A Search and Rescue (SAR) team from Whidbey Island Naval Air Station flew an emergency medical evacuation early Saturday afternoon on Sept. 27, 2014 for a 76-year-old man from Orcas Island.
The initial call was he was suffering from a cardiac arrest, but was found to be suffering from a herniating hemorrhagic stroke.
With no civilian emergency medical airlift available, the MH-60S Knighthawk aircrew of six personnel including two Navy corpsmen got the man to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Bellingham, Wash.
NAS Whidbey Island SAR has launched on 22 search and rescue missions and four medical evacuations this year, resulting in 37 lives saved.
The Navy SAR unit is specifically based here for search and rescue missions 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.