How far is Castaway Cay from Miami?

[Weegl]

See news piece below...made me wonder how many miles apart is Miami and Castaway Cay?

Coast Guard Medevacs Cruise Ship Passenger to Miami Hospital
Oct 17, 2007

Email this article
Printer friendly page

MIAMI.- Miami-A Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Air Station Miami is medically evacuating a 59 year-old man from Castaway Cay, Bahamas, and is scheduled to arrive at Jackson Memorial Hospital about 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Ronald Reczkowscz, a U.S. citizen, was reported to be suffering from a possible heart attack while visiting the Disney owned island today. Reczkowscz was a passenger on the cruise ship, Disney Magic.

Search and rescue coordinators at the District Seven Command Center were notified by Disney officials around 4:30 p.m. The Coast Guard helicopter was launched about 45 minutes later. The helicopter crew is also transferring a nurse with Reczkowscz.

 

[disneycruise05]

It's looking to be about 120 or 130 miles between Miami and Castaway Cay. No sure why it would take 2 days to get the guy to the hospital.

 

[outahere]

Hmmm....... I wonder if the date is wrong in the original post? Neither one of the ships is at CC today (unless the Wonder had to change itineraries), but the Magic would have been there last Friday. Perhaps the date should be October 12, not 17.

 

[birkner]

Hmmm....... I wonder if the date is wrong in the original post? Neither one of the ships is at CC today (unless the Wonder had to change itineraries), but the Magic would have been there last Friday. Perhaps the date should be October 12, not 17.

There is another thread that I posted the correct info from the Coast Guard site. Date was October 5, 2007:

News Release Date: Oct. 5, 2007

Contact: PCPO Dana Warr
(305) 415-6683


Coast Guard Medevacs Cruise Ship Passenger to Miami Hospital

MIAMI - A Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Air Station Miami is medically evacuating a 59 year-old man from Castaway Cay, Bahamas, and is scheduled to arrive at Jackson Memorial Hospital about 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Ronald Reczkowscz, a U.S. citizen, was reported to be suffering from a possible heart attack while visiting the Disney owned island today. Reczkowscz was a passenger on the cruise ship, Disney Magic.

Search and rescue coordinators at the District Seven Command Center were notified by Disney officials around 4:30 p.m. The Coast Guard helicopter was launched about 45 minutes later. The helicopter crew is also transferring a nurse with Reczkowscz.

 

[MiniGirl]

When I read the original post, I had to wonder how often this happened because we had the same thing happen on our trip. However, I see from the additional informatin that it was from our trip. When it happened, we wondered how long it would take. It seemed to take a long time, but I see, too, that the helicopter didn't even leave until almost an hour after receiving the call. I'm not trying to sound critical. I understand having to round up personnel, etc. I just seemed to take a really long time. I couldn't imagine how long it would seem if it had been my loved one.

 

[Capt_BJ]

Believe it or not, Disney, despite their net worth, does not simply call up and get a helicopter from the US government.

Disney would have in this case contacted a rescue coordination ctr which would lead to a conference call between the ship's doctor and a flight surgeon where the decision would be made as to the course of action....this takes a little time. Note too the CC is not US territory, therefore permission must be sought for a government aircraft to enter the airspace - to do otherwize is sometimes called an invasion.... altho there are some standing agreements in place to expedite the process

Now here's a quiz question for you: why would the US government provide a free air ambulance service from the Bahamas back to the US?

 

[MiniGirl]

Believe it or not, Disney, despite their net worth, does not simply call up and get a helicopter from the US government.

Disney would have in this case contacted a rescue coordination ctr which would lead to a conference call between the ship's doctor and a flight surgeon where the decision would be made as to the course of action....this takes a little time. Note too the CC is not US territory, therefore permission must be sought for a government aircraft to enter the airspace - to do otherwize is sometimes called an invasion.... altho there are some standing agreements in place to expedite the process

Now here's a quiz question for you: why would the US government provide a free air ambulance service from the Bahamas back to the US?

I'm guessing this post was directed at my comments about how long it took, and I'm also guessing that you must've misunderstood what I said. I never implied that Disney does (or should, for that matter) have the ability to make a phone call and have a Coast Guard helicopter at their disposal. I was simply commenting that it took a long time, and it did. I couldn't tell you how long it took because we actually set out before the helicopter arrived. I also said in my original post that I was not being critical of Disney for the amount of time it took. However, I will add that as we watched all this unfold and as we waited for this man to be medivaced out, we wondered why Disney would send this passenger to Miami. As you pointed out, it involves a bit more than picking up the phone. We wondered why he wasn't sent to Nassau since it is closer to CC and in the Bahamas (like CC -- as you pointed out).

As to your quiz question..... I could only suppose that the US would provide this service free of charge if this were some big wig politician or military officer whose position in the government made it vital that his treatment and care be done on US soil where the gov't has some control over security. I would not expect this service to be free of charge for the average Joe. In fact, we also wondered how much of this bill the guy's insurance would pick up.

Now, totally off topic, but I see we are neighbors. I live beachside. Being so close to the Mouse is great, but believe me, I see Disney for what it is -- a business with a goal of making money for the share holders.

 

[Capt_BJ]

this guy didn't get a bill .... altho others here will tell you that an air medivac will cost upwards of $20k

Why does USCG fly people from Bahamian Territory back to US soil?????

Next time your congressman cuts funding to that agency I suggest you replay this tape.......

Do a little web searching and determine how often USCG performs a medical evacuation outside US territorial seas.... Why do they do that? What a HUGE WASTE of your tax dollars......

