Submitted by the Naval Air Station

A Search and Rescue team from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island conducted a Medical Evacuation on Sunday, Feb. 5 from the Friday Harbor Airport.

The SAR crew of five received an alert for a patient at the PeaceHealth Peace Island Medical Center in Friday Harbor suffering from stroke-like symptoms at approximately 6:45 p.m.

After a thorough discussion with the chain-of-command about inclement weather conditions, and seriousness of the patient’s condition, the command approved the evening launch. The crew began preparations to launch the helicopter after reviewing the local weather.

The crew dodged pockets of heavy rain, snow and fog along the 20-mile route to pick up the patient, arriving at the island airport shortly before 8 p.m.

Once on deck, the Search and Rescue Medical Technician conducted the patient turnover with the local medical personnel, then readied for an immediate departure to PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham, Washington.

Knowing that the weather was going to be similar along the route to Bellingham, the crew conducted an intensive study of the local map, while on deck at the airport and determined a route that would expedite the flight to the hospital.

The helicopter launched at about 8:30 p.m. and arrived shortly after 9 p.m. where the patient was turned over to a higher level of care.

“This was without a doubt one of the most challenging nights of flying we’ve had in a long time, but the crew worked together discussing concerns and coming up with a plan that would allow us to get this patient to the higher level of care they needed,” said Naval Aircrewman Second Class Francisco Toledo.

This was the fifth MEDEVAC of 2017 for NAS Whidbey Island SAR, which has also conducted one search.