Rescue flight saves fallen rock climber Published Oct. 7, 2004 By Airman 1st Class Christie Putz 92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. (AFPN) -- The 36th Rescue Flight here made its 596th save, after rescuing a fallen rock climber Oct. 2.The man, 26, was out with two friends when he got separated and disappeared over a cliff face near Spur Lake in Libby, Mont.The friends found the man the next morning and began to stabilize him, then climbed the hill to where they could get cellular service. They called Montana sheriffs, who called in a medic team and notified the Rescue Coordination Center.“We received the first call directly from the Rescue Coordination Center at 8:45 Saturday morning,” said Maj. Brian Bell, a UH-1N Huey pilot with the rescue flight. “Within 30 minutes, we had everything finalized and were off the ground by 10:10.”When the team arrived on scene, the medic team was already in place and was stabilizing the man.“It was really austere terrain; there were a lot of trees and shrubs, and he was in the middle of a cliff that went straight up,” the major said.The helicopter team stabilized at 70 feet above ground and dropped their survival medic, Tech. Sgt. Patrick Hunt from the 336th Training Support Squadron, who served as their eyes and ears on the ground.Sergeant Hunt discovered the man had a shattered hip, bruised kidney and multiple lacerations. The crew, needing to burn off some fuel, circled the site while Sergeant Hunt transferred the man from the medic team’s litter to one compatible with the helicopter.The team flew him to a medical center in Coeur D’ Alene, Idaho, and expect him to make a full recovery.Joining Major Bell and Sergeant Hunt on the mission were co-pilot 1st Lt. Seung Lee and flight engineer Staff Sgt. Mark Schroeder.