Broadwater County Search and Rescue Team Participates in a Joint Helicopter Extraction Exercise
 | Author:
Matt Nelson
MT43 News Correspondent |
Broadwater County Search and Rescue Team Participates in a Joint Helicopter Extraction Exercise Matt Nelson On November 18th, Ed Shindoll, Steve Wyatt, Lindsey Richtmyer, Tory Richtmyer, Deputy Mike Lewis, myself, Carl, Mike and members of the Broadwater SAR team, participated in a helicopter extraction exercise at the Limestone Hills. Elkhorn Search and Rescue of Jefferson County consisting of three team members David Kauffman IC, Jill Oie for medical set up, and Matt Horne for scenario set up and coordination. Army National Guard 1-189th General Support Aviation Battalion MEDEVAC team with H60 Blackhawk helicopter based in Helena and the Billings Clinic Bozeman MEDEVAC team with EC145e helicopter. The Blackhawk crew members were CW3 Jenn Hoover- Pilot in Command / Instructor Pilot, SSG Brett Garber - Flight Medic, SGT Chris Rawlins - Crew Chief, LT Otis Smith - Pilot, and LT Dom Deane – Pilot. They assisted in transporting SAR team members to the Limestone Hills since all searchers could not fit into the Blackhawk. The Broadwater Ambulance crew of Angie Brakefield and Cyrus Brandt were at the command site in case of an actual emergency.
Jill Oie wrote: “We successfully executed a coordinated training exercise known as a “mock search” in the Limestone Hills area. Elkhorn SAR Coordinator Dave Kauffman developed the training and coordinated ground and flight operations in conjunction with the pilots of the UH-60 Blackhawk and Broadwater members at their command location. Teams from Broadwater SAR were given scenarios where they had to locate clues and four subjects with varying degrees of injuries in the mountains. Hoisting was demonstrated by the UH-60 crew out of and into the helicopter. Teams also “hot loaded” onto and off the helicopters, giving new meaning to the term “wind-chill”. Team members located and assessed the subjects that were placed into the mock scenarios and prepared them to be evacuated via helicopter transport to a pre-determined landing zone. The weather was frigid and applicable for real-life situations that SAR teams could encounter, requiring extra steps in patient care and overall safety. Team members agreed that the training was invaluable and necessary and that it is a privilege to get to work with the high-caliber members of the Montana Army National Guard, ensuring that all team members are prepared to carry out the SAR mission ‘So Others May Live.”
Broadwater County Fire Chief Ed Shindoll wrote: “Broadwater SAR teams, Elkhorn SAR teams, the Army National Guard 189th Aviation Battalion crew of the Blackhawk helicopter, and the Billings Clinic Bozeman EC145e helicopter crew participated in a mock search in the Limestone Hills. The Broadwater Ambulance crew was on standby if their services were needed. We were flown into an area close to the site of the injured subjects.
Teams headed to the GPS position that was given for the first set of injured subjects. When the teams located the two patients' injuries were assessed and determined what other resources were needed to rescue the patients. The coordinator decided that an airlift was required to remove the injured patients from this area and a Blackhawk H60 Helicopter with the 189th Aviation Battalion was called in to assist. While waiting for H60 to arrive, teams packaged the patients for the extraction. The flight medic was hoisted to the ground and met with the EMTs of the team to get information on the patients. Teams cleared away from the immediate area during the actual hoisting process. When these patients were loaded, teams navigated to the second part of the scenario. Teams spread out to do a search for clues of simulated downed aircraft with two additional crew members missing. Teams searched about ½ mile and found the rest of the crew. The team again performed medical help to the patients and called into the coordinator the situation. Kauffman then radioed for the H60 helicopter to hoist the injured patients. Teams then had to wait to be loaded back onto the helicopter and flown out of the mountains to the command landing zone to finish the exercise. Teams then had an After-Action Review to discuss what we had learned and what we can do differently to be better help.
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PhotoCredit: Matt Nelson
Image 1 Caption: BWSAR Team Deputy Mike Lewis, Steve Wyatt, Ed Shindoll, Lindsey Richtmyer, Tory Richtmyer, Carl, and Mike.
Image 2 Caption: Broadwater County Ambulance EMTs Cyrus Brandt and Angie Brakefield.
Image 3 Caption: Blackhawk Pilot in Command, and Instructor Pilot CW3 Jenn Hoover
