Leland, pilot; Lt. Earl A. Crawford, co-pilot; Chief Aviation Warfare Systems Operator Matthew Shicks; Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Scott A. Heintschel and Aviation Warfare Systems Operator 2nd Class Aaron McCullough-Sanden.

 

"The motto of the rescue swimmer is, 'So others may live,' and this mission pretty much embodied that," said McCullough-Sanden. "It feels really good that tomorrow somebody is going to be OK that otherwise might not have been."

 

Ronald Reagan's commanding officer had similar feelings on the incident.

 

"This crew is amazing. They always find a way to turn to, especially when this kind of assistance is needed, for civilians. As you saw with the San Diego wildfires, or a quick search-and-rescue-operation like this, they always answer the call," said Kraft.

 

Ronald Reagan is currently underway in the Pacific Ocean conducting tailored ship's training availability. The ship is also currently operating with other surface assets from the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group including USS Chancellorsville (CG 62), USS Howard (DDG 83), USS Gridley (DDG 101) and USS Thach (FFG 43).

 

Ronald Reagan was commissioned in July 2003, making it the ninth and newest Nimitz-class, nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. The ship is named for the 40th U.S. president; its motto, "Peace through Strength," was a recurring theme during the Reagan presidency.

 

 

http://www.navycompass.com/news/newsview.asp?c=231879

[Pam in CA]

What an "adventure" for that young lady; something she'll have lots to talk about when she gets home. I'm glad everything worked out OK.

 

Surprisingly, something sort of similar happened to us on the Prinsendam last summer. We were waaaay north of Spitzbergen and approaching the polar ice cap (way above the 80th latitude, probably a couple of hours from sighting the ice cap) when we suddenly turned around and headed back to Spitzbergen. The Captain announced that we had a medical emergency that required immediate help. Rumors were rampant and people were seriously pissed off that we were going to miss seeing the ice cap. It's amazing what they were saying; things like: "People should have a medical before cruising and be pronounced fit for travel" -- stuff like that. Then I ran into a lady who explained that she'd had lunch with a friend and she was fine... but an hour later had appendicitis, severe enough to require immediate surgery. We steamed at full speed and about 13 hours later, arrived in Spitzbergen in the dead of night. The woman was taken off the ship and to the hospital where they performed immediate surgery. The Captain announced the following morning that all was well with her and read a lovely letter from her husband thanking the passengers for their patience and concern. The Captain then announced that we were skipping one small port on Spitzbergen and instead, steaming back to the polor ice cap so we got to see it after all.

 

The point is that medical problems don't just happen to the elderly onboard a ship. I'm sure the change of plans for the woman on our ship cost them a considerable amount of money because they had to stay in Spitzbergen for several days and then fly home. If you're on the fence about getting insurance, you can see that it can make a big difference, particularly during a stressful time when you have other things to worry about.

[San Diego Cruizer]

I was on the Dawn this past weekend when this incident happened. The captain kept us well informed as to everything that was going on.Many aft passengers needed to be evacuated for safety reasons. We had really bad winds when the rescue was attempted, and they were extremely concerned that the helicopters could crash in to the back of the ship. People seemed to handle this very well, considering it was 5 AM. Kudos to the captain for caring so much about the safety and well being of these passengers.

At the begining of the cruise, he held the boat up for approximately 45 minutes, because several passengers would be arriving late, due to inclement weather.All in all this captain received high marks in my opinion!

[mii]

Glad to hear that the 14 year old is o.k. Also kudo's to the Captain for taking care of the aft passengers.

 

Marilyn

[Britany]

We were on this cruise, and had to be evacuated at 9:00pm when it was first reported that the US coast gaurd would be rescuing the girl. About an hour later they let us go back to our rooms because there was a change of plan, and the USS Reagan was supposed to turn around and meet us at about 5:00am. They said we would have to evactuate again, but no one came to our door to have us evacuate. But anyway, I'm glad to hear that the girl is getting the medical attention she needs, and that she will be okay.

