Task Force Alamo works with Expeditionary Medical Facility for mass casualty exercise

Photo By Senior Airman Scott Jackson | Lt. Cmdr. Jaime Criswell, registered nurse, Camp Lemonnier Expeditionary Medical Facility Staff, coordinates treatment with LT. Cmdr. Robert Osmer, out of view, surgical physician, Camp Lemonnier EMF, during a mass casualty exercise on at the EMF clinic on Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, August 30, 2018. EMF and Task Force Alamo coordinated to run the exercise. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Scott Jackson)  

CAMP LEMONNIER, DJIBOUTI

08.30.2018

Story by Senior Airman Scott Jackson 

Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa

Task Force Alamo and Camp Lemonnier Expeditionary Medical Facility staff, participated in a mass casualty exercise Aug. 30, 2018.

The exercise's purpose was to demonstrate the relationship between Alamo and the EMF staff, to identify any issues and to fix them, so if a real world event happens, responders will be better prepared.

"We're doing a joint exercise with Task Force Alamo and civil affairs," said Lt. Claudio Alvarado, emergency nurse, Expeditionary Medical Facility. "We're
trying to work out our standard operating procedures, trying to see how we work with each other and see if every part of what we do is functional. In a real mass casualty [event] the EMF is staffed only to fit what we can. There will be times when we don't have all the staff members that we need, and if that's the case, then we actually incorporate all the ancillary units out here that have medical capabilities to come help us."

The scenario started at a nearby, camp motor pool. Role players, as mechanics, simulated dropping a Humvee before removing the gas tank, causing an explosion and injuries to the role players. Task Force Alamo medics responded, rushing them to the EMF where they were unloaded and received for treatment, by the EMF staff.

"No matter what it is that you do, you can become over confident," said Staff Sgt. Michael Waits, medical operations noncommissioned officer in charge, Task Force Alamo. "What we learned today is that there are things that are continually improved upon ... So we practice to prevent things like that from happening."

• Date Taken: 08.30.2018
• Date Posted: 09.24.2018 04:07
• Story ID: 291112
• Location: CAMP LEMONNIER, DJ