CAMP RIPLEY, Minn. – Army Aviation crews from the Nebraska National Guard’s 1st-376th Aviation Battalion have been conducting training on medical evacuation landings this week at St. Gabriel’s Hospital in Little Falls, Minn.
“We have a terrific relationship with Camp Ripley and this opportunity was an exciting effort for everyone to practice steps we would take should a helicopter land with an injured servicemember,” said Chuck Hartfield, Director of Emergency Services for St. Gabriel’s.
The training, which was organized as part of a cooperation between St. Gabriel’s and the Nebraska unit currently on Camp Ripley for annual training, included the procedures for communicating with the hospital switch board, landing and operating within the local air space. The same procedures that would take place should a MEDEVAC from Camp Ripley occur.
“These unique, cooperative opportunities for our pilots to safely conduct training outside of our normal operations is invaluable to our overall mission success and critical to our ability to work with local community during natural disasters,” said Maj. Patrick Linehan, Executive Officer for the 1st-376th Aviation Battalion.
Similar training will take place during the remainder of this week as the Nebraska unit finishes their annual training events.
