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From the PT Leader


Military helicopters no longer ready for local civilian rescue

Thursday, May 05, 2005


Effective April 30, the Military Assistance to Safety and Traffic (MAST) rescue helicopter stationed at Gray Army Airfield, Ft. Lewis, suspends its support of the MAST program. A helicopter station at the Yakima Training Center in Yakima County ended MAST service April 24.

MAST helicopters have been implemented to help on the Olympic Peninsula, particularly with mountain-top rescues.

From 1972 to 2003 the public had the air rescue support of the 54th Medical Company (air ambulance); in February 2003 the 54th was replaced by the 832nd Medical Company (air ambulance) of the Wisconsin and Delaware National Guard to provide medical evacuation from both Ft. Lewis and the Yakima Training Center. The two units have flown more than 5,200 accident-free missions.

Currently, the U.S. Army's priorities are Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom and the Global War on Terror, according to Bill Petersen, MAST coordinator in Auburn, Wash.

"Non-combat-related services such as the MAST program impede the unit's ability to train and deploy for their primary combat mission," Petersen reported. "There is no plan to replace the medical evacuation unit at Ft. Lewis. Other Army Reserve/National Guard assets can support Search and Rescue missions, but a considerable time delay will happen."

For more information on Search and Rescue support call the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office at 385-3831.

It's To bad that MAST has been discontined. I was Fourtunate enough to been in a situation in a rescue that would have taken at least 4 hours to pack the patient out. Our chief made the decison to call yakima to have the helicopter sent our way. By the time we hike down to the patient and secured him in the backboard the copter was hovering overhead and the medic from was coming down the line. he then ask us what we wanted him to do. well long story short we had him do his thing and whithen minutes him and the patient were being deposted to ambulance and enroute to hospital. So here in the rural eastern wa it will b missed

Mike

A very unfortunate decision, on their part. Of course, the "routine" Medevac duty has been more-or-less taken over by civilian entities (Airlift NW, Lifeflight). I can remember back in the 70's and early 80's, when MAST was the ONLY choice for Medevac duty. Even now, the civilian ones can't provide the liter (sp?) lift and high-angle rescue stuff that MAST seemed so adept at.

I would have thought that doing actual missions for the civilian sector was a form of training not normally available to them, and it would only compliment their mission. I guess not.

Brad.

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