Contact: Kevan Hanson
(916) 643-7659
MCKINLEYVILLE, Calif. - Petty Officer 2nd Class Tim Garfield, a Gloucester native and a flight mechanic at Coast Guard Air Station Humboldt Bay, was part of an aircrew that teamed up with local sheriff’s office to rescue six people from a vehicle that ran off the road last week in Northern California.
Two Coast Guard rescue helicopters arrived on scene after first responders determined medical evacuation was needed and requested Coast Guard assistance. Two of the survivors needed to be hoisted into the helicopter due to the steep and challenging terrain of the embankment where they were found. One other survivor was medevaced directly to a local hospital and the remaining three were rescued by the Del Norte Sheriff’s Office
Garfield was aboard one of the helicopters which hoisted the victims. This particular rescue was unique because there were many hazards not typically dealt with when operating over the water. The survivors were on a nearly vertical surface, with many trees, loose gravel, and wind turbulence, all complicating the hoist. Nevertheless, with Tim’s extensive training and technical skills he was comfortable performing his job and saving lives.
Donald and Jane Garfield, the parents of Tim, have lived in Gloucester for the past 12 years, and Tim graduated from Gloucester High School in 2001. Tim joined the Coast Guard in 2004 and earned his aircrew wings in 2008. He has been an intricate member of Air Station Humboldt Bay since then, conducting three major rescues, accumulating 300 hours of flight time and performing critical maintenance on the helicopters.
Today, Garfield is on duty again, standing ready to help another in need. When the call comes, Garfield and the rest of the Coast Guard will be there to answer and live up to the Coast Guard’s motto of “Semper Paratus”.
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