In Tarakan recently, our pilots got a call for a double medevac. Pilot Dave Forney made the flight to Long Nawang and discovered that most of the village was waiting for him upon his arrival, a sure sign that the condition of the passengers would be pretty serious.
This area had been pushing some roads through the rugged jungle for logging and other reasons. These roads are very steep and slippery. “They’re nearly impassible by anything but the most rugged 4x4s and heavy equipment,” explains Forney. “But that doesn’t stop folks from trying.” In this case, a truck went over the edge and rolled down about 75 feet to the bottom of a ravine.
They were fortunate to be alive, but they were not in good shape…especially the one. Multiple, complex fractures of legs, arms, and unknown internal injuries, plus head injuries. It took Forney about 40 minutes to configure the plane and load everyone up: the two patients on the floor of the plane, and family members in one single row beside them. Had he been flying the 206, this load would have been impossible due to the weight, not to mention the number of people. But for the KODIAK, it was no problem at all.
An hour and ten minutes later the KODIAK landed in Tarakan where two ambulances were waiting, and the men received the emergency treatment they so desperately needed. This is just one example of the difference the KODIAK is making in Kalimantan.
