Military medics beat the heat at National Scout Jamboree

Photo By Staff Sgt. Rachelle Blake | U.S. Air Force Airmen attached to Joint Task Force-National Scout Jamboree, simulate an ambulance load July 25 during preparations for the Boy Scouts of America’s 2010 National Scout Jamboree. Department of Defense personnel are serving as medical staff in support of the Jamboree, which runs from July 26 through Aug. 5. The JTF’s goal is to provide professional military support and a safe and secure environment for Scouts and visitors during the event. The DoD’s presence and effort at the NSJ emphasizes the commitment to the nation’s youth.  

FORT A.P. HILL, VA, UNITED STATES

07.28.2010

Story by Airman 1st Class Rachelle Blake 

Joint Task Force - National Scout Jamboree

FORT A.P. HILL, Va. -- With nearly 300,000 visitors expected to attend the Boy Scouts of America’s 2010 National Scout Jamboree over the coming days, the Joint Task Force-National Scout Jamboree medical team is ready for the challenges large groups and extreme temperatures may present.

“Our mission is to ensure the safety of everyone here at Fort A.P. Hill, [Va.], for the National Scout Jamboree,” said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Michael Sousa, ambulance service technician. “It gets pretty hot here, so it’s nice to be able to ensure everyone stays safe and we’re able to provide medical support.”

Most of the calls the medical team have received have been heat related injuries, where individuals have been outside too long without proper hydration, said Sousa. Failure to alternate appropriate work-rest cycles may also lead to heat stress or heat stroke. During the 2005 Jamboree, the medical staff fielded 1,130 victims of heat exhaustion in just three hours, he said.

The best way to avoid heat related injuries is to stay hydrated, stay in the shade and pay attention to designated heat stress warnings, said U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Shawn Owens, task force medical technician.

Department of Defense personnel are staffing an improvised tent-based hospital, known as “Jambo General,” complete with helicopter medical evacuation capabilities, said U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Mariana Hopper, aerospace medical technician. Among the staff are approximately 20 Air Force ambulance technicians with two to three members serving aboard each vehicle. The Army provides paramedics and veterinary support for military working dogs.

“The Air Force and the Army provide ambulance coverage for the entire Jamboree,” Owens said. “We’re stationed out at the ‘egg,’ where we can focus on the Boy Scouts, and at Wilcox Camp to care for our service members.”

The JTF-NSJ brings active duty, reserve and National Guard service members together from across all five branches of the military to support the Jamboree, allowing them to combine their service-specific skill sets to make the Jamboree a safe and successful event.

“It’s nice working with other branches of the military,” Owens said

• Date Taken: 07.28.2010
• Date Posted: 07.28.2010 21:23
• Story ID: 53583
• Location: FORT A.P. HILL, VA, US