Aerial Rescue Team Ready to Help Injured Firefighters Battling MN Wildfires

    May 22, 2025
    Nearly 600 firefighters are currently battling wildfires in the state involving more than 28,000 acres.

    As nearly 600 firefighters are involved in fighting wildland fires in Minnesota, a specialized air medical team is standing by ready to help.

    The Minnesota Air Rescue Team (MART) --  two St. Paul firefighters trained in rescues, a state patrol helicopter and pilot -- is stationed at Two Harbors Airport.

    “Our flight time from here is maybe eight minutes to the location, anywhere in the fire zone. There’s no way to get an ambulance to everyone. We can get there with the helicopter to get a line to them..." Jim Englin, the pilot, explained to KSTP.

    A 100-foot “short-haul” line, and a sleeping bag-like device is dropped to the forest floor, to hoist the injured firefighters to safety.

    Rescue Specialist Jeremy Barta explained the operation: “(The pilot) actually leans out the side of the helicopter to look down on us. They’re able to pinpoint the location where we need to go. Somebody who’s lost or injured, we can put them in a device and bring them out on the end of that short haul line.” 

    Englin added: “Some of these areas, it could take them up to two, three hours to hike into certain locations, to get them out of there..."