NAS Whidbey SAR Conducts Christmas Eve Medical Evacuation

— from Mike Welding —

NAVAL AIR STATION WHIDBEY ISLAND, Wash. – A Search and Rescue (SAR) team from Naval Air Station (NAS) Whidbey Island conducted a Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC) on Friday, December 24, from the Lopez Island medical clinic to Skagit Valley Hospital.

The SAR crew of five launched shortly before 11 a.m. and proceeded to the clinic on Lopez Island. Challenging weather conditions including blowing rain, fog, and the potential for ice made the short flight to the island difficult, but the crew worked together flawlessly to get to the clinic. The aircraft landed at 11:05 a.m. to pick up the patient, and after landing, the Search and Rescue Medical Technician (SMT) met with the clinic staff to conduct the medical turnover.

While waiting on deck, the crew checked the weather and found that weather conditions had worsened at all the local hospitals. They determined that the only option to get the patient to a higher level of care was to fly back to NAS Whidbey Island and conduct a patient transport via ambulance from the base to Skagit Valley Hospital. Once complete with medical turnover, the patient was loaded onto the helicopter and they took off at 11:30 a.m. The aircraft returned to the airfield at 11:50 a.m. and the patient was off loaded and delivered to a higher level of care.

“Training, crew coordination, and flexibility allowed us to safely and efficiently deliver this patient to the higher level of care they desperately needed,” said Naval Aircrewman 2nd Class Francisco Toledo.

This was the 14th MEDEVAC of 2016 for NAS Whidbey Island SAR, which has also conducted 13 search missions, and 23 rescue operations this year totaling in 50 missions and 53 lives delivered to a higher level of care.

The Navy SAR unit operates three MH-60S helicopters from NAS Whidbey Island 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 and the surrounding areas with medical evacuations and search and rescue activities if other assets are unavailable.