[Colo Cruiser]

Great story. :)

[yyjguy]

I too was aboard, and was very impressed with the Captain's response to the emergency. I have a hand held GPS, and it concurred with the television screen indicating that we were making 21.8 knots from 9pm when the situation developed until about 630 am when the choppers arrived. When the Captain thanked the US Coast Guard and US Navy for their help in both setting up the response and the executing it so well, everyone in the area where I was seated gave cheers and applause. A job well done by everyone.

And by the way, Dawn Princess is still a lovely ship, perhaps even a classic.

[BurBunny]

Obviously wonderfully handled by both the Dawn Princess and the USS Ronald Reagan. Kudos to all involved!

 

Have to say, if I were to develop an appendicitis onboard a ship (a scenario I use to illustrate the fact that onboard mishaps can require evacuation and the costs thereof), I'd much rather be evacuated to a Naval vessel filled with uniformed Navy men than a shoreside hospital in a small resort town in Mexico... ::: blink :::

[fathercop]

We too had similiar experiences where a medical emergency occurred. Most passengers were very understanding about the delay or change in plans.

 

I am amazed, though, how others just cannot fathom that emergencies are never planned!

 

Sometimes when I am running lights and sirens to a job in heavy traffic, or we are closing of a major street to respond to an emergency, I will come across citizens who are absolutely annoyed that the police and fire departments inconvenienced them.

 

Big kudos to the U.S. Navy for their assistance and ready response to help, as well as to all passengers who have been understanding, sympathetic and prayerful for their shipmate(s) who is(are) not experiencing the vacation of a life time.

 

Thanks for the story!

[JLC@SD]

Ronald Reagan was commissioned in July 2003, making it the ninth and newest Nimitz-class, nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. The ship is named for the 40th U.S. president; its motto, "Peace through Strength," was a recurring theme during the Reagan presidency.

 

USS Ronald Reagan......the pride of San Diego......thanks for the comprehensive report.....:)

[Britany]

I wasn't aware that this story is so big... my dad just called me and said he saw it on the news.

[Sanibel*Gal]

Very Refreshing News to See!! Hope this does make more national news and shows just how the cruise lines go above & beyond to help passengers in a serious medical situation. Not all cruises have people jumping overboard or doing other foolish things that we see on the news or in the press!:eek:

[Ace51]

From the L.A. Times today:

 

12:12 PM PST, December 18, 2007

SAN DIEGO -- A teenager who suffered a ruptured appendix at sea, hundreds of miles from help, got an unusual rescue when the Navy airlifted her to an aircraft carrier for emergency surgery.

 

Laura Montero, 14, fell ill aboard the Dawn Princess cruise ship off the coast of Baja California. The Bahamian ship sent out a distress call Friday that was answered by the USS Ronald Reagan, which was on training maneuvers about 500 miles away.

 

The nuclear carrier was the closest ship with a hospital facility, according to a news release from the Navy. It steamed overnight toward the cruise ship, which was about 250 miles northwest of Cabo San Lucas when the call went out.

 

A helicopter took off from the Reagan around 5 a.m. Saturday to close the final 175-mile gap between the ships. The crew arrived after a 45-minute flight and lowered a medic onto the cruise ship deck in a basket because there wasn't space to land, said Lt. Cmdr. Gregory Leland, the pilot.

 

Montero, who was on an antibiotic drip, was loaded into a litter basket, lifted into the helicopter and flown back to the Reagan for surgery. Her mother stayed aboard the cruise ship.

 

"We practice this all the time, but this is the first time I've pulled a civilian off a cruise ship," Leland said.

 

Montero, of Albion, Ill., returned to the mainland Tuesday aboard the aircraft carrier that came to her rescue. She is expected to make a full recovery.

 

The Dawn Princess returned to San Diego over the weekend. The Reagan, which carries up to 6,000 crew and costs about $2.5 million a day to operate while under way, returned Tuesday morning, its scheduled return from the training tour

[tinlizzy]

Why did her mom stay on the ship?

[ruskatab]

I saw this story on the ABC national news yesterday. We were on Carnival Valor in August and there was a CG helicopter rescue also with a young girl with appendicitis. We had the corner aft balcony and got some amazing pictures. It was very interesting to watch. It was very comforting to know the CG could come pick you up if there was an emergency. Glad to hear shes going to make a full recovery.

