Tennessee Guardsmen airlift lost hiker from National Forest

LOUISVILLE, Tenn. - On Saturday afternoon, May 2, a flight crew with the Tennessee Army National Guard's 1-230th Assault Helicopter Battalion assisted multiple emergency and law enforcement agencies rescue a lost hiker and his dog who were stranded at Sampson Mountain Wilderness in the Cherokee National Forest, just west of Erwin.

Shortly after 1:30 p.m., Eastern time, the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency and the Tennessee National Guard were notified that a hiker, who had been lost for nearly 24 hours, was found by rescue personnel and needed to be airlifted out of a ravine he was trapped in. The hiker was hypothermic, spending the night in the ravine wearing shorts and a t-shirt with temperatures dropping into the 40s. When rescue personnel found him, they determined it was unsafe for him and his dog to climb out of the area, even if assisted.

Once TEMA was notified of the possible mission, Tennessee National Guardsmen assigned to Task Force Smokey assembled a five-person flight crew and readied a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter for flight. The air crew consisted of two pilots, Capt. Andrew Rines and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andres Salas, two crew chiefs, Staff Sgt. Matthew Belcher and Sgt. Christopher Burke, and the flight paramedic, Sgt. 1st Class John Sharbel. As soon as the mission was approved, the aircraft departed Joint Base McGhee-Tyson at approximately 2:50 p.m., flying directly to the rescue site.

After approximately 25 minutes in flight, the aircraft arrived at the Sampson Mountain Wilderness and began searching for the hiker and emergency crew members. Working with the rescuers over radio, the aircraft was directed to the lost hiker and made visual contact with the victim on the ground. Next, the aircraft determined the best position to begin hoisting, where there was ample opening through the trees. Then Belcher, the aircraft crew chief, lowered Sharbel, the fight paramedic, to the ground to do a medical assessment and prepare the hiker for transport.

Sharbel rendered immediate first aid to the hiker and his German Shepherd, Jack. He then prepared everyone to be hoisted into the aircraft hovering overhead, including the German Shepherd, who Sharbel made a special harness for using webbing from the aircraft. After just a few minutes, the hiker and three rescue personnel were hoisted over 150 feet into the Blackhawk helicopter above. Sharbel was then hoisted into the aircraft while holding the dog suspended by the specially made harness. When everyone was safely on board, first aid was continued and the hiker was given fluids intravenously.

Next, the aircraft flew to an ambulance already staged in a field behind the Farmer's Daughter Restaurant in Chuckey, where the Nolichuckey Fire Department had established rescue operations. Once the hiker and his dog were offloaded, they were evaluated by paramedics from Greene County Emergency Medical Services who determined they were in stable condition.

Once the patient was with medical personnel, the Blackhawk flew to the Tri-Cities Airport to refuel before returning to Louisville, landing at 5:50 p.m.