Rough seas force firefighting medic to board Virginia Aquarium tour boat to treat injured passenger, responded in minutes

The crew of Virginia Beach Fireboat 12 received a call for help on the morning of July 4, shortly before noon, from a Virginia Aquarium tour boat.

A female passenger aboard the vessel slipped and sustained a head injury.

Due to rough seas at the time, the vessel could not safely evacuate the patient from the boat, so, Master Firefighter David Clevland was transported to it to render medical assistance.

Clevland, a master firefighter and paramedic, treated the patient while the boat returned to dock, where the patient was transferred by VBEMS to a waiting ambulance that took her to a local hospital.

The woman did not have life-threatening injuries.

Thanks to increased staffing for the July 4 holiday, Fireboat 12 was already manned and in the water when the call for help went out and able to reach the patient in just minutes.

Updated information and photos courtesy of the Virginia Beach Fire Department.

The Virginia Beach Fire Department Fireboat 12, which participated in the rescue.

 Due to rough seas at the time, the vessel could not safely evacuate the patient from the boat, so, Master Firefighter David Clevland was transported to it to render medical assistance.