The Coast Guard rescued a man off a tugboat 57 miles south of Kotzebue on Friday, September 30th.
The 65-year-old had been suffering from symptoms of stroke when the 17th Coast Guard District command center received a medevac request.
A Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak Jayhawk helicopter deployed to the tug boat, Drew Foss. The man was hoisted and transported to emergency medical care in Kotzebue.
Jayhawk pilot Lieutenant Leo Lake highlighted the importance of having the Coast Guard Forward Operating Location in Kotzebue. He says it allowed the crew to respond within twenty minutes – providing medical care well within the four-hour window that is recommended for stroke victims.
The man’s name has not been released at this time.
