Reserve Airmen Conduct Water Survival Training

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Cali Elliott
  • 920th Rescue Wing

Aircrew from the 39th and 301st Rescue Squadrons participated in water rescue training along the Banana River, near Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., Feb 9.

This training is required every three years to maintain proficiency in emergency evacuation procedures while flying over water. Aircrew are trained on different aspects of survival equipment such as rafts, emergency kits, and procedures for evacuating the aircraft above and below water.

The participants in the exercise were hoisted from the water by a flight engineer aircrew HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter.

The 39th Rescue Squadron fly in the HC-130PN King, an extended range combat search and rescue version of the C-130 Hercules. They provide air refueling in hostile or contested airspace.

The 301st Rescue Squadron flies the HH-60G Pave Hawk Helicopter, conducting day or night combat search and rescue.

“This training is valuable because the rescuers become the rescuees; giving them a new perspective.” said Tech Sgt. Jarrod Burgess, 920th Operations Support Squadron. “It helps the dynamic of their job because it gives them a real world feeling under the rotor wash and just how difficult it is to do an evacuation.”

The 920th Rescue Wing is the only Reserve Combat Rescue Wing. The things we do that others may live.