Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Mary Katzenberger | Sgt. Howell A. Pugh, a flight medic with Company C, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Aviation...... read more read more
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FORT STEWART, Ga. – Sand and debris blasted the soldiers as they carried the litter to the waiting UH60 Black Hawk helicopter.
The combat medics with 6th Squadron, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, dug in against the gritty draft, pressed on and successfully transferred the simulated casualty to the flight medics.
The soldiers’ casualty evacuation efforts represented the first of many training iterations, Feb. 23, taking place in the 4th IBCT complex on Fort Stewart, Ga.
Pilots and flight medics with Company C, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment, 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd Inf. Div., partnered with the medics for the hands-on training event, which was held to hone the soldier’s skills in delivering and removing simulated casualties from the aircraft. The medics also learned tips on casualty care and communication techniques, that, when practiced, allow for the provision of a more seamless transition of care for casualties from the ground to the air.
Sgt. Howell A. Pugh, the lead flight medic on hand for the training, said the medical evacuation drills are important because safety is paramount in any operation involving aircraft. The Stephenville, Texas, native said the ground medics need to know how to safely and quickly approach the aircraft to hand off casualties to the crew.
The medics also were taught the order in which to load casualties, how litters are secured once delivered, and what life-saving equipment flight medics have on hand to treat casualties en route to their next echelon of medical care.
Staff Sgt. James B. Ham, a native of Florence, S.C., and a treatment non-commissioned officer with Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 6th Sqdrn., 8th Cav. Regt., said the training was crucial for new soldiers who haven’t been around helicopters before.
“I think it’s important to get these guys out here to get a look at real-time aspects of loading a patient into a helicopter [and] finding out a few things … that we can do on the ground to make it a whole lot easier on [the flight medics],” Ham said. “One of the guys was concerned [whether or not] there [would] be too much air blowing for us to load a patient … [and so] this gave them a little bit of confidence that it’s not that bad once you get out there.”
“It’s important for them to see this and get a feel before they get out there and do it in real life,” Ham added.
| Date Taken: | 02.23.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 02.28.2012 17:05 |
| Story ID: | 84457 |
| Location: | FORT STEWART, GEORGIA, US |
| Hometown: | FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA, US |
| Hometown: | STEPHENVILLE, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 59 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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