[mycruz]

I didn't see a thread had already been started on this and started a new one, sorry

 

But what a great story! I assume her mother stayed on board because there wasn't room for her on the helicopter. What a brave women to turn her daughter over like that. It had to be a horrible time for her as well. I can only imagine what it felt like for her. I'm so glad that the child is doing well.

[SDHALFAN]

USS Ronald Reagan......the pride of San Diego......thanks for the comprehensive report.....:)

 

 

I absolutely agree with you: USS Ronald Reagan the pride of San Diego, but wonder if you know the story behind this incredible ship being home-ported in our beautiful city?

 

She was originally slated to be homeported out of a Washington port when one of our local Congressmen (I'm thinking that it was Duncan Hunter, but could be wrong - it wouldn't be the first time;) ) found out and decided that just wasn't right so he called Nancy Reagan who was reportedly incensed and called upon her many friends in Congress saying (something to the effect of) "before my husband became President he was the Governor of the State of California and this ship should be homeported out of a California port. Yess!

 

As a disclaimer: I have no political platform here. I am a registered Republican, which is a joke since I vote as an Independent. I am also a Navy wife (actually a widow now) and am thrilled to have the USS Ronald Reagan and her wonderful crew homeported here and congratulate them on another job well done. I wouldn't expect anything less from the U.S. Navy - God bless them - all they are the best!

 

Valerie:)

[rdsqrl]

. . . I'd much rather be evacuated to a Naval vessel filled with uniformed Navy men...

 

It's enough to make a girl wish for an attack of appendicitis!

[charlsee]

Kudos also to the Dawn's physician for diagnosing the seriousness of the situation. And, of course, thanks to all of our service men and women for all of their wonderful service to us, whatever the capacity needed.

[hill6]

I am so happy to read of the positive outcome from this. I served 9 years in the Navy and know that the medical facilities on a carrier are top notch. Great job by the Dawn's medical staff and the Navy. Bravo Zulu.

[luv2travel2beaches]

Reading about this incident makes me proud to say I am an American, with the benefit of having a wonderful group of men and women that serve our country with their military service. Every man and women that serves our country, both within the United States and overseas deserves respect and thanks! I'm sure the girl with the medical emergency and her family appreciate the quick response, as well as the prompt decision to request help that the captain of the Dawn Princess made. Three cheers for everyone involved.

[cruzegirl]

This thread makes me proud to be American too.... To support our men/women and that there is positive publicity for the Military and the Cruise Line....

[Boatdrill]

I was on the Dawn this past weekend when this incident happened. The captain kept us well informed as to everything that was going on. Kudos to the captain for caring so much about the safety and well being of these passengers.

At the begining of the cruise, he held the boat up for approximately 45 minutes, because several passengers would be arriving late, due to inclement weather.All in all this captain received high marks in my opinion!

 

:D Yes, he did wait for those passengers because they had booked their air through Princess.

 

But he didn't wait for the flight that arrived just 30 minutes later (at 4:30 pm), also with passengers joining the ship whose flight had been delayed due to bad weather, because they had made their own independant flight arrangements. Although they could see the ship still docked as they flew in, Princess' airport staff gave them the bad news once they got off the plane that the ship wasn't waiting. So they stayed two nights in San Diego, and flew to Cabo and met the ship there.

 

In fairness to the Captain, he had received his "orders" from Princess in L.A. It wasn't his call to wait or to go.

[gcsmith]

Why did her mom stay on the ship?

 

Probably because she didn't have a choice. There is no room for a helicopter to land on the ship, and the Navy wasn't going to hover that helicopter long enough to bring on two passengers.

 

Pulling a patient / passenger into a helicopter with a steel cable is a risky endeavor for all involved.

[ARRTrain]

Probably because she didn't have a choice. There is no room for a helicopter to land on the ship, and the Navy wasn't going to hover that helicopter long enough to bring on two passengers.

 

Pulling a patient / passenger into a helicopter with a steel cable is a risky endeavor for all involved.

 

 

All this while still moving. The ship turned into the wind and slowed down, but did not come to a complete stop. I'd say they were moving about 4-6 knots.