BETHEL, Alaska - The Alaska National Guard’s annual Operation Santa Claus mission to bring holiday joy to the village of Tuluksak became a lifeline for a nearby resident.
On Nov. 15, an AANG UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter supporting Operation Santa Claus was enroute to deliver holiday cheer when an urgent call for assistance came into the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.
A critically ill patient in Napaskiak required an immediate medical evacuation but civilian air ambulances were unable to land there.
As soon as the AKARNG accepted the mission, the pilots altered their mission plan to prioritize the medevac.
Having just completed one of two scheduled Operation Santa Claus flights, the aircrew added two LifeMed paramedics and equipment onto the helicopter with the remaining gifts and volunteers already on board and headed to Napaskiak.
Less than five minutes after departing Bethel, the helicopter touched down in Napaskiak, delivering the paramedics and medical equipment to stabilize the patient for travel to the local clinic.
The aircrew flew 15 minutes to Tuluksak to deliver the remaining volunteers and gifts immediately returned to Napaskiak to pick up the paramedics and patient.
They flew to the Army Aviation Operating Facility in Bethel, where the patient was transferred to a LifeMed ambulance. As of Nov. 16, the patient was in stable condition and awaiting transport via civilian air ambulance to an Anchorage hospital.
While the Black Hawk and crew completed the medevac mission, Santa, Mrs. Claus and 10 other ANG and Salvation Army volunteers delivered an early Christmas to the children of Tuluksak.
After celebrating with gifts, and photos with Santa, the team loaded back to the AKARNG aviation facility, where they transferred to an Alaska Air National Guard C-17 Globemaster III for the final leg back to JBER. (National Guard 11/17/23) Alaska National Guard’s Operation Santa Claus Makes Lifesaving Detour > National Guard > Article View
No comments:
Post a Comment