East African nation undergoes first-aid course

Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Luis Chavez | Chief Petty Officer Charles H. Johnson, U.S. Navy maritime interdiction operations (MIO) expert, demonstrates to boarding team members from East African nations how to evaluate a victim who has suffered an injury during a first-aid refresher course during exercise Cutlass Express 2013 on a Seychelles Coast Guard base. Exercise Cutlass Express 2013 is a multinational maritime exercise in the waters off East Africa to improve cooperation, tactical expertise and information sharing among East African maritime forces in order to increase maritime safety and security in the region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Luis R. Ch√†vez Jr/Released.)  

PORT VICTORIA, SEYCHELLES

11.12.2013

Courtesy Story

U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. Sixth Fleet

By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Luis R. Chàvez Jr.
Navy Public Affairs Support Element-East Detachment Europe

VICTORIA, Seychelles – Boarding team members from Seychelles, Mauritius and the East African Standby Force (EASF) participated in a refresher course over basic first-aid during exercise Cutlass Express 2013 on a Seychelles Coast Guard base, Nov. 12.

The first-aid course was a refresher course to revisit the basic fundamentals and procedures of providing first-aid to injured victims. These skills will be important for boarding team members upcoming scenarios during exercise Cutlass Express 2013.

“Safety is a matter of high importance for each of our exercises, no matter if they are real or practice,” said Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Teresa Able, lead medical facilitator of Cutlass Express 2013. “This training was conducted in order to be sure each individual knows how to properly evaluate and treat injuries on a victim.”

Eight injuries were covered which included facial injuries, intestinal protrusion, burns, fractures, smoke inhalation, electrical shock, amputations and sucking chest wound.

“Relearning these procedures are going to be vital for our practice scenarios and real scenarios for anti-piracy, anti-trafficking and illegal fishing,” said Lance Cpl. Ronny Rigodon, Seychelles Coast Guard Team Leader. “With what we are learning, we can know that we can take care of one of our people if they were to be injured.”

Exercise Cutlass Express 2013 is a multi-national maritime exercise designed to improve cooperation, tactical expertise and information sharing among East African maritime forces in order to increase maritime safety and security in the region.

For more news from Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet, visit www.navy.mil/local/naveur/.

• Date Taken: 11.12.2013
• Date Posted: 11.12.2013 10:48
• Story ID: 116595
• Location: PORT VICTORIA, SC