Back to Newsroom DURING UNPRECEDENTED CRISIS IN CALIFORNIA, AIR METHODS’ CREWS ANSWER CALL Share On... by Air Methods posted November 03, 2020 Wildfires have engulfed California since late summer, with 8,500 wildfires burning over 4.2 million acresto date. Air Methods’ crews in California have been called upon to help with many missions related tothis statewide disaster. The below is the story of one such rescue:On Sept. 5, the Sierra National Forest in California’s Central Valley was subject to a creek fire thatblocked the only road out of the Mammoth Pool Reservoir campsite, leaving hundreds of peoplestranded and in need of evacuation. Before Air Methods was called to the scene, there was anevacuation with Black Hawk and Chinook helicopters from the California Air National Guard.SkyLife, the Air Methods program in Central California, was promptly notified to assist with evacuationprocedures at the camp. The first evacuation included all three Fresno-based SkyLife crews and twoadditional clinicians who were also called to the scene. These teams were instrumental in aiding localEMS and National Guard with triaging patients and determining which patients were in critical conditionand needed to be evacuated immediately. The Air National Guard was successful in the evacuation andtransportation of 73 total patients. SkyLife crews assisted with the triage and monitoring of thesepatients until the Red Cross was able to assemble and assist in providing shelter.Along with the rescue mission at the Mammoth Pool Reservoir, many of the SkyLife teammates havebeen active in volunteering at medical camps and serving food to those displaced by the monstrous firesthat have consumed so much of California. One key organizer from Air Methods is Shane Clark, the areamanager for the SkyLife program in Fresno, who has been with the program since 2011 and was key incoordinating the assistance from SkyLife crews. He reported to the Command Post and contacted theDisaster Control Facility for destinations and surge evacuations. Even though he was evacuated from hisown home and had to deal with the pressures of relocation for himself and his family, he remaineddedicated to assisting with the scene calls in the area. He, and the entire SkyLife team, have embodiedthe mission of Air Methods during this unprecedented crisis.