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Malmstrom Huey crew rescues injured hiker

  • Published
  • By Christy Mason
  • 341st Missile Wing Public Affairs Office
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  A UH-1N Huey helicopter crew assigned to the 40th Helicopter Squadron recorded the unit's 377th save when they rescued an injured hiker July 2 near Lace Lake in the Mission Mountain Range, northeast of Missoula, Mont.

"We were alerted very early that morning by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center who had received a request from the Missoula County Sheriff's department that a hiker had been injured and was unable to walk," said Capt. Jesse Greer, the mission co-pilot.

A 21-year-old man was hiking on a steep trail about nine miles in the range on the evening of July 1 when he slipped down a muddy cliff into downed timber and his calf was impaled by a tree branch.

The crew was off the ground and on their way by 6:45 a.m. As the crew got near the site of the accident, they encountered some difficulties before being able to rescue the man.

"Due to heavy rain and low visibility we had to land at the airport at Seeley Lake and wait about an hour. Once we took off from there, we again were forced to land in Condon due to low clouds and fog," Captain Greer said.

Once the clouds lifted, the crew was able to get to the hiker who had been stabilized by the Missoula County Search and Rescue.

"The crew lowered me down first on the penetrator, then lowered the Stokes litter stretcher down after me," said Major Oldham, the mission flight surgeon. "We also used a deflatable backboard to secure the man. It took about 10-15 minutes to get him ready for the flight."

The deflatable backboard is quite new to the medical group and hadn't been used on a live patient to date.

"It's basically a blanket that we wrap around the patient and then deflate the air from it, like shrink wrap. It's very beneficial in these types of situations where the patient has to be lifted to the helicopter. It kept him in a fixed position and stabilized him in the litter preventing any further damage. This is the first time I'm aware that it has been used in a rescue situation for us," Major Oldham said.

After the injured man was safely secured in the aircraft, the crew rushed him to the Missoula airport where an ambulance was waiting to transport him to the hospital.

"I was genuinely impressed with the helicopter crew and how fluidly they worked together to make the rescue go off without a hitch. It was an honor to work with them," Major Oldham said.