A crew member aboard the fishing vessel Seabrooke enters a hoist basket from a Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak MH-60 Jayhawk during a medevac. The crewman experienced chest pains and numbness in his left arm while underway 57 miles offshore Cold Bay, Alaska, Oct. 30, 2016. The aircrew deployed from Forward Operating Location Cold Bay. Video by Air Station Kodiak.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — A Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak aircrew deployed to Forward Operating Location Cold Bay medevaced a 31-year-old male from a fishing vessel 57 miles west-northwest of Cold Bay Sunday morning.
Watchstanders at the 17th Coast Guard District Command Center received information relayed from the Coast Guard Base Kodiak Police Department that a crew member aboard the fishing vessel Seabrooke experienced chest pains and numbness in his left arm. The duty flight surgeon recommended a medevac to a higher level of medical care within two to four hours and have the patient administered aspirin and nitroglycerin.
The Jayhawk crew hoisted the crewman from the Seabrooke and transported him to the Cold Bay Medical Clinic. Due to weather, the crewman remained at the clinic until an HC-130 aircrew from Air Station Kodiak could take him to Kodiak for further medical care. Life Med transported the patient to Anchorage.
“The forward operating location in Cold Bay was only 50 miles from the distress location, instead of 370 miles if you flew from Kodiak," said Lt. Sean Glavan, duty officer, Air Station Kodiak. "We were able to get an aircrew on scene within 30 minutes of takeoff to get the crewman immediate medical attention."
Weather at the time of the medevac was driving rain with 55-knot winds and 10 to 15-foot seas.