JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- Alaska Air National Guardsmen of the 176th Wing rescued an injured snowmachiner May 21 on Whittier Mountain approximately 50 miles southeast of Anchorage.
The mission opened in response to a request for assistance from the Alaska State Troopers to the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center.
At the request of and under the direction of the AKRCC, Alaska Air National Guardsmen of 210th and 212th Rescue Squadrons launched on a 210th RQS HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter from JBER.
The HH-60 crew located the snowmachiner and airlanded the 212th RQS pararescuemen to assess and bring the rider onboard. The Pave Hawk transported the injured man to Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage.
Alaska Air National Guard Capt. Brent Kramer, AKRCC senior controller, said it’s important to carry a satellite communication device when going beyond terrestrial cell coverage.
“When going out into the Alaska wilderness, make sure you can communicate,” he said.
“A personal locator beacon can pick up satellites virtually anywhere, and some beacons give the user two-way communication critical in expediting rescue operations.”
For this mission, 210th RQS, 212th RQS and the AKRCC were credited with one save.