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SANTA CRUZ, Calif. - District 11 Coast Guardsmen and 129th Rescue Wing Air National Guardsmen conduct Pacific Ocean rescue training outside Santa Cruz, Calif., Aug. 15, 2013.
After jumping from an MC-130P Combat Shadow aircraft into the Pacific Ocean, sea spray in their faces, the pararescuemen, or PJs, unrigged the RAMZ (Rigging Alternate Method Zodiac) package they had jumped with, made contact and stabilized their patients.
The scenario required PJs from the 129th Rescue Wing's 131th Rescue Squadron to parachute with a RAMZ package, to rescue patients from a capsized sailboat off the coast of Santa Cruz, Calif., Aug. 15, 2013. Within seconds of the RAMZ package exiting the aircraft the PJs jumped, followed, secured and inflated the 14-foot air dropped Zodiac amidst cold ocean swells.
“At Moffett, we get these out to sea missions on a fairly regular basis. So it’s good that we do this type of training,” said Senior Airman Daniel Fisher.
In the second part of the exercise the Hawksbill, an 87-foot Coast Guard Coastal Patrol Boat, had a simulated engine fire while responding. This led to a second team of PJs to free-fall parachute into the water. The second PJ team linked up with the Hawksbill, stabilized three patients and was hoisted off of the Coast Guard ship by an Air National Guard HH-60G helicopter. After extracting both of the PJ teams and patients, the HH-60G rendezvoused with the MC-130P aircraft for a helicopter air refuel and returned to base. Mission successful.
“It was a simulated full medical exercise and a lot of moving parts, coordinating with three different boats, a C-130 and helicopter," said Senior Airman Dustin Davies. "Everything went very smoothly.”
The joint exercise integrated California Air National Guard 129th Rescue Wing, Moffett Federal Airfield and Coast Guard District 11 assets. Joint training operations help members of different services work together, allowing them to get familiar with each other.
“It was great working with the Coast Guard, coming up on their frequencies, familiarization with their crews, we don’t always get to do that,” said Senior Airman Adam Vanhaaster.
| Date Taken: | 08.15.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 11.12.2013 22:28 |
| Story ID: | 116634 |
| Location: | SANTA CRUZ, CA, US |
| Hometown: | MOFFETT FIELD, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 176 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Coast Guard and Air National Guard conduct Joint Rescue Exercise, by SrA John Pharr, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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