Helicopter Crew Honored for Rescue

Hovering above the raging Ventura River during a torrential downpour last year, the crew in county Sheriff’s Department helicopter No. 6 wasn’t thinking about much more than how to pluck a handful of homeless men from certain drowning in the flood waters.

But this week the crew is enjoying the recognition of law enforcement aviators across the nation for their heroics.

Pilot Dan Shea, Senior Deputy Tim Hagel and Senior Deputy David Nadon were named the 1995 Air Crew of the Year by the national Airborne Law Enforcement Assn. Saturday at a Houston convention.

The team was recognized Wednesday by their boss, Lt. Dave Tennessen, in a small ceremony at the Camarillo Airport.

“This is really recognition for the entire team,” Tennessen said, indicating the nearly one dozen mechanics, paramedics and clerical staff that work with the helicopter crew.

“This was really just the most dramatic of the literally hundreds of rescues that we perform through the year,” he said.

Shea said he still remembers vividly trying to keep his craft level during the January 1995 storm as Hagel dangled from a cable over a man immersed in the surging Ventura River.

“The weather was a major problem,” Shea said. “It was raining pretty good and there was a lot of wind.”

Crewman Nadon gave Shea careful directions for lowering Hagel on a cable. Hagel then attached a harness around the stranded man.

Shea said that rescue and several others that morning went smoothly because the team had practiced the same sort of technique the day before.