Kadena aircrew evacuates boy from Saipan Published June 17, 2005 By 1st Lt. Gerardo Gonzalez 18th Wing Public Affairs KADENA AIR BASE, Japan (AFPN) -- A life-threatening emergency on the island of Saipan prompted a team of Airmen here into action recently.An aircrew from the 909th Air Refueling Squadron and medics from the 18th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron transported a severely injured 15-month-old boy out of Saipan.“It was a Friday afternoon when the phone call came to alert us for an aeromedical evacuation mission,” said Capt. Jeremy Boyd, mission pilot and aircraft commander from the 909th ARS. “The little child had been run over with injuries to part of his shoulders and head.”Within three hours of notification, a KC-135 Stratotanker took off for Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands to pick up the child and deliver him to a medical center in Hawaii.“We were told his prognosis was critical and he required neurosurgery within 24-hours, otherwise he would not survive,” said Capt. Donna Hornberger, 18th AES medical crew director during the mission.Flying into Saipan was not without challenges as the crew headed toward an airfield with limited resources in the middle of the night. One of those challenges was communication.“Our boom operator, Senior Airman Mike Russell, and Captain Hornberger had to use a satellite phone to coordinate with Saipan’s people,” said Capt. Jordan Collins, 909th ARS co-pilot during the mission. “But we had to call back to home station and have them relay (our arrival information).”The improvised communication worked. Once the aircraft arrived in Saipan, the improvisations continued as the crew found itself without the support they normally receive upon landing.“There were no military agencies on the airfield to help us out,” Captain Collins said.The aviators improvised once again and even turned to Continental Airlines to provide required flying notices. More challenges awaited as the crew dealt with the reality that cabin pressure on the aircraft could compound the child’s injuries.“We pressurized (the cabin) on the ground in Saipan so the pressure wouldn’t be too great (during) takeoff,” Captain Collins said.Once airborne, the aircrew kept pressure fluctuations to a minimum by starting aircraft descents early and decreasing pressure slowly, Captain Boyd said.Then the child’s condition took a turn for the worse. Captain Hornberger advised the cockpit crew that the child was having extreme breathing difficulties.“My mind began to race and think of how we could make up any time,” Captain Boyd said.After discussing options with onboard medics and his co-pilot, he decided to declare an “emergency” with air traffic control agencies. The declaration allowed for a direct priority flight to Hawaii instead of a less direct point-to-point route.“We were able to make up about 10 minutes by not following our flight-planned route,” Captain Boyd said.All the necessary agencies waited in place for the aircraft’s arrival and went to work immediately after the aircraft parked.“Within 20 minutes of engine shutdown the little one was off to the hospital,” Captain Boyd said. The child was admitted to the hospital in critical but stable condition.The mission was a success from the very beginning, Captain Boyd said. He credits the medics, the many agencies involved and especially the maintainers for making sure the aircraft was ready.“We simply could not have made the mission work had they not been there,” he said.