MAST: an integral part of Hawaii state emergency medical services

Abstract

The 68th Medical Detachment of the U.S. Army, stationed at Hickam Air Force Base, has provided MAST (Military Assistance to Safety and Traffic) transport services to the civilian population of Oahu for the past 15 years. Compared to the 31 units located all across the Mainland, this unit is the most active, flying more than 200 missions per year, with a cumulative total of over 3,000 missions since its inception in 1974. Yet, despite its important role in transporting critical patients from the field and providing a beneficial community service, many health professionals do not know what MAST is nor what it does.