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How Civilian SAR Missions Help Train Units for the Worst
How Civilian SAR Missions Help Train Units for the Worst
By LT Jack Nilson, USN
NAS Whidbey Island Search and Rescue (NASWI SAR) is notorious for the number of civilian rescues it conducts in a given calendar year. Indeed, the unit stands as an anomaly amongst other Navy Station SAR units, primarily due to the unit’s proximity to popular National Parks. These National Parks, and the Pacific Northwest at large, attract everyone, from weekend day hikers to thrillseeking extreme sports enthusiasts. But behind all the civilian missions is NASWI SAR’s primary mission: to support the EA-18G Growler squadrons stationed at NAS Whidbey Island. NASWI SAR stands in a unique position because of the plethora of civilian missions it executes. Every civilian mission gives the flight crews invaluable real-world experience that makes them more capable of executing their primary mission: rescuing aviators in the event they eject from a Growler. One recent civilian rescue stands out in particular as closely mirroring a downed aviator scenario.
On 03 July 2023 at approximately 0400L, NASWI SAR’s alert crew received an approved mission from the Commanding Officer for a search of an overdue speed flyer (a low level, high speed paragliding sport). The Chain of Command and the Incident Commander (IC) decided to commence the search at sunrise because it afforded the best chance of locating the missing individual. The IC, a Whatcom County Sheriff Deputy, passed amplifying information to the duty crew. The speed flyer was a 29-year-old man who went hiking by himself in the early morning of 01 July with the intent of speed flying down a new route. He was last heard from at 01 July 0700L, which put him approximately 48 hours overdue. At 01 July 2200L the IC was able to ping the individual’s cell phone, putting him somewhere near the peak of Church Mountain, about 3.5 nm NE of the town of Glacier, WA.
The crew of Rescue 75 launched at first light on 03 July 0510L and proceeded direct to the datum provided by the IC. The SAR Co-Pilot (SCP) entered search points into the aircraft systems, which included the mountain route the speed flyer intended on flying. En route power calculations using the NATOPS Pilot’s Checklist yielded an estimated 8% power margin to hover out of ground effect (HOGE). The crew also conducted real-time power checks at the peak elevation of 5,800’ MSL and observed 95% power required to HOGE and 108% power available, giving a 13% power margin. The crew continued and arrived on-scene at 0531L and made positive radio contact with the IC over the Washington State SAR Frequency band.
With weather CAVU, the crew began searching from higher elevation to lower elevation over the initial datum. Based on pictures sent by the IC, the crew was looking for a brightly colored parachute but the steep terrain, dense forestry, and trees as tall as 150 feet made it so that crewmembers could only effectively search directly below the aircraft. After several passes without locating the survivor, the SMC determined a lower and slower search in a forward-creeping hover (10-15 knots at 200’ AGL) would be required to make the search more effective. While turning to make the next leg of the search, the Crew Chief spotted a brightly colored chute in a couloir/ravine at about 4,800’ MSL directly below the aircraft. The Crew Chief kept eyes on the chute while the SMC marked it with coordinates.
After setting a waveoff torque of 100% and finalizing hoist checks, the crew inserted the SAR Medical Technician (SMT) via 100 ft hoist to see if anyone was attached to the chute or in the general area. The crew was able to maintain 90% power
throughout the evolution due to smooth anabatic morning winds. The SMT was on deck by 0558L and discovered an empty chute, a bloody balaclava, and an abandoned backpack. Upon further investigation, the SMT discovered footsteps heading into thick brush. The aircraft side-stepped away from the steep terrain and established a high hover to be eyeslevel with the SMT’s position to continue searching for the individual. Noticing an off-colored green spot in a stream about 80 meters below the chute, the Helicopter Inland Aircrewmen (HIRA) pulled out a pair of personal binoculars and immediately spotted the survivor, weakly waving one arm and wearing green attire.
The survivor was lying in a group of fallen trees on a 30 degree slope in a small creek. The crew immediately hoisted the SMT back into the cabin to reposition for re-deployment. The SMT and HIRA were hoisted down via 100 ft hoist with the Rescue Litter to the survivor’s location. With both rescuers on deck at 0616L the SMT and HIRA used their wealth of experience from training flights and previous missions on steep terrain to quickly assess and package the patient into the litter. Meanwhile, the SMC relayed to the IC that the survivor was found and alive.
At 0627L the SMT called for extraction via a dual man litter hoist followed by a single harness hoist. Rescue 75 hoisted out the survivor and SMT first via 60 ft hoist, followed by the HIRA. With everyone onboard at 0635L the crew proceeded direct to Harborview Medical Center. Located in Seattle, 80 NM south of the datum, it is the only Level 1 trauma center in the state of Washington. The SMT noted the patient sustained lower back injuries, a broken arm, a broken ankle, and a broken pelvis, while also experiencing difficulty breathing and loss of consciousness. Consequently, the SMT and HIRA treated the patient with a pelvic binder, C-collar, spinal precautions, warm IV fluids, and pain medications en route. Rescue 75 landed on the helipad at Harborview at 0706L and the patient was successfully turned over to the ER. At the hospital they determined the extent of his injuries also included broken ribs on both sides, a broken sternum resulting in punctures to both lungs, and a fractured T11-L4 vertebrae which required fusing.
The outlook appeared grim since the individual had been exposed to the harsh mountainous elements for 48 hours after experiencing trauma from hitting a tree at approximately 60 miles per hour. Multiple factors made this rescue possible, including the Maintenance Department’s efforts to have an up and ready aircraft, the SMC’s decision to conduct a low, slow hover search, the HIRA utilizing his personal set of binoculars, and the IC calling for assistance from NASWI SAR despite the low odds of finding the survivor alive. Ultimately, it was the survivor’s will to live over the 48 hour period after crashing that was likely the biggest factor in this successful outcome. The individual attempted to crawl out alone before being overcome by the massive amount of pain from the injuries he sustained.
This rescue is as close as it gets to an ejection scenario, and thus has many takeaways for Naval Aviation and SAR. It involved a search with a reasonable datum from a cell phone ping, much like an aviator’s CSEL might send a LAT/LONG to rescue forces; a chute similar in color to those used by jet aviators, which still might not be easy to spot due to the terrain; and the survivor wearing a green outfit, similar to an aviator’s flight suit color. Additionally, the injuries the survivor sustained might be seen in an aviator who ejected in less-than optimal conditions. Thankfully, the SMTs and HIRAs of NASWI SAR not only receive excellent training, but also get to experience real-world situations from other civilian missions that even the best training environment cannot replicate. Lastly, the positive interagency relationship NASWI SAR has with multiple Sheriff’s Departments, including the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Department and other SAR units in the local area, make complex rescues like this possible. The cell phone forensics required to ping and locate a survivor’s phone, and the process of interagency communications with local or federal agencies will continue to prove crucial in future SAR missions, including ones from jet ejections as we have seen in the past within the DoD. While NASWI SAR has learned similar lessons in the past, the unit is always refining our knowledge through After Action Reports and mission reviews in order to better support Electronic Attack Wing Pacific and Navy units in the PNW. Continued discussion of SAR throughout the fleet will continue to foster an environment of SAR excellence in order to prepare for what may lie ahead.
