— from Mike Welding, Public Affairs Officer, NAS Whidbey —
A Search and Rescue (SAR) team from Naval Air Station (NAS) Whidbey Island conducted a Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC) late last night for a man from San Juan Island who suffered a stroke.
The SAR crew of five took off at about 9 p.m. to airlift a 73-year-old man from San Juan Medical Center to Island Hospital in Anacortes, Wash. This is the second MEDEVAC SAR flew this week from San Juan Island when they airlifted a woman on Monday to St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Bellingham, Wash.
Last year, NAS Whidbey Island SAR launched on 18 search and rescue missions and 10 medical evacuations, resulting in 47 lives saved.
The Navy SAR unit operates three MH-60 helicopters from NAS Whidbey as search and rescue platforms for the EA-18G aircraft as well as other squadrons and personnel assigned to the installation. The base also has an agreement to assist Washington State with medical evacuations and search and rescue activities.
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