Hawai‘i Army National Guard Blackhawk helicopters support state with emergency medical flights

Hawai‘i Army National Guard helicopters flew a combined four flights including aero-medical evacuations and patient air transports since Monday.

The flights included two Kauai to O’ahu transports, a Moloka’i to Maui flight, and a Big Island to Maui mission. 

Two HIARNG medical evacuation crews, along with Hawaiʻi Life Flight/Global Medical Response civilian flight nurses were on each HH-60 Blackhawk mission.

Governor Josh Green, M.D. authorized the emergency use of the National Guard MEDEVAC helicopters and the select crews to temporarily support the Hawaiʻi Life Flight/Global Medical Response safety stand down after a medical transport flight went missing in waters off of East Maui last week.

“The HIARNG presence reinforces the additional medical transport aviation capabilities being flown to Hawaii. The HIARNG aviation assets ensures patients requiring higher level of care to be safely transported to locations that can provide that appropriate level of care,” according to a department news release.

“The Hawai‘i Army National Guard is filling a vital role for the community,” said Gov. Green. “The aero-medical evacuation mission saves lives, and we will continue to work with the Guard and other organizations to ensure everything is done to provide necessary services for our state.”

Gov. Green authorized the HIARNG’s HH60 support through 10 a.m. on Wednesday, but was reassessing the need, based on Hawaiʻi Life Flight/Global Medical Response ability to meet critical care air transportation requirements.