Air Lift Springs

58th SOW pararescuemen save lost hiker

KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- Staff Sgts. Mark Houghton (left) and Scott Dowd, pararescuemen from Detachment 1, 342nd Training Squadron, escort Lashaye Westbrook (center) from the HH-60 Pave Hawk used in the recovery to the waiting ambulance at Archuleta County Airport at Stevens Field in Pagosa Springs, Colo., Monday. Westbrook, a Farmington, N.M., native, become separated from a group hiking near Pagosa Springs Saturday. She was stranded for two days without shelter, food and water, and endured rain along with overnight low temperatures in the 40s. (Courtesy photo)
On Monday, a second helicopter crew was launched to relieve the first, arriving at 7:30 a.m. to rendezvous with the ground team and continue the search. At approximately 10:20 a.m., pararescueman Staff Sgt. Mark Houghton spotted a person on the ground, although her clothing didn't match the description they'd been given of Westbrook. The crew decided to make a closer investigation and after a few overhead passes, observed Westbrook waving a stick to let them know she was the one they were looking for. Lt. Col. Brandon Deacon, the mission commander for this recovery, operated from a ground site near Pagosa Springs. Maj. Ryan Kay, the mission pilot, and Maj. Adam Rudolphi, the co-pilot, executed a precision hover in the steep terrain as the flight engineer, Master Sgt. Jamie Karmann, lowered a pararescueman, Staff Sgt. Scott Dowd, on the rescue hoist to retrieve Westbrook. Dowd secured the hiker to the hoist and Karmann lifted them up 180 feet to the helicopter, where pararescueman Houghton wrapped her in his jacket, assessed her for initial injuries, and gave her water. The 512th Rescue Squadron helicopter crew also included Tech. Sgt. Rick Casto, aerial gunner. After the recovery, the helicopter was just five minutes away from Stevens Airport, where the crew radioed ahead for an ambulance to provide medical treatment when they landed. Kirtland AFB is the home of Detachment 1, 342nd Training Squadron, the only pararescue training mission in the Air Force. The 24-week Pararescue Recovery Specialist Course includes field medical care and extrication basics, field tactics, mountaineering, combat tactics, advanced parachuting and helicopter insertion/extraction. With their medical and rescue expertise, pararescuemen are able to perform lifesaving missions in the world's most remote areas.

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