Saving and Training -- Ambulances give quick medical care

Photo By Giancarlo Casem | Sgt. David Schwartz, 557th Medical Company Ground Ambulance, coaches Spc. Kenneth Ordaz, 1113th Transportation Company, during a Combat Life-Savers refresher course conducted by the 55th's Joint Mobile Training Team at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait.  

CAMP ARIFJAN, KUWAIT

08.12.2007

Story by Sgt. Giancarlo Casem 

50th Public Affairs Detachment

CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait -- When lights start flashing and sirens are wailing, it probably means there is an emergency. Those involved can take heart knowing help is on the way. That help is fast and reliable. That help comes from the 557th Medical Company Ground Ambulance.

"The 557th Medical Company Ground Ambulance, Medical Task Force Kuwait has the mission of providing ground transportation and evacuation to the sick and wounded in the theater of Kuwait," said Capt. Thomas Sherbert, 557th Medical Company commander.

The 557th are the first responders to medical emergencies on Camp Arifjan. They also have teams in other camps around the Third Army/U.S. Army Central Kuwaiti area of responsibility. The company works together along with the fire department to provide vital medical care for service members stationed at Camp Arifjan. However, medical care is not their only mission.

"Here in Kuwait, we do split operations," said Sgt. 1st Class Timothy DeWitte. "We are the emergency first responders along with the fire department, we conduct patient transportation missions. We also provide combat life-saver training throughout the theater."

The 557th employs its own fleet of ambulances, both civilian and military. They respond to calls on-post as well off-post if it involves a U.S. contractor or Department of Defense contractor.

DeWitte said he believes the 557th's mission is an important one.

"It's an important mission, I remind my guys how important it is," he said. "Our job as Soldiers is inherently dangerous, even here in Kuwait. We don't have mortars being fired at us, but we do have a lot of heavy equipment being moved around and we have ranges."

The ground ambulance's mission directly affects Camp Arifjan's logistical mission, DeWitte said.

"If some one breaks an ankle, it could hamper that unit's mission and slow everything down," DeWitte said. "We stress safety, but if something goes wrong we're here to take care of them."

Another mission that the 557th has undertaken is the implementation of the Joint Mobile Training Team. The JMTT has trained almost 1,200 service members, civilians and foreign service members. They have also trained Kuwaiti emergency medical personnel.

The formation of the team provided its own challenge, Sherbert said.

"At first we didn't know how the Kuwaitis would receive training from our female instructors," Sherbert said. "We had hoped that they would be treated the same way as our male instructors and given the same respect, but when we first arrived in Kuwait we just didn't know."

Sherbert said that after the first class the Kuwaitis were very receptive of their training.

"That experience opened the door for a continued strong partnership with our coalition brothers in arms," he said.

The ground ambulance company keeps service members safe by providing quick and reliable medical care. They help keep unit down-time to a minimum by ensuring victims get aid and transported to a medical facility quickly.

Their presence alone at Camp Arifjan gives service members a little bit of security, DeWitte said.

"We're a vital link to everything that is going on here with units making the transition north and the logistics mission," DeWitte said. "We are a very visual unit, service members can see our ambulances outside. They know if something goes wrong, somebody is going to show up and take care of them. It's one less thing they have to worry about."

Editor's note: This is the last in a three-part series about emergency services in Kuwait.

• Date Taken: 08.12.2007
• Date Posted: 08.12.2007 08:08
• Story ID: 11748
• Location: CAMP ARIFJAN, KW