Archive image: An Alaska Air National Guard HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter assigned to the 210th Rescue Squadron passes over Malemute Drop Zone during a capabilities exercise at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, June 25, 2024.
The HH-60G Pave Hawk is the 176th Wing’s primary platform for personnel extraction since the all-weather helicopter can land in a variety of austere locations, and the crew can employ the rescue hoist when landing is not possible.
The 210th, along with the 211th and 212th RQSs, make up the 176th Wing Rescue Triad and are among the busiest combat search and rescue (CSAR) units in the world.
Alaska National Guard photo by Alejandro Peña.
Story by David Bedard, 176th Wing
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska — Alaska Air National Guard (AKANG) HH-60G Pave Hawk Airmen of 176th Wing saved two lives after two rescue missions, on February 15 and 16.
The first mission opened Feb. 15 in response to a request for assistance from the Alaska State Troopers to the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center (AKRCC) at JBER. An individual sustained a suspected broken femur after a sledding mishap on Mile-High Saddle in Eagle River.
The 176th Wing search and rescue duty officer, Maj. Dan Warren, dispatched a 210th Rescue Squadron HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter with 212th Rescue Squadron «Guardian Angel» pararescuemen (PJs) on board.
The Alaska Mountain Rescue Group, the volunteer rescue agency already on site, provided on-scene patient stabilization and situational updates to the AKRCC and responding HH-60G Pave Hawk aircrew.
The HH-60G aircrew hoisted two PJs to the individual’s location where he was placed into a Stokes litter and hoisted into the helicopter for evacuation to Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage where he was handed off to civilian medical authorities.
Tech. Sgt. Mike Rogers, 212th RQS pararescue team leader, said he appreciated AMRG was the first to respond.
“Its always good when you hear AMRG is on scene,” Rogers said. “They gave us a great patient handover prior, and when we arrived on-scene the patient was expertly packaged and ready for hoist. AMRG makes our job easy.”
Alaska State Troopers requested assistance Feb. 16 from the AKRCC to rescue a snowmachiner suffering a suspected fractured humerus, facial injuries and mild traumatic brain injury near Eureka, nearly 100 nautical miles northeast of Anchorage. The snowmachiner notified the Troopers using an InReach satellite communication device that is effective beyond cell phone tower coverage.
The HH-60G Pave Hawk aircrew flew to the InReach coordinates and air-landed the team of two PJs. They made contact with the injured snowmachiner, stabilized, and evacuated him into the helicopter for transport to Providence.
Warren stressed the importance of carrying a satellite communication device when venturing into the Alaska outdoors.
“Cell phones are only as good as the signal of the nearest tower,” he said. “When in the backcountry, always carry a backup satellite communication device and/or personal locator beacon. Thankfully on February 16, this young man came to his worst day prepared, which bought him a swift resolution to a very serious situation.”
“Don’t be the person who can’t make the call when you really need it,” Warren said.
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