WINSLOW: On Monday, September 11, 2023, SouthSTAR Medevac received a request for Aviation support from the New Jersey State Police K9 Unit on a search for a missing/endangered person in Winslow Township, Camden County.

The Flight Team, consisting of NJSP Troopers, Pilot Sgt. John Steet, Pilot Trooper II Paul Ciervo, JEMSTAR Medical Crew, Flight Nurse Amy Holland and Flight Paramedic TJ Connellan received a report that during the course of the search, K9 Trooper Kona was severely injured and needed immediate transport to the Red Bank Veterinary Hospital, a designated Level 1 VetCOT Trauma Center in Tinton Falls, NJ.

On arrival at the established Landing Zone, the Flight Team was met by New Jersey State Police K9 Team members: Sgt. Matt Cocking, Trooper Tyler Straube, Trooper I Robert Pasquino and his Partner, K9 Trooper Kona. K9 Trooper Kona and her Partner, Trooper I Pasquino were then transported to a Landing Zone in Tinton Falls, coordinated by REMCS Flight Follower Rick Tarleton.

At the LZ, the Flight Team was met by Tinton Falls Fire Department and EMS, consisting of Chief 267, 167, Engines 178, 274 and 377 as well as Tinton Falls EMS North with 36-3-56.

K9 Trooper Kona, Trooper I Pasquino, Flight Nurse Holland and Flight Paramedic Connellan were all transported emergently to Red Bank Veterinary Hospital whose entire Emergency Team was waiting on their arrival.

This assignment had an incredible sense of urgency for K9 Trooper Kona, which required an immense amount of interagency coordination and teamwork, coordinated by the SouthSTAR Flight team and REMCS Flight Follower Tarleton.

We are pleased to report that due to the quick actions of her Partner, Trooper I Pasquino and K9 Teammates, as well as the entire team of Red Bank Veterinary Hospital, K9 Trooper Kona is going to make a full recovery!

The entire team of SouthSTAR was incredibly honored to have played a small, supportive role for our New Jersey State Police K9 Unit. Get better soon, Trooper Kona! We can’t wait to see you out there again, doing what you do best, helping to bring people home.

Contributions to the New Jersey State Police K9 Unit can be made in Trooper Kona’s name through the Troopers United Foundation Inc. with the following link:

Thank you for your support!

Red Bank Veterinary Hospital Tinton Falls New Jersey State Police Troopers United Foundation Inc.

Press release from Northstar Air Medical Helicopter