Police pilot stable following firefighting crash

Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) in Florida, US has reported that MSCO helicopter pilot Sgt John Rawls was in a stable condition following a crash on 2 May. The incident occurred at approximately 18:30 hrs when the MCSO Aviation Unit was assisting the Florida Forest Service and Marion County Fire Rescue with brush fires in Fort McCoy. Rawls was the pilot and lone occupant of MCSO’s Air One helicopter during the operation, using the helicopter to dump water on the fire with a water bucket. As the bucket was being filled, the helicopter experienced a malfunction and went down into the lake, said MCSO. Rawls was able to free himself from the aircraft, swim to shore and call for help.

The Florida Forest Service and Marion County Fire Rescue assisted MCSO deputies in making a path to the lake to reach Rawls with heavy equipment in order to get him medical attention. He was transported to the hospital and is currently in stable condition. The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board were notified, said MCSO.

Sheriff Billy Woods commented: “Our pilot is OK and, though he does have some injuries, he should be fine. The Marion County Fire Rescue and the Florida Forest Service did an outstanding job in helping us get to our pilot out there in order to get him to the hospital, and I want to thank each of them for the services that they provided to us. We are extremely grateful to everyone who worked tirelessly to make sure Sgt Rawls got the emergency care he needed.”

MCSO shared the following statement from Sheriff Woods via Facebook.