Local News
Mass Casualty Incident Declared at Lehigh Senior High School Due to Heat-Related Injuries
Preliminary reports suggest the students were participating in a JROTC drill when the incident occurred.
Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District, along with Lee County EMS, responded to a Level 3 Mass Casualty Incident (MCI) at Lehigh Senior High School on Thursday.
Over 20 students reportedly suffered heat-related injuries, with some collapsing on the football field.
Preliminary reports suggest the students were participating in a JROTC drill when the incident occurred.
Emergency responders quickly arrived to provide treatment, and several students were transported to nearby medical facilities for evaluation and care.
Officials have clarified that the term Mass Casualty Incident refers to an event involving five or more individuals requiring medical attention and does not imply fatalities.
No fatalities have occurred, and the situation is strictly heat-related.
This is not related to any form of violence or shooting.
Authorities and school officials are monitoring the situation closely, and updates will be provided as more details become available.
Parents and guardians concerned about their children’s well-being are encouraged to contact the school for further information.
This is a developing story.
Jackson, Miss. – A medical helicopter from the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) crashed Tuesday afternoon in a heavily wooded area near the Natchez Trace Parkway, resulting in multiple fatalities, according to local officials.
The AirCare helicopter went down in a remote location south of the Natchez Trace and north of Pipeline Road.
A Madison County official confirmed that there were fatalities but did not specify the number of victims.
“We are on the scene of a medical helicopter crash in a heavily wooded area. There are fatalities. We are now awaiting the arrival of the FAA. Any other information should come from them,” the official stated.
In an email statement, Dr. LouAnn Woodward, Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs at UMMC, confirmed that the helicopter was carrying:
- A Med-Trans pilot
- Two UMMC employee crew members
- No patients were on board at the time of the crash
Authorities have not yet released the identities of the victims.
Emergency responders, including the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, Gluckstadt Fire Department, and multiple first responder teams, are on the scene.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is expected to take over the investigation to determine the cause of the crash.
UMMC operates the AirCare medical flight program, which includes helicopters based in Jackson, Meridian, Columbus, and Greenwood.
These helicopters are used to transport critically ill or injured patients to UMMC and other hospitals across the state.
Authorities are expected to release additional details as the investigation progresses.