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When a U.S. Air Force pararescueman set out on a skiing trip in the Alps, he wasn’t expecting to put his training to the test. But when he came across an injured skier, instinct and experience took over as a routine day on the slopes evolved into a moment of lifesaving action.
On Jan 17., Senior Airman Sebastian d’Alton assisted in the life saving measures of a skier by applying a tourniquet and packing the skiers wound until a helicopter arrived to airlift the skier to a local hospital.
Despite his extensive medical training, d’Alton had never performed a real-world Alpine rescue before. In fact, he was still a relatively new skier himself, preparing for an upcoming course in Zermatt that focuses on avalanche, ski and crevasse rescue.
“The environment is really challenging, especially as a new skier,” explained d’Alton, a pararescuemen with the 57th Rescue Squadron. But when it came to treating the patient, the training kicked in. “We do a lot of scenarios that prepare us for moments like this, and once I started assessing the injury, it was almost automatic.”
In the world of pararescue, muscle memory plays a critical role. With years of intensive training behind him, he described the process as algorithmic, a step-by-step assessment ensuring nothing was overlooked.
As he approached the scene, he saw a man lying in the snow, clearly in distress. An Italian couple was already by his side, offering what help they could. Sebastian said when he started to assess the situation, he immediately recognized the severity of the injury, a deep laceration running down the man’s leg.
“I started with a basic sweep, just like in training,” he recalled. “I then checked for any other injuries, controlled the bleeding and stabilized the wound as best as I could with what we had on hand.”
For some, stepping in to assist a stranger might be a difficult choice. But for Sebastian, it was never a question.
“I love people,” he said. “It’s easy for me to connect with others, and I think I get that from my grandfather, who was a doctor. He was very approachable, very thoughtful. Service has always been a big part of my life, from being a lifeguard to now a PJ with the Air Force.”
The Italian couple, who were the first on scene, had been applying pressure to the wound and were doing their best to alert for help. After d’Alton’s initial assessment, he applied a tourniquet and packed the wound to better stop the loss of blood.
With limited medical supplies available, he relied on improvisation. “We didn’t have a full trauma kit, so we used what we had applying pressure, making sure he stayed warm and keeping him as comfortable as possible while we waited for help.”
The injured skier was fortunate that multiple people stopped to help, and according to Sebastian the Italian couple were first to stop and help. “They were there longer than I was, they didn’t have medical training, but they did what they could. That says a lot about human nature, people will help if they can.”
“Communication was another challenge,” states d’Alton. “He was Austrian and the couple there before me were Italian, but we worked together to make sure he understood what was happening and that help was on the way.”
When asked how he prepares himself for high-stress situations, he credited both training and mindset.
“The training we receive does a great job of pushing you through stressful moments over and over again,” he said. “You start with intense physical training, but by the end, it’s all about technical skill and problem-solving under pressure.”
He shared a simple but powerful strategy for staying calm when facing a stressful moment, “Take a deep breath. If you need another, take another. Then focus on the problem, one thing at a time. It’s easy to panic but breaking it down step by step makes all the difference.”
Training, instinct and a willingness to step in played a pivotal role that day on the mountain, proving that a life dedicated to service doesn’t stop when the uniform comes off.
Eventually, ski patrol arrived and he was able to brief them on the skier’s condition before they transported him off the mountain.
“It wasn’t just me, it was a team effort. Those first two people who stopped made a huge difference, and ski patrol got him out of there quickly. It was just about doing what I was trained to do.”
| Date Taken: | 02.07.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 02.07.2025 09:24 |
| Story ID: | 490325 |
| Location: | IT |
| Hometown: | VENTURA, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 15 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Crisis on the Slopes: A Pararescue Mission Beyond the Uniform, by SSgt Heather Ley, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
