By Petty Officer 1st Class Christophe
Laurent
ISAF Regional Command North
CAMP MARMAL, Balkh Province, Afghanistan
– In an emergency situation, time is of
the essence. With little time to react, there is no room for error. For
situations requiring quick reaction, knowing what to do and when to do it is
credited to proper training.
Members of the South Dakota Army
National Guard’s 451st Engineer Detachment firefighters collaborated on an
exercise on the proper use of vehicle extrication methods with Afghan National
Air Force firefighters here May 2.
The training evolution is designed to
teach the proper methods to assess a crash scene and expedite the evacuation of
victims who may be in need of immediate medical care.
Army Sgt. 1st Class Austin Hagen, fire chief,
says the information is to prepare their Afghan counterparts the best way to
react in a situation where every moment counts.
“We teach them the proper way to save
lives with the proper tools and techniques,” said Hagen.
By proper tools and techniques, he
refers to what is commonly called the Jaws of Life. He also states, with proper
training and reaction speed, the tools can safely extract a patient from a
vehicle within 20 to 30 seconds, increasing the survivability rate of crash
victims.
Army Sgt. Max Stoltenburg, firefighter,
says the Jaws of Life is a tool used to remove a vehicle from the victim, when
removing the victim from the vehicle is impractical. These utensils are
designed to be portable and readily available to safely and quickly aid in the
rescue techniques of firefighters.
The instruction began with a safety
meeting, where Stoltenburg and Hagen both made comments regarding the day’s
event. Stoltenburg stressed the importance of keeping a safe distance from any
possible hazards and Hagen made the point to the students to bring any possible
threat to his attention.
After the safety brief, the process
began. While the students paid close attention to the explanation of the
demonstration by their teachers, they seemed to become more eager to get their
hands on the tools and perform the tasks as well.
The entire display covered all necessary
steps to recover a victim from a crash site. From stabilizing the vehicle to
the removal of the victim with the hydraulic powered tools, they successfully
extracted the victim from the vehicle.
Since the 451st arrived to Camp Marmal,
they have played a role in the training of their Afghan counterparts.
Army Sgt. Max Stoltenburg says through
both mentorship and formal training, they have seen a level of success to a
high degree of satisfaction.
“We are very proud of these men,” he
said. “Their training has definitely paid off.”
The payoff is also shown through the
efforts of the students when they are not being instructed.
Air Force Master Sgt. Chris Gerwick, a
member of 438th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group Detachment 3, who is assigned
to mentor the Afghan unit on a daily basis, says the Afghan group successfully
applies these skills to real life situations.
“A month ago, this team responded and
successfully extinguished a fire on their own,” Geswick said. “The training
they’ve received is a direct credit to their efforts.”
The commander of the Afghan Air Force
firefighting group, Maj. Said Shah, says he values the efforts the instruction
has offered his unit.
“This is a benefit for us to learn how
to use these tools,” Shah said. “It makes us feel good about being able to help
our people when they need it and the Americans have shown us a wealth of
knowledge with this training.”
Through the training, the instructors
gain their own reward as they claim they are actively participating in the
successful transition process, which gives them a high degree of satisfaction.
“This is a win-win for us,” Hagen said.
“It’s good for them because they are learning new things and it’s good for us because
we sharpen our skills when we teach. With the right training, tools and
techniques in place, these guys will save the lives of their people in need.”
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment