[dropcap]A[/dropcap]fter receiving a report of an Emergency Personal Locator Beacon in the Hatcher Pass area from the International Rescue Coordination Center on Sunday afternoon, Alaska State Troopers handed off the information to the Rescue Coordination Center, Alaska Air National Guard Master Sgt. Gailanne Paculba of the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center revealed.

As a result, an HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter from the 210th Rescue Squadron launched from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson with two pararescuemen at about 3:30 p.m.

The chopper traveled to Snowbird Hut in Hatcher Pass and the pararescuemen were dropped, assessed the skier, who had a broken leg, and packaged him for the hoist.

The Pavehawk transported the injured skier to the Providence Alaska Medical Center where he was handed off to hospital personnel. 

Paculba credited a member of the skier’s party for having and properly using a GPS device with satellite communication capabilities to aid rescue efforts, which saved valuable time and enabled a quick rescue operation.

  Alaska, broken leg, coordination center, hh-60g, hoist, injured, pararescuemen, pavehawk, rescue, skier, troopers