This person should have been the depedency of the Bahamas and their air rescue service....no?

 

[Buckeye Gal]

Off topic yet not....

Here's an unfortunate example of why we should have passports when they're not yet required for sea travel. If his family didn't have passports and he was flown to Nassau, they would have been challenged to get to/from the Bahamas via plane. Obviously his life is more important than those worries.

 

[tfc3rid]

It was on October 5... Watched everything from my stateroom balcony (in the darkness)... We didn't leave CC until after the Helicopter left CC...

There was no information while we were on the ship other than that there was a 'medical emergency' on CC and we would be leaving late and arriving in PC late...

 

[aprince&princess]

I would think that this would be great advertising for purchasing cruise insurance that covers medical expenses.

All a good point in not booking a flight too early on Sunday morning. You never know when the boat will arrive late to the port.

 

[tvguy]

this guy didn't get a bill .... altho others here will tell you that an air medivac will cost upwards of $20k

Why does USCG fly people from Bahamian Territory back to US soil?????

Next time your congressman cuts funding to that agency I suggest you replay this tape.......

Do a little web searching and determine how often USCG performs a medical evacuation outside US territorial seas.... Why do they do that? What a HUGE WASTE of your tax dollars......

This person should have been the depedency of the Bahamas and their air rescue service....no?

Because they are U.S. CITIZENS with a medical emergency within range of a Coast Guard base.
A co-worker of mine was airlifted off the Amsterdam last year 500 miles west of San Diego in International waters when his appendix burst. They sent 2 helicopters and a fixed wing aircraft to refuel those choppers and flew him to San Francisco. They told him they sent two choppers "in case one crashed on the way".
This free of charge. (well, other than the federal income tax he pays every April 15th)

 

[Capt_BJ]

Because they are U.S. CITIZENS with a medical emergency within range of a Coast Guard base.
A co-worker of mine was airlifted off the Amsterdam last year 500 miles west of San Diego in International waters when his appendix burst. They sent 2 helicopters and a fixed wing aircraft to refuel those choppers and flew him to San Francisco. They told him they sent two choppers "in case one crashed on the way".
This free of charge. (well, other than the federal income tax he pays every April 15th)

Can U post the statute that authorised this evacuation?

Can you estimte the cost of this evactuation?

There is a 'law' that says medivac US Citizes within X miles????? News to me.....show me.

I don't argue that it was done...I ask if U know why....U paid for it.

Is it only for US citizenes??? SURPRISE!!!!!

How much did you pay for this last year?

 

[owenscott]

I'll bet that its not a law its coast guard policy and procedures. If it was determined that the person would most likely die if not lifted to a US hospital, then he needed to be rescued and was.

I'll also bet free of charge (for the helo maybe not for the nurse). They cant let somebody die on an island thats within reach of a coast guard helo.

 

[tvguy]

Well, I asked my next door neighbor who is retired Coast Guard, and whose son in currently in the Coast Guard, and he didn't know of any law but as it put it "it's kind of why there is a Coast Guard."

 

[draamamom]

Can U post the statute that authorised this evacuation?

There is a 'law' that says medivac US Citizes within X miles????? News to me.....show me.

I don't argue that it was done...I ask if U know why....U paid for it.

Is it only for US citizenes??? SURPRISE!!!!!

How much did you pay for this last year?

Just an FYI for anyone who's wondering, I believe this statue would have been the one covering the rescue.

14 USC (Coast Guard) § 147a. Department of Health and Human Services
(a) The Commandant may assist the Secretary
of Health and Human Services in providing medical
emergency helicopter transportation services
to civilians. The Commandant may prescribe
conditions, including reimbursement,
under which resources may be provided under
this section. The following specific limitations
apply to assistance provided under this section:
(1) Assistance may be provided only in areas
where Coast Guard units able to provide the
assistance are regularly assigned. Coast Guard
units may not be transferred from one area to
another to provide the assistance.
(2) Assistance may be provided only to the
extent it does not interfere with the performance
of the Coast Guard mission.
(3) Providing assistance may not cause an
increase in amounts required for the operation
of the Coast Guard.
(b) An individual (or the estate of that individual)
who is authorized by the Coast Guard to
provide a service under a program established
under subsection (a) and who is acting within
the scope of that individual’s duties is not liable
for injury to, or loss of, property or personal injury
or death that may be caused incident to
providing the service.

I looks to me, who is not a lawyer, that reimbursement is at the Coast Guard's discretion. Please no flames!

 

[MickeyMacks]

Oct. 9, after our Castaway Cay day, we were cruising along at 7 knots in the early evening, our 6:30 Golden Mickey's show was delayed and finally cancelled, shortly after that the Captain came on to say we were heading back to Nassau for a medical evacuation. Could feel the ship turning and it was hitting 20.6 knots by suppertime. They person was taken off the ship around 10:30 or 11 p.m. I believe, watched it from our balcony. It was about three hours from the captain's announcement to port.

Looking at a map, it would have seemed Freeport, already on our route, would have been just as close, but there must have been clearance issues?? It was a quick turnaround in and out of Nassau and we made up the time and were back on schedule the next day.

We speculated whether it may have been an injured cast member (thus the show cancellation/rapid turnaround) but of course the crew are trained to say if asked that it was a stroke or heart attack.

Makes me wonder how often they do these med evacs Whoever's paying, it must be expensive to turn that big ship around.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

Personally, I would rather my tax money go towards a rescue like this than some other programs. But then that is probably for another thread.