Foxtrot surprises returning students to teach pool safety
A BACK TO SCHOOL SURPRISE LANDING RIGHT ON WALTER P CARTER ELEMENTARY MIDDLE SCHOOL’S LAWN. IT FEELS GREAT BECAUSE WE USED TO DO THESE DISPLAYS ALL THE TIME FOR THE STUDENTS, AND SINCE COVID, WE HAVEN’T BEEN ABLE TO DO THEM, SO THIS IS A GOOD START TO GET US BACK INTO DOING THAT AGAIN. HEY HEY HEY HEY. A WARM WELCOME FOR FLIGHT OFFICER CRAIG HOOVER AND TACTICAL FLIGHT OFFICER ANDRE SMITH JR AS STUDENTS FORMED A SPIRIT TUNNEL BEFORE GOING OUTSIDE, SEEING THE HELICOPTER AND EVEN SITTING INSIDE. I’VE NEVER, LIKE, EXPERIENCED THIS BEFORE. I WANT OUR STUDENTS TO SEE THAT THE COMMUNITY IS INVESTED IN THEM. BUT IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT A BACK TO SCHOOL SURPRISE. IT’S ALSO A CHANCE TO TEACH KIDS ABOUT SAFETY, BECAUSE THE LAST TIME FLIGHT OFFICERS SMITH AND HOOVER LANDED HERE, IT WAS TO SAVE A DROWNING MAN AT THIS POOL. PUT THE HELICOPTER DOWN IN THE FIELD. THIS GUY LOOKED LIKE HE’S NOT BREATHING, NOT MOVING. HE’S IN CARDIAC ARREST. HAVE A MEDIC GET HERE ASAP. YOU MAY REMEMBER BACK IN JULY, OFFICER HOOVER LANDED THE HELICOPTER IN THIS SAME FIELD NEAR THE POOL. SO OFFICER SMITH COULD RUN OUT AND DO CPR ON A 25 YEAR OLD MAN WHO NEARLY DROWNED AFTER ENTERING THE POOL AFTER HOURS. SAY, JUST BECAUSE THE NATURE OF THE INCIDENT, THIS WAS A GOOD PLACE TO COME BACK AND TRY TO EDUCATE YOUNG PEOPLE ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL. YES, WE WANT TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT POOL SAFETY AND THE DYNAMICS OF WHY IT’S IMPORTANT NOT TO BREAK INTO SWIMMING POOLS AND ALSO TALK TO, I BELIEVE, SOME OF THE MIDDLE SCHOOLERS ABOUT CPR, WITH THE HOPES OF INSPIRING MORE YOUNG PEOPLE TO FLY A HELICOPTER OR BECOME A FIRST RESPONDER WHO CAN SAVE A LIFE. I KNOW SOMETIMES WE DON’T GET A GOOD SPOTLIGHT, BUT SOMETHING LIKE THIS WITH THE POLICE HELICOPTER, SEEING A PERSON FROM BALTIMORE CITY, BORN AND RAISED DOING A GOOD JOB. I THINK THEY WOULD LIKE THAT AND APPRECIATE THAT. IN NORTHEAST BALTIMORE, I’M BR
BPD’s Foxtrot helicopter surprises kids returning for first day of school to teach pool safety
Updated: 4:45 PM EDT Aug 25, 2025
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Some Baltimore City school students received a high-flying surprise on their first day of school.Baltimore police flight officers landed Foxtrot, the department’s helicopter, on the lawn of Walter P. Carter Elementary/Middle School in North Baltimore as students returned for the first day of school.But the students weren’t the only ones excited. Baltimore police Flight Officer Craig Hoover shared his enthusiasm with 11 News.”It feels great because we used to do these displays all the time for the students, and since COVID, we haven’t been able to do them. So, this is a good start to get us back into doing that again,” Hoover told 11 News.The officers received a warm welcome from the students, who formed a spirit tunnel before heading to see the helicopter and sit inside it.”I’ve never, like, experienced this before,” said Brielle Howell, a fifth grade student.The school’s principal, Joseph Eldridge, emphasized the importance of community involvement. “I want our students to see that the community is invested in them,” Eldridge told 11 News.The visit was not only a surprise, but also an educational opportunity. Hoover and Tactical Flight Officer Andre Smith Jr. aimed to teach students about safety, particularly pool safety, after their heroic actions last month when they landed the helicopter in the same spot at the school to save a man who was drowning at a city pool. “Just because of the nature of the incident, this was a good place to try to come back and try to educate young people on the first day of school,” Smith told 11 News. “We are going to speak a little bit about pool safety and why it’s important not to break into swimming pools and talk to some of the middle schoolers about CPR.”The officers hope to inspire students to consider careers as first responders or pilots. Smith expressed his desire to positively influence the students.”I know, sometimes, we don’t get a good spotlight, but something like this with the police helicopter, and seeing a person from Baltimore City born and raised doing a good job, I think they would appreciate that,” Smith told 11 News.
Some Baltimore City school students received a high-flying surprise on their first day of school.
Baltimore police flight officers landed Foxtrot, the department’s helicopter, on the lawn of Walter P. Carter Elementary/Middle School in North Baltimore as students returned for the first day of school.
But the students weren’t the only ones excited. Baltimore police Flight Officer Craig Hoover shared his enthusiasm with 11 News.
“It feels great because we used to do these displays all the time for the students, and since COVID, we haven’t been able to do them. So, this is a good start to get us back into doing that again,” Hoover told 11 News.
The officers received a warm welcome from the students, who formed a spirit tunnel before heading to see the helicopter and sit inside it.
“I’ve never, like, experienced this before,” said Brielle Howell, a fifth grade student.
The school’s principal, Joseph Eldridge, emphasized the importance of community involvement.
“I want our students to see that the community is invested in them,” Eldridge told 11 News.
The visit was not only a surprise, but also an educational opportunity. Hoover and Tactical Flight Officer Andre Smith Jr. aimed to teach students about safety, particularly pool safety, after their heroic actions last month when they landed the helicopter in the same spot at the school to save a man who was drowning at a city pool.
“Just because of the nature of the incident, this was a good place to try to come back and try to educate young people on the first day of school,” Smith told 11 News. “We are going to speak a little bit about pool safety and why it’s important not to break into swimming pools and talk to some of the middle schoolers about CPR.”
The officers hope to inspire students to consider careers as first responders or pilots. Smith expressed his desire to positively influence the students.
“I know, sometimes, we don’t get a good spotlight, but something like this with the police helicopter, and seeing a person from Baltimore City born and raised doing a good job, I think they would appreciate that,” Smith told 11 News.
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