Delivery of emergency care and immediate evacuation are keys to saving in disaster-hit zones. On Friday, the Air Force showcased the disaster preparedness of its Rapid Action Medical Team. The exercise was part of ‘Samvedna,’ the first multilateral Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief exercise conducted by the Southern Air Command in association with the Air Forces of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, and the UAE.
An area inside the Air Force Station was turned into a ‘disaster zone.’ The process began with the setting up of 25 tent-based medical shelters, almost like a full-fledged hospital. The team moves at a short notice in case of a disaster for providing medical and surgical care. The shelters consist of seven hospital tents for resuscitation, ICU, operation theatre, general ward, laboratory and six accommodation tents.
“In the event of disaster, the first unit is moved in the C17 Globemaster, one of the largest transport aircraft. A hospital is set up in six hours. The unit can handle 100 outpatients and conduct eight life and limb saving surgeries a day. The team had made a difference during the floods in Purnea and Awantipur and during the massive earthquake in Nepal,” said Wing Commander Anumeha.
The Patient Transfer Unit, housing critical care equipment, to transfer critically ill patients, was demonstrated. The unit, comprising a transport ventilator, cardiac defibrillator, suction apparatus and two infusion pumps, was built by IAF doctors in 2007.
The final demonstration was at the triage area set up to transport critical patients in air ambulance. “The triage area will have three zones, with the most critically ill patients in the high priority area. They are loaded last into the aircraft and unloaded first. We use an AN 32 aircraft as the air ambulance,” said Medical Officer Amandeep Singh.
Air Marshal R.K.S. Bhadauria, Air Officer Commanding in Chief, SAC, said the aim of the exercise was to share the capabilities of Air Forces of the participating countries to improve the response to a disaster.
