Alaska’s top Coast Guard official warns of rising medevac cases

Alaska’s top Coast Guard official warns of rising medevac cases as he leaves command, Alaska Beacon reports. 

One of the biggest challenges facing the Coast Guard is the growing demand for emergency medevac flights, Rear Adm. Nathan Moore says. 

“It’s just more maritime activity,” Moore said. “This year, we’re seeing the commercial cruise ship industry go back to what is the pre-2019 level," he noted. 

In the first half of this year’s summer tourist season the Coast Guard in Alaska had flown 163 medical flights. That’s already more than the 150 that the Coast Guard flew in a full federal fiscal year four years ago, the last year before the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Rear Adm. Nathan Moore handed off command of the Coast Guard in Alaska this month to Rear Adm. Megan Dean.