Hudson girl airlifted to Boston hospital

HUDSON – A girl who was hurt at her St. Francis Drive home Sunday evening was flown to Children’s Hospital in Boston by a medical helicopter that drew dozens of spectators when it landed in a field behind Nottingham West Elementary School.

Fire Capt. Clint Weaver said airlifting a patient to an out-of-town hospital before they are evaluated at a local facility is rare in Hudson. In this case, he said, the decision was made after Hudson paramedics spoke from the scene with doctors at Southern New Hampshire Medical Center in Nashua.

Weaver wasn’t able to provide the girl’s identity or age, nor what circumstances led to her injury, saying only that she got hurt while playing at her house.

He said he believes the girl had a pre-existing medical condition that figured into the decision for the direct trip to Children’s Hospital.

A fire engine and rescue truck were sent to the school field to meet the ambulance and help illuminate the area for the helicopter. Soon after the helicopter landed, neighbors, many with children in tow, began showing up in cars and on foot, speaking with one another about the unusual goings-on.

Police kept the spectators in the side parking lots, plenty of distance from where the chopper set down. Most departed as soon as it lifted off in a giant cloud of dust about 15 minutes later.

Weaver said the process went off without a hitch.

“I’ve been here 25 years, and it’s the first time I know of that we’ve used med-flight,” he said.

The girl’s condition wasn’t available at press time.