The White Falcon - 27.07.2001, Blaðsíða 1

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Vol. 60 No. 30
online at www.nctskef.navy.mil
July 27, 2001
Rescue center coordinates life-saving operations
Senior Airman Jon Laurienzo, operation mission controller, JRCC, monitors incoming informa-
tion. In case of an emergency the JRCC would set a potential rescue operation into motion.
Story and photo by
J02 Stephen Sheedy
There is no such thing as a typical day for
the Airmen working in the 85th Group
Command Post. As the eyes and ears of the
85th Group, they are responsible for keeping
the command notified of events as varied as
fuel spills, aircraft movements, and civil dis-
turbances.
In addition to these responsibilities, the
command post is responsible for directing
and coordinating search and air rescue
(SAR) operations and keeping appropriate
commands fully informed of the mission
requirements and status. During these opera-
tions, the command post assumes the role of
the Joint Rescue Coordination Center
(JRCC).
The Command Post is manned 24-hours a
day and when an emergency call arrives, the
command post becomes the JRCC for the
duration of the search and rescue. The JRCC
then assembles its key personnel to coordi-
nate the rescue operation; the SAR Hammer,
who is an experienced pilot with the 56th
Rescue Squadron, the IDF operations search
and rescue liaison officer (SARLO) and the
command post search and rescue coordinator
(SMC). Mobilizing these assets is the
responsibility of the Maintenance Oper-
ations Controller (MOC). The JRCC also
coordinates their operations closely with the
Icelandic Coast Guard and Civil Aviation
Authority.
Whenever the JRCC gets an alert, it is the
MOC’s responsibility to notify the mainte-
nance crews to ready the aircraft for the
search and rescue mission. “Nothing hap-
pens unless the maintenance crews can get
the aircraft ready,” said the superintendent of
the 85th group Command Post, Master Sgt.
Todd Kuzia. “While the command post con-
trollers are alerting the operations side of the
house, the MOC is calling maintenance
crews to fuel and tow the aircraft out of the
hangar.”
Following an auto accident in the interior
of Iceland, July 13, it was the MOC who got
the rescue mission going. The Icelandic
Coast Guard normally handles this type of
situation. However, they were occupied with
another rescue effort and asked the U.S. mil-
itary for assistance.
The SMC’s also necessary for conducting
a successful search and rescue mission. The
SMC is responsible for tracking the mission,
See Rescue on page 4
A shipmate is
remembered
during services
A memorial service was held Tuesday, July 24 at the
Chapel of Light for HM3 Jeffery Joseph
Lewandowski. He died early Monday after falling
from cliffs near the Reykjanesviti lighthouse area.
The 22-year-old was assigned to Naval Hospital
Keflavik. (Photo by PH2(A W) Antonio Borges)
Whatever
it Takes
Fed
Federal Express
Licensee of Federal Express Corporation:
Hradflutningar ehf. • Skutuvogi lg • 104 Reykjavik
tel: 535 8170 e-mail: fedex@hradi.is
webpages: www.hradi.is and www.fedex.com
The Hot Dog Shop is the receiving agent at the Base
See Poem on page 15