MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- To ensure someone’s worst day isn’t their last, rescue Airmen must be fully qualified, optimally trained and ready to execute the mission at a moment’s notice.
This training and mentality were recently put to the test when Airmen from the 71st Rescue Squadron were tasked to medically evacuate (MEDEVAC) four patients who were critically injured when their tour bus crashed in the Bahamas, June 24, 2019.
“It was definitely a lucky "right place, right time" thing that a short field takeoff/landing, MEDEVAC capable search and rescue aircraft was so close,” said Lt. Col. John Cuddy, 71st Rescue Squadron (RS) director of operations. “We train all year long for dynamic scenarios where we respond in a moment's notice to an event with zero mission planning. We push the boundaries of our comfort zone to save people. This crew accepted and mitigated risk to get these folks to the hospital quickly.”
The HC-130J Combat King II was redirected after a routine training mission was cancelled. Fortunately, this put the rescue professionals 20 minutes away when the request for MEDEVAC support came from the US Coastguard and US Embassy. U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) helicopters launched immediately but did not have the capacity to transport the five critically-injured patients in one trip.
“With our crew's immediate response, total time from notification to wheels on the ground at Ft. Lauderdale for the four US patients was about three hours,” said Cuddy. “The USCG helicopters picked up the Bahamian patient and flew to Nassau, so all the patients were enroute to the appropriate care facility quickly. Without the HC-130J involved, there was no good solution to this problem.”
The injured were on a cruise-line’s shore-excursion when their bus crashed. Their injuries were too severe to be treated in the Bahamas, which required MEDEVAC off the island to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport where ambulances were standing ready.
“There was a Carnival Cruise nurse that accompanied the patients on our aircraft to Ft. Lauderdale, and she gave instructions to the crew to maintain low pressurization (lower altitude) because one patient was suspected of having internal bleeding,” said Cuddy. “That is typical of a MEDEVAC flight: the enroute care team will be directive to the crew on what conditions they need in the cargo compartment.”
Cuddy emphasized the speed at which the crew was able to respond and move on to Ft. Lauderdale was the key to a good outcome; crediting the unit’s coordination and training.
“They relied on their training, experience, and crew resource management to safely touchdown on a runway they had never been to, hadn't looked at in mission planning, and had no inkling they would go there that day,” said Cuddy. “After being re-rolled to support the MEDEVAC, the crew immediately began analyzing the airfield. When going to an unfamiliar runway at a new airport, the crew has to determine if it is able to support the landing and subsequent takeoff.”
Training is paramount to ensure the crew is able to perform all of these duties in real-time, regardless of the situation.
“We train to perform high-end CSAR, or the most demanding rescues in a combat environment,” said Col. John Creel, 347th Rescue Group (RQG) commander. “If we can rescue someone in the most demanding scenarios in a combat environment, we then use portions of that training in other missions like humanitarian or disaster relief.
“Our training is everything,” Creel explained. “From major combat operations to humanitarian relief, we must be ready for anything, anywhere, and anytime. We have great rescue aircraft, but our crews are better. Without continued funding and training opportunities, this operation would be much more difficult or even impossible.”
This rescue mission was a team effort requiring quick coordination from multiple agencies to ensure a successful outcome.
“The catch-22 of our mission and capability is that, like insurance, you hope you never need it,” Cuddy explained. “But when you do need it, you really, REALLY need it and you hope it's good. In this case, it was definitely good, so our squadron's day-to-day preparation was validated, and it also reminded us that these things happen when you least expect them."
Whether the mission is planned or unexpected, the motto ‘These Things We Do, That Others May Live’ is the driving force behind every operation conducted by the rescue professionals of the 347th RQG.
“(Our motto) means that whatever we are doing, others are more important,” Creel emphasized. “That could be numerous examples of personal sacrifice to include our lives. The ‘things' we did for this event only required some of our expert crew and aircraft time to help fellow Americans, but we are always ready to do more if called upon. I am very proud of our rescue team. However, that includes many more people than in the rescue group. The team also includes all support personnel at Moody that help us do the rescue mission.”