For KISAR’s October training we were invited to participate in an inland SAR training exercise with the USCG Air Station and the Royal Canadian Air Force. The Canadian’s CH-149 Cormorant had mechanical issues and did not make it to Kodiak, but KISAR and the USCG were able to do litter hoist reps using both MH-60 and MH-65 helicopters to close out the exercise. Prior to the helo portion, KISAR members performed a mock call-out for a lost and injured hunter located somewhere on the north side of Pyramid Mountain. Members mustered in the Pyramid Mtn parking lot at 1100 and then deployed up Pyramid to perform an area search for a responsive but immobile subject using a critical separation line-abreast sweep search. After the subject was located, KISAR members provided medical care including a patient assessment, stabilizing the lower extremity injury in an improvised leg splint, and securing the patient with a climbing harness anchored to KISAR’s SKED litter. We set up a floorless pyramid shelter to protect the patient while waiting for verification of a helicopter response, and then carried the patient higher on the mountain to a more suitable extraction point. Litter hoist reps were then performed by both MH-60 and -65 aircraft, after which KISAR members descended back to the parking area and demobilized.

A huge thanks to the USCG Air Station for putting the training together and allowing KISAR members to participate and conduct a ground search and patient care exercise prior to the hoist training. We want to show special appreciation to LCDR Ian Erickson for coordinating the exercise, and MH-60 pilot LT Caitlyn Gever for shadowing KISAR members on the ground, learning the capabilities KISAR can bring to inland SAR cases, and offering insights on how KISAR could better assist responding air assets.

Below are a few images from the training. More pictures are available on Philip’s Flickr account.

KISAR members performing a critical separation line-abreast area sweep search:

Setting up a shelter to house the patient before extraction:

Transporting the patient to the extraction area:

Basket hoists with the USCG MH-60: