PJs support AMC humanitarian relief mission

Published Nov. 17, 2005
By 1st Lt. Erick Saks
818th Contingency Response Group Public Affairs

ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (AMCNS) -- Above the mountainous countryside of northern Pakistan, two Air Force pararescuemen fly aboard a Russian-made MI-8 helicopter surveying areas where relief supplies may be needed.

These Airmen are part of a unit that has traveled halfway around the world to participate in the humanitarian relief effort here following the country’s 7.6-magnitude earthquake last month. The earthquake killed more than 73,000 people, according to the Pakistani government.

While deployed, the PJs are assigned to the 818th Contingency Response Group/24th Air Expeditionary Group. The 818th CRG/24th AEG is comprised primarily of members of the 621st Contingency Response Wing and the 305th Air Mobility Wing at McGuire Air Force Base, N.J. The 621st CRW and 305th AMW are assigned to 18th Air Force at Scott AFB, Ill.

The pararescuemen, also known as PJs, came to Pakistan from their Air National Guard unit, the 212th Rescue Squadron, in Anchorage, Alaska, to provide a search and rescue capability to the operation and provide medical assistance in areas affected by the earthquake, according to Senior Master Sgt. David Shuman, pararescueman.

“Each day, our team is standing by in case we are needed,” said Sergeant Shuman. “We have two guys flying on alert with a U.S. aircrew, two guys standing alert here with access to specialized rescue equipment, and we put another team on an aircraft of opportunity to drop off aid and help out the people. It allows us to have strong coverage of the operations area in case we are needed.”

Within 24 hours of the quake, humanitarian aid began flowing into the country from around the world, and a large part of that aid has been delivered by U.S. and coalition helicopters.

“The more helicopters you have flying, the more your chances of having a crash increase,” said Tech. Sgt. Chris Robertson, pararescueman. “The risk also increases when you’re flying outside the United States, where the aircraft operating rules are very different.”

This team is particularly suited to operate in the mountainous area of Pakistan, according to Sergeant Robertson.

“As Alaskan PJs, we have by far more mountain training than any other unit in the world,” he said. “We are trained in high angle rescues. This includes figuring out that puzzle of how to rescue someone on a mountain using ropes, anchors and pulleys. We also can do confined space rescues, which is just how it sounds, crawling through rubble to save someone.”

The team has not yet responded to a distress call, but according to Maj. Tom Stephens, combat rescue officer, the team doesn’t mind not getting the call to perform their search and rescue function.

“A slow day for us is a good day for everyone else,” Major Stephens said.

To fulfill the team’s humanitarian assistance role, team members fly aboard U.S. military and embassy aircraft surveying villages and providing medical care.

“We visit different villages daily to see what kind of supplies and medical care they need,” said pararescueman Tech. Sgt. Dave Johnson. “In the civilian world, we are qualified to the paramedic level, but our training takes us well beyond that. We practice battlefield medicine. The standard we train to in special operations medicine is being able to care for someone with a traumatic injury or medical emergency for up to three days.”

Flying above northern Pakistan, the PJs have seen the effects of the earthquake first hand.

“Some of these areas have just been devastated,” said Sergeant Robertson. “Balacot (an area north of Islamabad) has just been leveled. It has that landfill look to it. This one hill had all of these houses on it, and now, it doesn’t look like anyone could ever have lived there.”

While the pararescuemen have been able to provide medical support for more than 100 people following the earthquake, Sergeant Robertson said team members know there are more people who could use their help.

“It’s been frustrating flying over so much devastation and not being able to help more people,” he added. “We’re the type of people who always want to do more.”