Save number 414 for 40th HS

  • Published
  • By Airman Daniel Brosam
  • 341st Missile Wing Public Affairs
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  A UH-1N Huey helicopter crew assigned to the 40th Helicopter Squadron recorded the unit's 414th save when they rescued an injured driver near Livingston, Montana, May 13.

The crew consisted of Capt. Joseph Burchell, aircraft commander/pilot; Maj. Matthew Sims, co-pilot; Tech. Sgt. Mike Duffney and Staff Sgt. Eric McElroy, flight engineers; and Capt. Melonie Parmley, flight surgeon.

At 5:45 a.m., the 40th HS operations supervisor received a call from the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center regarding a lost driver who left their vehicle after a car accident on U.S. Highway 90.

"I immediately helped the crew get all of the equipment and everything else together," Sims said. "Once we were done, we met in the briefing room to go over the minimal information we had."

Sims said he was told the weather was going to be bad, but the team was set to at least give it a try. The helicopter launched into the tail end of a late spring snowfall and navigated to the search area with 300 to 500 foot ceilings.

"We were determined to find a way to get there without a direct route," Sims said. "We went along the mountains to get out there the best and quickest way possible."

Sims recounted when the team arrived at 9.a.m., the search was well underway and the Park County Search and Rescue team was on scene with a ground party and search dogs. The search area was located 13 miles south of Springdale, Montana, at an expected elevation of 4,400 feet.

The helicopter crew began to search in their assigned area where foot patrols and dogs could not reach. Sims said finding the injured person seemed doubtful due to steep hills on one side and a giant river on the other.

Then, the police network called over the radio reporting a sighting of someone walking near the highway.

The crew spotted the survivor along the road at approximately 9:40 a.m. and circled above, alerting police to the area.

Aircrew landed on the side of the road and the flight surgeon provided treatment to the injured for hypothermia while ground forces arrived.

"(The victim) was pretty hypothermic," Parmley said. "There was not an article of clothing that was not soaked."

According to Parmley, she conducted a basic head-to-toe assessment, checked the victim's vitals and monitored the victim until they were under the supervision of the emergency medical technicians.

"Air Force Rescue 15's mission was a great combined effort from Team Malmstrom," said Burchell. "We were able to support Park County Sheriffs and provide medical care to the missing motorist because of the combined efforts of the 341st Missile Wing's command post, weather shop, flight medicine office and the 40th HS."