Hiker evacuated from IR

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johnhens
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Hiker evacuated from IR

Post by johnhens »

A hiker had to be airlifted from IR aster suffering an injury. From the USCG Saulte Ste. Marie page:

Did you know that the Coast Guard doesn't just respond to cases on the water?

Yesterday morning, the Sector Command Center was notified of an injured hiker on Isle Royale who required a medical evacuation, also known as a MEDEVAC. U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City responded and hoisted the individual into their MH-60 helicopter. The victim was taken to Marquette for treatment. Special thanks to the Isle Royale National Park Rangers who stabilized and transported the hiker to an area that was safe for our helicopter to hoist from.
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Midwest Ed
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Re: Hiker evacuated from IR

Post by Midwest Ed »

johnhens wrote: Wed Aug 12, 2020 5:07 pmDid you know that the Coast Guard doesn't just respond to cases on the water?
I did know John. Was that a trick question? :D Glad to see they are keeping their best foot forward.

Indeed the Coast Guard will go almost anywhere to assist anyone in need. They are technically a federal law enforcement agency but their mission is so much more expansive. Search and rescue was their charter mission when first formed in 1790 but now, post 9/11, it has taken a 2nd chair in terms of day to day activity but of course they drop everything their doing when the distress call comes in. They are sometimes improperly referred to as a branch of the military even though their web address ends in ".mil". This is only true during official times of war but some units report to U.S. Navy commands from time to time. Taking charge of environmental water accidents (spills) is maybe 3rd or 4th. A lot of time is also spent keeping the commercial waterways safe and accessible through maintenance of aids to navigation (buoys and lights) and ice breaking.

I am a member of the civilian arm called the Coast Guard Auxiliary. The Auxiliary can and does participate in any Coast Guard activity except for law enforcement (no weapons) and their uniforms look the same except the insignia are colored silver instead of gold. It's unique I believe in that I know of no other federal agency that has such an official civilian arm. The Auxiliary is almost as large (number of personnel), about 30K vs about 40K. They will even give your boat a free equipment safety check. If anyone is looking for a way to participate in a very wide variety of opportunities to serve let me know. There are adults of all ages involved.

Here's a couple of reminders of ISRO hiker rescues from 2014 and 2018. The external links in the 2014 post are broken and I don't remember the details.
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Re: Hiker evacuated from IR

Post by chief54 »

Nice short history of the USCG Midwest Ed. I was a Chief Petty Officer in the U.S. Coast Guard and spent part of my time in on the USCGC Woodrush (WLB-407) and the USCGC Mesquite (WLB-305) at the time both homeported in Duluth. The USCG is first and foremost a rescue service but at different times in its history other priorities took precedence. In WW2 most landing craft in Pacific and European Theater were operated by the USCG. Douglas Monroe was awarded the only Medal of Honor to a Coast Guardsmen at Guadalcanal. In the early 80's the drug war seemed to take precedence. but I digress.
I hope injured hiker recovered and was not sick from virus or a carrier of virus. Its tough enough having to perform rescues in all types of environment but when you add this virus you are adding another dimension. This is my concern about traveling to IR among other remote areas. As everybody knows you can be asymptomatic but pass virus on unknowingly. I do not understand why folks want recreate and then depend on others that have to respond to help in time of need. We as a people need to get this virus under control then we can ALL go on with our lives. To me this is the same kind of thought process where 250,000 people go to Sturgis with apparently no social distancing, masks, after all its freedom and then travel back home all across the country most likely spreading the virus. I trust my brother Coast Guardsmen who put their lives on the line every time they respond returned back to home port or base safe. We were taught in Basic Training the unofficial motto was " you have to go out but you do not have to come back" which were part of the regulations of the U.S. Lifesaving Service, a forerunner of the USCG.
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