Air Medical Service
SEARHC Air Medical Services (SAMS) provides medical transportation with RN's, MICP's and EMT 3's throughout Southeast Alaska. Our flight team consists of an RN plus a second RN or MICP or EMT 3. Our office is located in Sitka at the Harris Air hangar next to the airport. To arrange for our services, call 966-2411 between 6am and 6pm, 7 days a week. To see our aircraft call 966-8965 between 8am and 6pm, 7 days a week.
Contact Us
Dispatch/Communications: 907-966-2411
Hangar, Chief Flight Nurse: 907-966-8965
Program Manager: 907-966-8771
airmedical@searhc.org
Our Flight Crew
Regular Staff
- David Vastola , MD: Medical Director
- Mike Motti: EMT 3, SAMS Coordinator
- George Burnstein, RN CFRN : Chief Flight Nurse
- Katherine Lewis, RN: Flight Nurse
- Gale Kehres, RN: Flight Nurse
- Todd Heininger, RN : Flight Nurse
Intermittent Staff
- Thor Christianson, EMT 3: Flight Medic
- Greg Raschick, EMT 3: Flight Medic
- Gregory Wong, MICP: Flight Medic
- Aiden Kennedy, RN: Flight Nurse
- Deborah Beaudet, RN: Flight Nurse
Our Aircraft
SEARHC Air Medical Service is located at the Sitka Airport with our partner Harris Air. Our primary aircrafts are a Piper Navajo Chieftain and DeHavilland "Beaver" float plane. Harris Air is associated with the Medallion Safety Program and has Capstone Navigation Sytems installed in all of their aircraft. The Capstone System is an advanced GPS based terrain data and flight data information package. This system allows instrument approaches not available to all aircraft to places where there are no land based navigational aides.
Our Service to Southeast Communities
| Community | Distance | Float Plane Dock | Ferry Serv. | Beaver Access | Navajo Access | Night Ops | Instr. Apprch | Alernate Medevac Services |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angoon | 44 miles from Sitka, flight time 25-45 minutes one-way | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Juneau Fire and Rescue |
| Haines | 155 miles from Sitka, flight time 50-60 minutes one-way | No | Yes | No | Yes | Good weather only | Yes | Juneau Fire and Rescue, Guardian |
| Hoonah | 73 miles from Sitka, flight time 35-50 minutes (Beaver) and 25-35 minutes (Navajo) one-way | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Good weather only | Yes | Juneau Fire and Rescue, Guardian |
| Juneau | 95 miles from Sitka, flight time 60-75 minutes (Beaver) and 30-40 minutes (Navajo) one-way | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Airlift Northwest, Guardian |
| Kake | 55 miles from Sitka, flight time 30-50 minutes (Beaver) and 20-30 minutes (Navajo) one-way | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Juneau Fire and Rescue, Guardian |
| Ketchikan | 181 miles from Sitka, flight time 55-70 minutes one-way | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Depends on airport ferry | Yes | Airlift Northwest, Guardian |
| Klawock | 133 miles from Sitka, flight time 40-55 minutes one-way | In Craig (7 miles) | In Hollis (32 miles) | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Airlift Northwest, Guardian |
| Metlakatla | 198 miles from Sitka, flight time 70-75 minutes one-way | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | Guardian |
| Pelican | 71 miles from Sitka, flight time 35-50 minutes one-way | Yes | Once per month | Yes | No | No | No | Juneau Fire and Rescue |
| Petersburg | 92 miles from Sitka, flight time 45-75 minutes (Beaver) and 30-50 minutes (Navajo) one-way | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Airlift Northwest, Guardian |
| Sitka | N/A | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | AirLift Northwest, Guardian |
| Tenakee | 51 miles from Sitka, flight time 30-45 minutes one-way | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Juneau Fire and Rescue |
| Wrangell | 119 miles from Sitka, flight time 40-50 minutes one-way | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Airlift Northwest, Guardian |
| Yakutat | 230 miles from Sitka, flight time 65-90 minutes one-way | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Airlift Northwest, Guardian |
| Community | Distance | Float Plane Dock | Ferry Serv. | Beaver Access | Navajo Access | Night Ops | Instr. Apprch | Alernate Medevac Services |