SEARHC Medevac

Sitka, Alaska

Southeast Alaska is dotted with small communities—many on islands and virtually all off the road system. Air transport is the only way to get people quickly to advanced emergency medical care. Since 1996, the Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC) has provided that service. Flight Nurse Katie Lewis credits Airlift Northwest and Medical Director Dr. Michael Copass for setting the standard they follow. “We pattern our techniques after the procedures set up by Dr. Copass,” she says. According to Shelly Deering, Alaska Clinical Director for Airlift Northwest, the SEARHC team brings highly skilled and dedicated people to patient care. “We’re able to do our work better because of our partnership with SEARHC,” she says. “Ultimately, patients receive the care they need and communities are a little less isolated.” Lewis adds, “We go where the Airlift jet can’t.”

(More patient and partner stories here)

Members of the SEARHC medevac team travel to remote communities to provide life-saving medical transport.
Standing on tarmac (left to right): Katherine Lewis, flight nurse; Grace Roller, flight nurse; Gregory Wong, flight medic; George Burnstein, flight nurse; Gale Kehres,
flight nurse; Thor Christenson, flight medic; Dr. David Vastola, program director; Michael Motti, program coordinator, flight medic; and Eric VanCise, flight medic.
Standing on plane (left to right): pilots Chuck Thompson; Mark Hackett and Craig Walters. Not pictured: pilots Chris Hickman and John Reed; and Greg Raschick, flight medic.