JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska – Soldiers and Airmen of the Alaska National Guard executed four missions to save four people during the July 4 holiday weekend.
Maj. Kody Schmidt, Alaska Rescue Coordination Center, or AKRCC, senior controller, said the first mission opened following a request from the Alaska State Troopers, or AST, for a hoist-capable helicopter to rescue a critically ill patient from a remote residence on the Kantishna River west of Cantwell.
The 176th Wing, Alaska Air National Guard, search and rescue duty officer accepted the mission and tasked a 210th Rescue Squadron HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopter and a 211th Rescue Squadron HC-130J Combat King II fixed-wing aircraft, both with 212th Rescue Squadron Pararescuemen, or PJs, on board.
The HH-60W special missions aviator hoisted the PJs to a spot near the residence, where they made contact with the patient, then hoisted the patient into the helicopter for transport to Fairbanks Memorial Hospital.
Later the same day, the AKRCC opened another mission following a request from the National Park Service to medevac a critically ill patient from a remote cabin north of Mount McKinley.
In a similar fashion to the first mission, the helicopter hoisted PJs near the cabin and then hoisted out the patient for evacuation to Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage.
During both Air Guard missions, the HC-130J provided air-to-air refueling to extend the HH-60W’s range to reach deep into Interior Alaska.
Also on July 2, the AKRCC opened a mission at the request of the AST to rescue a stranded hiker who had triggered a satellite-based SOS on Matanuska Peak, 7 miles east of Palmer.
Capt. Cody McKinney, 207th Aviation Troop Company operations officer, said the Alaska Army National Guard accepted the mission and dispatched a G Company, 2-211th General Support Aviation Battalion, HH-60M Black Hawk medevac helicopter to the peak.
The HH-60M crew chief performed a dynamic hoist of the flight medic to contact the hiker and hoist the hiker into the helicopter for transport to the Palmer airport. During a dynamic hoist, the crew chief lowers the flight medic as the helicopter approaches the patient, preventing spinning and oscillation while decreasing the time required for extraction.
The final mission opened when the Alaska National Guard accepted an AST request to rescue a hiker experiencing chest pain near Gulkana.
A 2-211th GSAB HH-60M crew located the hiker, treated the hiker on site and hoisted the hiker into the helicopter for transport to Providence Alaska Medical Center.
Schmidt underlined the importance of carrying a satellite communication device when entering the Alaska wilderness, where cell phone coverage is often unavailable.
The saves involved six aircraft, flying nearly 21 hours in under two days.