Source: www. uscg. mil
When Leon reached the vessel, he discovered four people aboard a 21-foot rowboat attempting to row from Monterey to Hawaii. The boat was taking on water, three of the men were wearing survival suits and one was already showing signs of hypothermia.
Leon entered the water and helped the hypothermic survivor into a rescue basket. But the wind and waves pushed them approximately 500 yards away from the vessel. The helicopter had to pull Leon back aboard and reposition before returning to the remaining survivors.
Then came another challenge: the helicopter was running low on fuel.“ We only have time for maybe one more hoist,” Leon was told.
Rather than evacuating the remaining survivors one at a time, Leon made the decision to put two men into the rescue basket together. The helicopter crew transported them back to land, leaving Leon and the final survivor behind for more than three hours while the helicopter refueled.
The experience was exhausting and disorienting. Leon became seasick as they sat waist-deep in water while the damaged boat was battered by waves. At one point, a life raft was deployed, but when the helicopter moved away, the darkness made the raft nearly impossible to see.
It was precisely the kind of situation that training could not predict, but it could prepare him to navigate.
“ You never know what the call is, if it’ s going to actually be that when you get out there on scene,” Leon said.“ And you’ ve got to always be prepared, always be ready for that kind of stuff.”
That philosophy extends beyond individual skill. Leon emphasized that one of the Coast Guard’ s greatest strengths is its consistency. Crews stationed across the country train according to the same procedures and use the same terminology. Even if team members have never worked together before, they can quickly function as a cohesive unit.
“ When you show up, you always have the same terminology, the same procedures,” he said.“ So you can just go on flying and training and doing what we do, so that when the call comes out, we’ re ready to go.”
For physicians and healthcare teams, that may be the most important lesson of Leon’ s story. Readiness is not created when the emergency begins. It is built beforehand, in training, communication, repetition, teamwork and a shared commitment to the mission.
“ You never know what you’ re going to get,” Leon said.“ But that’ s what we train for.”
Whether the call comes from a hospital room, an emergency department or a helicopter over a dark and dangerous ocean, the principle remains the same: preparation gives professionals the confidence to act when someone needs them most.
And sometimes, being ready simply means showing up.
This summary was generated by AI transcription software based on the live presentation delivered during the GLMS Foundation’ s Senior Physician Speaker Series. Thank you to Dr. Sam Yared for reviewing and adding insights to this summary.
GLMS Foundation Senior Physicians Speaker Series
Make sure to add these dates to your calendar so you don’ t miss out! 2027 dates coming soon. December 1
All meetings will take place at noon via Zoom. The program is free and open to GLMS members and their guest. Please contact us for more information on the programs and how to access the meetings. Senior Physicians Committee Chair, Dr. Sam Yared, has several speakers already lined up, but is always looking for new ideas. If you have suggestions on potential speakers or topics, please reach out, we would love to hear your ideas! Missed a recent program and want to catch up? Contact us for a link to the recordings. foundation @ glms. org | 502-736-6366
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