Forward Aeromedical Evacuation Crew Leader: Sgt Anna Komosa
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On 30 October 2019, Sgt Komosa was qualified as a Forward Aeromedical Evacuation Crew Leader (FAECL).
February 13, 2020 - Defence Stories
Sergeant (Sgt) Anna Komosa is a medical technician who joined the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) in 2008. She is the first woman in the CAF to be qualified as a Forward Aeromedical Evacuation Crew Leader (FAECL). Because the role is so physically demanding, it is usually performed by men.
Over the past few years, the 444 Goose Bay, 417 Cold Lake and 439 Bagotville squadrons have started to replace search and rescue technicians (SAR Techs) with medical technicians. The primary role of these squadrons is to support fighter (CF-18) squadrons as well as assist the civilian population when crashes or other events occur that require the deployment of the CH‑146 Griffon helicopter.
In order for a medical technician to fill the position of a SAR Tech, they must have the FAECL qualification. Across Canada, 444 Squadron has one FAECL-qualified personnel member, 417 Squadron has two, and 439 Squadron now has two as well. Intensive training is required before these members start their CH-146 Griffon CSS/SAR course. In addition to being qualified medical technicians, they must successfully complete the FAECL CC-130 Hercules course at Trenton, land survival training in Jarvis Lake, aeromedical training in Winnipeg, rotary‑wing underwater escape training (RUET) in Halifax, and forward evacuation on the CH‑146 Griffon prior to arrival.
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Sgt. Komosa underwent very rigorous training that included at least 65.6 hours of flight time.
On 30 Oct 2019, 439 Squadron made history by awarding the FAECL qualification to Sgt Anna Komosa. An accomplished athlete who was voted Bagotville’s Athlete of the Year in 2015, she is now the first woman in the CAF to obtain this qualification and to be operationally and permanently employed in a search and rescue unit.
The FAECL training, which lasted several months, was arduous and challenging. After 220 hours of flying, several ground training sessions and long periods of study, Sgt Komosa finally completed her training. Search planning, heli-sling insertion/extraction, ground medical care and simulated in-flight emergencies were among the many scenarios in which Sgt Komosa participated, and they featured everything from simple injuries to complex cases with victims of all ages, from babies to the elderly.
A pioneer in her field of expertise, Sgt Komosa is an incredibly inspiring role model for the entire community and the CAF as a whole.
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