NAS Whidbey Island, Wash., Search and Rescue

0 Comments | Naval Aviation News, Sept, 2000 | by Amy L. Pittmann

On 4 June the NAS Whidbey Island, Wash., Search and Rescue (SAR) team rescued an injured mountain climber on Coleman Glacier on the west face of Mount Baker. The operations duty office had received a call for assistance from the Whatcom County Sheriff's office at 2040 on 3 June. When the SAR team was able to launch at 0500 the next day, the crew--aircraft comander LCdr.

Mike Kammerzell; copilot Lt. Pat Rollins; crew chief AMH1 Marty Crews; and ADC Frank Leets and HMCS Bryce Schuldt--flew to Bellingham International Airport, Wash., to pick up a spotter from the Bellingham Mountain rescue club to assist. When the climbing party was located at 0615, Kammerzell positioned the helicopter in a 20-foot hover above them while medical personnel were lowered by the rescue hoist. Schuldt treated the injured climber on scene, and with Leets' assistance lifted the victim onto the litter and prepared him for recovery. The helicopter was positioned with one wheel balancing on the side of the glacier while Schuldt and Leets loaded the patient, who was taken to a local hospital.