A Search and Rescue (SAR) team from Whidbey Island Naval Air Station conducted a Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC) early Saturday morning, October 24, 2015, for a man in critical condition from Friday Harbor.

The SAR crew of five took off at shortly after midnight on Friday, and transited to the Friday Harbor Airport to pick up the 66-year-old patient. They then flew to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle where they transferred him to higher care.

“The crew did a great job on this mission,” said Lt. Jared Wada, Helicopter Aircraft Commander for this flight. “Everyone from Operations Specialist 1st Class Brett Santiago, the Operations Duty Officer who took the call to our Maintenance department who maintains our aircraft, enabled everything to work as planned.”

This year, NAS Whidbey Island SAR has launched on 29 SAR/MEDEVAC missions, resulting in 23 lives delivered to higher level care.

The Navy SAR unit operates three MH-60S helicopters from NAS Whidbey Island as search and rescue platforms for the EA-18G aircraft as well as other squadrons and personnel assigned to the installation. The base also has an agreement to assist Washington state with medical evacuations and search and rescue activities.