By Alejandro Pena, Alaska National Guard

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska – Alaska Air National Guard members assigned to the 176th Wing medically evacuated an individual Jan. 12 in Southcentral Alaska.

In response to a request for assistance from the Alaska State Troopers, the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center opened a medevac mission for a person experiencing a cardiac emergency.

Because of weather conditions, the absence of daylight and the lack of an illuminated airstrip near the distressed person, local civilian air ambulance services were unable to conduct the mission.

The Alaska Air National Guard accepted the mission and dispatched Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson based rescue assets from the 176th Wing’s Rescue Squadrons.

Using night-vision goggles, a 210th Rescue Squadron HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter with 212th Rescue Squadron Guardian Angels aboard flew to Seldovia, about 130 miles southwest of Anchorage.

The Pave Hawk crew arrived on the scene and loaded the patient for transport. Guardian Angels rendered medical aid to keep the patient stable en route.

The patient was transported and released to Providence Alaska Medical Center.

While the 176th Wing Rescue Triad’s military mission stands alert in support of the 11th Air Force Alaska North American Aerospace Defense Command Region, its members also work with the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center to provide Alaska with specialized civil search and rescue capabilities when available. The rescue squadrons continuously train in Alaska’s vast, austere locations to hone their members’ specialized skill sets and to operate under the most challenging conditions.