So Others May Live So Others May Live
By HM1 Stephanie Higgins, USN
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here’s nothing like the feeling of saving a fellow man’s life. The Navy’s Search and Rescue Medical Technician (SMT) rate is one not quite like any other. There are currently 104 SMTs Navy-wide with the majority of us being assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadrons on the MH-60S platform. Our position is Naval Aircrew Corpsman, with many of us choosing to become Utility Aircrewman. We specialize and train for emergency medicine purposes in a multitude of environments ranging from deserts, ships, mountains, and transports in the back of various aircraft including MH-60S, V-22, CH-53, CH-47, and small fixed wing aircraft. Much like the MH-60S which is considered the “best multi mission naval helicopter,” SMTs must become the most adaptable personnel in the cabin. The vast majority of SMT’s also take on the responsibility of becoming Utility Aircrewmen, not only mastering emergency medicine in the back of the aircraft but taking on the extensive responsibilities of being the cabin operators and the pilot’s eyes and ears. We are lookouts, weapon operators, and deployers of Rescue Swimmers on Search and Rescue (SAR) missions as well as the sole person responsible for emergency medicine. “Search and Rescue Medical Technicians perform aircrew and emergency medical care functions in support of Search and Rescue, MEDEVAC, and CASEVAC Missions for Navy and Marine Corps Aviation. Certified in Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS), Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), triage, intravenous (IV) therapy, medicine administration, use of emergency medical equipment, patient handling, and aero-medical evacuation techniques.” As described on the Navy COOL website, "Search and Rescue Medical Technicians.
Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Lauren Thomas, the Search and Rescue Medical Technician (SMT) in training attached to HSC 5, right, performs a single patient trauma scenario on Naval Air Crewman (helicopter) 3rd Class Emmanuel Roldan-Montoya during HSC-5's training at Naval Air Station Fallon. U.S. Navy image.
across. Not all of our rescues are glamorous, in fact most are what we would say “simple,” but they are only perceived that way due to our training and ability to make educated decisions in critical situations. In May of this year, HM2 saved one of her neighbor’s lives. This individual was outside his house one evening when all of a sudden he experienced excruciating chest pain and ended up lying on the ground outside of his home, unable to move. It was late at night and hard to see a body in the dark obscured by a vehicle. HM2 and her husband just so happened to be coming home when they heard calls for help. After finding her neighbor on the ground she quickly assessed him, realizing what was happening and called for emergency services. Her quick action ended up saving his life. I had the pleasure of speaking with her neighbor, Mr. Lowe, and he said, “In today's world one often hears "THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE". I would take it a step further and say 'THANK THE MILITARY FOR THE TRAINING' they provide. Paid off in my case.”
Not only are we Naval Aircrewman but SMTs also take on roles of Marine medics, civilian transport, ship’s company HM, as well as Corpsmen in hospital/clinic administration settings. Many of us take on a multitude of these roles at just one duty station. This rate is not for the faint of heart or unmotivated. Many start their careers being the only medical support Corpsman for squadrons of over two to three hundred Sailors or Marines at a time. We don’t take our responsibilities lightly. It takes someone willing to put in a lot of work in order to adapt to constant changes in medicine with the drive to continually improve your skills.
HM1 Erin Williams has been in the U.S. Navy since 2009 and served in her first duty station as an SMT in 2014. She states her most memorable rescue was in the early spring of 2021 while stationed at VX-31 SAR. They received a call for a fallen canyoneer in Rainbow Canyon, a large popular canyon within Death Valley National Park. Rainbow Canyon varies in depths with its steep canyon walls reaching 1,000 feet tall. The report stated that the anchor point the canyoneering couple had been using gave way and the patient had fallen at least 100 feet. Once they located the canyoneering pair on a small ledge midway down the canyon wall, their crew rigged for the rappel to execute the rescue.
Out of the 125 SMTs currently serving in the Navy, there are 7 females who hold this position. HM2 Sara Morris has been in the Navy for eight years, beginning her SMT career after her first command at NAS Whidbey Island, WA. After completing the SMT pipeline, she went on to serve at HSC26 where she deployed to Bahrain. She is now at HSC-2 in Norfolk, VA training new SMTs at their last stop in the pipeline before going to their first command in the Fleet. I have worked with HM2 Morris for over two years now and she is probably the most humble human I have ever come Rotor Review #162 Fall '23
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