Jumper Reported in Stable Condition
A member of the U.S. Navy Leap Frogs Parachute Team is in stable condition after suffering as-of-yet undisclosed injuries while performing at a Duluth, Minnesota air-show.
Duluth Air and Aviation Expo president Ryan Kern set forth in a statement: “We are devastated that one of the performers was injured and our thoughts and prayers are with him, his team and his family. Our safety and leadership team has an incident plan in place, everyone reacted instantly, and we were able to render care immediately.”
The injured parachutist was airlifted from Duluth International Airport (DLH) to Essentia Health/St.Mary's Hospital with what were originally described as “serious” injuries.
A subsequent news release reported the skydiver to be in stable condition.
Video footage of the 15 July incident shows the parachutist performing a maneuver in which he and another Navy jumper linked each other’s legs. The two appear, however, to separate too near the ground. The accident occurred on landing.
The Leap Frog team canceled its Sunday, 16 July performance pending word of their compatriot’s condition.
The occurrence is under investigation.
Jennifer Merlis, an Emergency Physician retained by the air-show’s organizers to provide medical assistance in the event of performer or attendee mishaps, remarked: “I actually happened to be on the front line when it happened. I just hopped the barricade … then the rest of the team was already there within a few minutes after.”
As thousands of air-show spectators looked on, the event’s emergency and medical response team vaulted a barricade and rushed to the injured parachutist’s aid.
“We were all working in a coordinated fashion just to provide the care that he needed,” Dr. Merlis explained. “Fortunately, Life Link [helicopter air-ambulance] was here. They arrived on scene to help supply aid and transport immediately.”
By virtue of foresight, planning, and on-site medical expertise, the injured skydiver was bound for the hospital only thirty-minutes after sustaining his injuries.
Duluth Air and Aviation Expo media coordinator Jodi Grayson asserted: “The air-show is required to respond to an incident in sixty-seconds. On Saturday, we responded in 15-seconds. He [the injured parachutist] is in stable condition right now, had to undergo some surgeries and has a few more to go, but from what I am told, he is in good spirits.”
Speed was salient to the accident’s seemingly favorable outcome.
“Having all the different pieces where everybody can coordinate and get the resources that are needed, is crucial,” Dr. Merlis concluded.
Following the incident, the entirety of the performers participating in the Duluth Air and Aviation Expo were provided a supplemental briefing pertaining to event safety and emergency procedures.
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