Coast Guard Station Juneau 45-foot Response Boat-Medium file photo
JUNEAU, Alaska — A Coast Guard boat crew and Juneau fire department personnel medevaced a 49-year-old woman from a cruise ship near Hump Island, Wednesday.
The 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew from Coast Guard Station Juneau transported the woman to Statter Harbor, where they transferred her to Capital City Fire and Rescue personnel waiting with an ambulance.
Coast Guard Sector Juneau watchstanders received the medevac request from the crew of the cruise ship Norwegian Bliss, while they transited the northern Lynn Canal, after the woman reportedly suffered a heart attack and was in stable condition. The station boat crew launched in response. Sector watchstanders contacted CCFR members with a request for emergency medical service personnel to ride out with the boat crew and transit with the patient, as well as to coordinate the transfer at the harbor.
The boat crew picked up CCFR EMS personnel at the harbor, rendezvoused with cruise ship and conducted the medevac.
“When we get a call for a medevac on the water it’s almost essential for us to work together with Capital City,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Shipman from Station Juneau. “We train every day for operations like this and having Capital City’s professional EMT’s and paramedics on board with us, to take care of the patients medical needs while we transport and navigate the waters, is the definition of perfect teamwork that ultimately saves lives.”
