MARINE CORPS AIR STATION YUMA, Ariz. -- Members of Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron Search and Rescue conducted four motor-vehicle accident rescues over the New Year holiday near the Mexican border and in the sand dunes adjacent to Gordon Wells, Calif.
SAR not only responds to accidents involving the air station, but also any civilian emergencies within a 100 mile travel radius.
While it’s not uncommon to respond to accidents off station, four in one weekend was unusual compared to the number of rescues SAR normally makes, said Maj. Cesar Freitas, SAR HH-1N Huey helicopter pilot and a native of Denver. SAR typically conducts approximately one rescue a month.
The first accident involved 14 illegal immigrants whose truck crashed while attempting to escape border patrol agents after crossing the border near San Luis, Mexico, Dec. 30, according to Freitas. SAR responded immediately, evacuating one of the 14 injured illegal immigrants and transported him to Yuma Regional Medical Center in approximately 12 minutes. The victim was in stable condition, suffering from a broken right arm.
The other three rescues involved all terrain vehicle accidents Dec. 30 through Jan. 1.
Two teenage girls and a middle-aged man were air lifted to YRMC.
Because the last accident was in the evening, the rescue was tougher for the crew, said Deal.
“This rescue in particular was a little difficult just because the (dark) night environment,” Deal said. “Locating an accident in the dark can be tough.”
Although complications could have arisen for the victims without timely intervention, they arrived at the hospital safely and there were no fatalities, said Sgt. Kenneth Deal, SAR crew chief and a native of Northeast, Md.
The crew members felt the rescues were routine and carried out smoothly because they were straightforward.
“The patients were already being treated by medical personnel on the ground, they just couldn’t get them out of the area that they were in,” explained Freitas. “All we had to do was land, put them in the aircraft and take off.”
Before arrival on scene, the crew sets up oxygen and an intravenous drip bag, said Cpl. Adrian Flores, SAR crew chief, of El Paso, Texas.
After landing, the crew, corpsman and sometimes the copilot depart the aircraft to recover the victim with necessary medical equipment.
Prior to doing so, they get a quick pass-down from paramedics and then load the victim onto the aircraft with the paramedic’s rescue litter.
After loading the victim, the crew takes off to the hospital as they continue treating the patient with intravenous drip and oxygen if necessary.
The corpsman and crew chief also provide as much pre-hospital medical attention as possible. Then they contact the hospital through base operation to notify them of the condition of the patient.
When the SAR crew lands at the hospital, they shut down their aircraft then transfer care to the hospital.
“This weekend really wasn’t dangerous (for us) because we didn’t have to do any technical work,” Deal added. “When I say technical, I’m referring to rappelling.”
Because of the crew’s continuous training, they are prepared to react at any moment.
For this reason, Deal, who responded to all four rescues, successfully accomplished his first real-world rescues with no complications.