The White Falcon - 13.08.1993, Blaðsíða 3

Rescue squadrons save another
Story by J02 Carlos Bongioanni
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Members of the 56th and 71st Rescue
Squadrons (RQS) from Naval Air Statical,
Keflavik, teamed up last weekend to rescue a
seriously ill seaman from a research vessel in
the Arctic Ocean.
Two HH-60G Pavehawk helicopters and a
HC-130 refueling tanker launched from
Keflavik at 9:30 a.m. Sunday morning. Their
mission? About one hundred and fifty miles
off the northeast coast of Iceland sat a Libe-
rian-registered oil exploration ship (SEDCO)
with a sick crew member requiring immedi-
ate medical assistance.
“According to the ship’s doctor, the 37
year old patient was suspected of having a
bleeding blood vessel in the brain," said
Navy Flight Surgeon LT Louis Nabors, from
PATROL SQUADRON 49.
“The patient had been sick for several
days, but his condition was deteriorating. He
was semi-comatose and was having severe
headaches. With limited resources on the
hip, the physician felt he could no longer
e for the patient, so he called for help.”
Getting to the SEDCO was not an easy task
ir the Pavehawk helicopters. Icy conditions
at high altitudes and unnavigable conditions
at lower altitudes made it nearly impossible
to take a direct approach.
“We were about 50 miles past Reykjavik
when we had to turn around,” said Capt.
Keith Sullivan, Pilot of the lead helicopter,
56th RQS. “The weather in the interior was
so bad, we had to find a way around the
island.”
While the two helicopters returned to the
base to re-plan their mission and re-fuel, the
HC-130 went looking for “holes” in the sky.
By 11 a.m. both helicopters were making
their way around the south coast of Iceland.
Four hours later, the patient was flown by
helicopter from the deck of the SEDCO to
Akureyri. “He was then transferred to the
waiting HC-130,” remarked Sullivan. “I de-
cided since the weather was so questionable
and the case so urgent, it would be best to
carry the patient straight to Reykjavik on the
refueling tanker, since the helos would have
to go around the island again.
“It was very much a team effort. We could
not have done it without the help of the ‘C-
130’ crew, which not only set up air refueling
locations, but also provided a radio link be-
tween us and the boat while guiding us through
the bad weather.”
Capt. Brice Robinson, Aircraft Commander
of the HC-130, agreed with Sullivan’s obser-
vations: “We’re mutually dependent upon
each other. The combination of fixed and ro-
tary wings is the formula for success. ”
The patient was successfully transported
to Reykjavik’s city hospital where doctors
are still trying to determine the cause of his
severly altered mental state.
The rescue mission involved eight hours of
flying time for the HC-130 (nine hours for the
helicopters) and resulted in being the longest
helicopter mission to date for the 56th RQS.
The Pavehawk crews flew more than 1,200
miles round trip.
The 71st Rescue Squadron from Patrick
Air Force Base, Fla., was on a two week de-
ployment to Iceland.
Marines give
big donation
In an unprecedented move, the Ma-
rine Corps Security Force Company,
Keflavik, donated $40,000, to the
NAS, Keflavik, Morale, Welfare and
Recreation (MWR) Program.
Earlier this week, Marine Com-
manding Officer Maj. Scott Wester-
velt and NAS, Keflavik, Command-
ing Officer CAPT Tom Butler signed
a Memorandum of Understanding
which “established responsibilities
and procedures for the provisions of
an annual contribution” to the local
Navy MWR system.
Under this agreement, the Marines
will give approximately 10 percent
of their total sales earned through
their Marine Enlisted Club (MAR-
BAR).
Westcrvelt explained why the Ma-
rines are giving so generously: “Be-
cause of the weather conditions in
Iceland, the Navy MWR system has
to lean heavily towards providing
quality recreational activities, which
cost a tremendous amount of money.
Since the MARBAR has been so
successful, we feel it’s only right for
us to help defray the rereational
costs.”
“This is a great example of other
commands contributing to the cause
of improving what we have on this
base,” said Butler.
August brings more of the same
August mirrors July, with re-
duced rainfall and warmer tem-
peratures. The month begins with
17 hours and 53 minutes of day-
light and ends with 14 hours and
49 minutes of daylight.
Average temperature
Average maximum temperature
Average minimum temperature
Extreme maximum temperature
Extreme mininum temperature
Dominant wind direction
51F
54F
46F
67F (1964)
35F
North-northeast
Average wind speed
Extreme maximum gust
Average rainfall
Maximum monthly rainfall
Maximum 24 hour rainfall
15 mph
67 mph
3.7 inches
7.6 inches (1976)
3.4 inches (1966)
Increments
in feet
Tidal Predictions for August 13-19 (W°"™<‘°"P'ovUtdby»h. NavdOcaanooraphyComm^FedtHy)
1454 0324 1542 0406 1618 0442 1700 0524 1736 0600 1818 0642 1900 /\ 1 /\ /*
“nnrr Saturday 2200 ^ 1012 ^ 2242 ^ 1( Sunday T 1 I )54 2318 Monday 1 I 1 } Tuesday i i V i V i t r DO 1212 0036 1254 Wednesday Thursday
August 13,1993
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