CARIBBEAN SEA — USS Wasp's (LHD 1) medical team was put to the test Nov. 7 when it responded to a simulated medical emergency created by the Drug Enforcement Administration during a mass casualty exercise.
In the training scenario, three men from Dominican Republic were severely injured with gunshot wounds they sustained during an encounter with drug traffickers. The wounded were simulated as if they were being airlifted by DEA helicopters to the flight deck of Wasp, where they received emergency medical treatment from Wasp medical staff and the Fleet Surgical Team.
While the DEA is embarked with Wasp, medical support for the Drug Enforcement Administration Foreign Deployed Advisory and Support Team felt it would be useful to create a joint casualty scenario with Wasp.
"In speaking with Wasp's senior medical officer, we thought it would be useful for Medical to rehearse if we [DEA] came back with injured personnel," said a medic with DEAFAST. "I think Wasp did really well with the initial care provided."
Upon the simulated arrival on the flight deck, the Dominicans were immediately assessed by Wasp's medical team made up of medical and dental departmental personnel, and escorted or moved by stretcher to flight deck triage where their wounds were further evaluated.
"In flight deck triage we needed to determine who needed the most urgent care," said Petty Officer 3rd Class Michael Azoy, hospital corpsman. "Two of them were walking and responding well while the other showed signs of major arterial bleeding and needed to be moved to medical immediately. The exercise was very real and was a real eye-opener."
Upon assessment in flight deck triage, the wounded were moved in order of urgency to
medical triage where Wasp medical officers and the FST could further evaluate and assess their condition.
"We were able to communicate injuries and rapidly provide what would have been life-saving care," said FST Trauma Surgeon Capt. Phillip Purdue. "The Intensive Care Unit and ward were ready to receive casualties. We used real instrument sets and discussed in great detail the procedures we would normally have performed. It was very good preparation for the real thing."
Wasp Medical Training Team kept a close eye on the entire evolution; ensuring staff were following proper procedures.
"This evaluation is required every six months," said MTT Coordinator Senior Chief Petty Officer Louis Steele, hospital corpsman. "We needed to show how we would react to a casualty-receiving drill with the FST onboard and also test our communications between the helo and control tower."
Even though this is a normal medical evaluation, the DEA added a few interesting twists to the evolution. The Dominicans were dressed in mock injuries and then covered with real field dressings by DEA Medical Support while in a helicopter to create a level of realism for the medical team. Along with realistic wounds and dressings, the Dominicans also spoke entirely in Spanish.
"We didn't count on the language barrier," said Steele. "We had to overcome hurdles we didn't expect and use a lot more creative thinking. This was probably the most realistic drill we have ever done."
With the wounded stabilized, the medical team concluded the drill, considering it a success with many lessons learned.
"We had a lot of stuff going on but overall it was a job well done," said Petty Officer 3rd Class James Poole, hospital corpsman from the FST. "It gave us new things we don't see every day, and we adapted to it smoothly."
Wasp is currently deployed on Southern Partnership Station-Amphib with Destroyer Squadron 40 and embarked Security Cooperation Marine Air Ground Task Force. SPS is part of the Partnership of the Americas Maritime Strategy that focuses on building interoperability and cooperation in the region to meet common challenges.
| Date Taken: |
11.07.2009 |
| Date Posted: |
12.11.2009 17:13 |
| Story ID: |
42640 |
| Location: |
USCENTCOM, AT SEA |
| Web Views: |
231 |
| Downloads: |
180 |
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