September 27, 2013 — JUNEAU, Alaska — The last Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew forward deployed to Cordova for the summer is scheduled to return to Kodiak Monday.
Throughout the deployment, which started May 1, 2013, aircrews out of forward operating location Cordova flew on 26 cases, saved 11 lives and assisted 18 other lives.
Air Station Kodiak personnel deploy to Cordova every summer in response to the increase in maritime traffic in the Gulf of Alaska and Prince William Sound.
“The FOL allows us to reduce the distance aircrews have to travel when responding to emergencies in the Gulf of Alaska and Prince William Sound,” said Lt. Francis Wolfe, a pilot with Air Station Kodiak. “Even in the summer, the Alaskan environment can be dangerous and unpredictable, making quick response times an absolute necessity when disasters occur.”
Watch the video and read the full release from the US Coast Guard