NYPD saves 2 West Point cadets in mountaintop rescue

NY Post ^ | 2/20/11 | BOB FREDERICKS

[jimbo123]

Heroic NYPD cops battled ferocious winds and sub-freezing temperatures as one was lowered from a hovering helicopter onto a mountaintop cliff early today to rescue two near-dead West Point cadets who’d gotten stranded in the dead of night after wandering away from their unit during a training exercise.

The amazing death-defying rescue took place about 2:30 a.m. atop Storm King Mountain several miles north of the United States Military Academy at a time temperatures had plunged to 18 degrees and winds were gusting as high as 50 mph.

Aviation Unit Officer Steve Browning and Detective Mike Sileo, pilot and co-pilot and their crew of three used infrared and night vision equipment to spot the wayward cadets, who were suffering from hypothermia while trapped on the craggy, tree-ringed cliff. Browning was able to maintain the Bell 412 Air, Sea Rescue chopper in position hovering high over the rugged terrain while Emergency Services Unit medic Chris Condon was lowered to the stricken cadets.

[centurion316]

I doubt this was Land Nav, I’m sure that’s still a Buckner thing. Must have been a tactical problem, probably with some sort of GPS with the leaders. The south face of Storm King is still covered with ordnance, I think that it is too expensive to clear.

Even with the standard admonition to “Never cross a paved road. If you do, you are outside of the course boundaries.” I recall that one stalwart managed to climb a fence, cross the multi-lane New York State Thruway, climb another fence, find a phone and call to report that “somehow” he had wandered off the course.”

Just saw a Fox News report that they were in Storm King State Park rappelling. Probably not lost, just stranded. They had a cell phone and called for help.

[Pharmboy]

In the Times article on this, the local rescue squads said they couldn't do it and then a NY State Trooper helicopter said it did not have the right equipment. The NYPD is probably the best equipped and best trained police force in the world (certainly, at least, for their special units like rescue) and tends to answer calls for help even if not in their strict jurisdiction.

What surprises me is that and Army or Coast Guard rescue copter wasn't called in by The Point.

[CholeraJoe]

Search and Rescue usually operates in daylight hours.

USAF Air Rescue Service Pilots and Pararescue Jumpers are all night-vision goggle trained. The Pave-Hawk helicopters have all-weather capabilities. I expect US Coast Guard does also.

[thefactor]

Stewart AFB is right there in Newburg. Guess the Air Force doesn’t have rescue guys on standby.

[Pharmboy]

Yep...forgot for a moment about Stewart AFB; but, the Coast Guard is only 40 miles south and, as you know, they have a huge presence in NYC area waterways. And no one can say the Coast Guard isn’t a) always ready or b) able to do tough helo rescues.

[xrmusn]

Yep...forgot for a moment about Stewart AFB;
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Stewart AFB as we ‘knew’ it is no longer.

It is called Newburgh/Stewart International AP and the NY ANG has a portion of it.

Back in mid 50’s, while in HS, I was a CAP ‘spotter’ for Stewart AFB, had a shack in a field and would call in anything that flew over.

Lots of locations, mine was in Dover Plains NY.

[Pharmboy]

Yep...I now remember when that happened some years ago. Thanks for the info...

[dennisw]

Don’t try to tell me these police aren’t heroes!>>>>>>

Easy to crash and die in such rough mountain weather so they put their lives at risk

[Night Hides Not]

But they had a map and a compass!

In my day, the most dangerous weapon in the US Army was a 2nd LT and a map.

BTW, what happens when we have an EMP attack, and GPS is rendered useless?

Echoing other posters, the entire chain of command at WP is likely in hot water over this near disaster.

[RoadTest]

“Don’t try to tell me these police aren’t heroes!>>>>>>

Easy to crash and die in such rough mountain weather so they put their lives at risk”

That was my thought in saying they’re heroes.

[RoadTest]

“Don’t try to tell me these police aren’t heroes!>>>>>>

Easy to crash and die in such rough mountain weather so they put their lives at risk”

That was my thought in saying they’re heroes.

[bboop]

I’m so glad to hear that. Speaking from experience, but some years back. I would think they had latest equipment now. We have a S&R group here in our town, up against the foothills as we are, in Los Angeles. We love those guys. THey are all volunteers, do amazing rescues. I didn’t know they worked at night.

[ex-snook]

Bet those cops were not hated union members whose jobs should be outsourced before they get another raise or health benefits.

[The Pack Knight]

I recall that one stalwart managed to climb a fence, cross the multi-lane New York State Thruway, climb another fence, find a phone and call to report that “somehow” he had wandered off the course.”

I remember hearing that story or one very similar. Some plebes ended up in the town across the Thruway from Lake Frederick during the bivouac at the end of Beast, and called in from someone's house.

I did have a suspicion that the cadets in this case might have gotten lost while "reconning the woodline" (i.e., sneaking off for a smoke), but getting stranded while rappelling makes sense, too - especially with the weather they've been having lately. If they got stranded and couldn't be located with a ground search like the article on this thread says, though, it sounds like they were out by themselves, which seems a bit strange.

Land nav is a Buckner thing, of course, but yearlings who fail that or any of the other tasks required for promotion to Cadet Corporal typically have to make it up during the academic year. I doubted they were doing land nav here, though - I don't remember anyone doing Buckner makeups as late as February.