Vita Inclinata announced CEO Caleb Carr's successful mission to hand-deliver his company's donated Vita Rescue System (VRS) for helicopter rescue load stabilization into the active Ukrainian war zone. On April 13, 2022 — with support of the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs and the State Emergency Service — a Russian Mil Mi-8 twin-turbine helicopter was provided to conduct VRS medevac training in Uzhgorod. As a result, Ukrainian Special Aviation Unit crews can now airlift wounded civilians and warfighters using a helicopter hoist in two minutes versus the typical 20-minute process, a capability the Ukrainians have not been trained in before. Due to this engagement, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine has formally requested 30 VRS systems to extend this medevac capability to their fire and rescue units on the eastern front.
Horrified at watching daily coverage of the Ukrainian suffering and knowing that medical evacuation capabilities are not currently deployed in Ukraine, Carr realized his company's new technology would give the war effort much-needed, rapid extraction capabilities for traumatic injuries.
Accompanied by co-worker Scott Slack, Carr loaded the VRS system into an auto and proceeded from Poland to cross the border into Ukraine, then to Uzhgorod from Lviv. They were stopped and questioned along the route by armed guards at many checkpoints. Training the Ukrainian medevac crews took place approximately 20 miles from active bombing in eastern Ukraine and — in Russian contested airspace. In just under four hours, Caleb introduced American-made, cutting-edge rescue technology and trained crews to conduct high-risk evacuation missions within a war zone.
Vita's mission is to provide technology that saves lives. Carr put that mission to the test, not only to aid Ukraine but also in the hope of inspiring other company leaders and the U.S. defense industry to take action and provide Ukraine with more medical, protective, and rescue equipment.
"Every defense organization, company, and individual has a responsibility to support people in need. If we can insert technology in Ukraine to help win this fight and save civilians' lives, let's do it! There's a lot of bureaucracy involved, but you need to seize the opportunity and run with it. That's exactly what Vita is doing and how we executed our mission to Ukraine," said Carr.
