Soldiers transport woman in winter storm for heart transplant

Updated

On November 29, 2024, Soldiers made contact with a 64-year-old woman who was leaving the Rochester area with her husband en route to the Cleveland Clinic for a heart transplant. While traveling on State Route 5 in the city of Portland, they became stranded due to the heavy snowstorm and road conditions in the area. The 64-year-old had a battery-operated heart pump and before the situation became critical, the husband contacted a nurse at the Cleveland Clinic. This nurse was able to contact State Police and troopers were able to maintain continuous contact and locate her using an NYSP response vehicle. Police implemented a plan to transport the 64-year-old to the Portland Fire Department and then to Westfield Memorial Hospital. Officers then transported her outside the storm to Jamestown Airport in Chautauqua County and she was airlifted out of the area to the Cleveland Clinic for a heart transplant.

This is an incredible story of endurance and coordination! The actions of soldiers, medical personnel and transport teams illustrate how critical teamwork and quick thinking can save lives, even in extreme weather conditions. It is heartening to see the dedication to ensuring a patient receives a life-saving heart transplant despite the challenges presented by the snowstorm.

During the winter storm from Thanksgiving through Dec. 1, troopers in the southern areas of Western New York along the I-90 corridor from Erie County to the Pennsylvania state line assisted 110 disabled vehicles, investigated 79 property damage and investigated seven personal injury collisions.

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