Army Health Clinic Supports Mass Casualty Drill During RIMPAC

Photo By Maj. Ramee Opperude | 180711-O-FV657-0679 SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii (July 12, 2018) - Soldiers from the U.S. Army Health Clinic Schofield Barracks escort simulated casualties to the appropriate level of care during a mass casualty drill (MASCAL) during the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise, July 11. Twenty-five nations, 45 ships, five submarines, about 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating RIMPAC from June 27 to Aug. 2 in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California. The world’s largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity while fostering and sustaining cooperative relationships among participants critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security of the world’s oceans. RIMPAC 2018 is the 26th exercise in the series that began in 1971. (U.S. Army photo by Ramee Opperude/Released)  

HI, UNITED STATES

07.11.2018

Story by Ramee Opperude 

Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet           

SCHOFIELD BARRACKS (July 11, 2018) U.S. Army Soldiers and staff trained for a mass crisis on July 11 as the casualties arrived by the dozens at the health clinic on Schofield Barracks.

Matt Momiyama, emergency plans and operations officer, U.S. Army Health Clinic - Schofield Barracks (USAHC-SB), reported the earthquake from the emergency operations center and to expect casualties over the intercom and to personal handheld radios across the clinic.

According to the logistics technicians, the scenario was well planned and the details thoroughly explained to participating staff prior to the event. Training of this caliber and complexity required advanced planning by several sections including the logistics department accordingly to several role players.

“For each designated station, we have MASCAL [mass casualty drill] chests on standby,” said Shawn Jenkinson, medical logistics tech. “Supplies are inventoried on a regular basis throughout the year for readiness.” “During this event, logistics were resupplied as needed, including the essentials; ace wraps, emergency bandages, tourniquets, ecetra.”

The planning for the exercise required the involvement of operations, logistics, clinic services and the majority of the USAHC-SB administrative staff. The clinic was able to continue day-to-day operations during the exercise due to the close coordination with the 8th Theatre Sustainment Command and 25th Infantry Division medical teams.

Soldiers dressed as casualties were walked and driven to the USAHC-SB campus to receive care. Staff escorted patients and provided family assistance while treating fractured limbs, cuts, and head injuries, as though the Soldiers actually suffered the injuries.

“Each year as required, the clinic plans for and executes a large scale training event which takes months of planning,” said Momiyama. ”We are a part of the larger U.S. Army Hawaii Installation response team and are here to provide care in the event we are needed.” It is exciting to see the results of everyone’s hard work but we will immediately begin planning for the next iteration to improve and get after our training objectives.”

Several areas received a constant flow of wounded role players including the acute care clinic (ACC) which was located hundreds of feet from the initial triage area in the ambulance arrival area.

“It's vital for the entire clinic to be prepared and able to respond during a MASCAL,” said Capt. Kristine Wilson, acute care clinic nurse, USAHC-SB. “We are the epicenter of emergency medicine during such an event and need to be engaged and ready for the mass influx of potential patients. "When this increase in activity occurs, we need to utilize all available staff to assist, often using the support of staff outside of the ACC, in the stabilization and transfer of immediate patients to a higher level of care.”

During the exercise, the emergency operations center was located in the clinic headquarters and provided oversight to the ACC, the transport holding area, the manpower pool, the family assistance team and the orthopedics expectant team.

By the end of the exercise over 40 casualties had processed through the patient administration division following assessment by the triage team and received an appropriate level of care.

The mass casualty drill was part of a larger, island-wide training scenario during the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise. Schofield Barracks, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam and other locations took part in the event which helped certify 22 hospitals throughout Hawaii.

Twenty-five nations, 46 ships, five submarines, about 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC from June 27 to Aug. 2 in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California. The world’s largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity while fostering and sustaining cooperative relationships among participants critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security of the world’s oceans. RIMPAC 2018 is the 26th exercise in the series that began in 1971.

• Date Taken: 07.11.2018
• Date Posted: 07.16.2018 22:39
• Story ID: 284504
• Location: HI, US