315 Airlift Wing Public Affairs
2/2/2013 - Joint Base Charleston, S.C. -- When the Airman walked into the clinic there were no immediate signs of distress; however, it didn't take long before his demeanor changed and chaos soon erupted. With a phone in one hand, and a semi-automatic pistol in the other, the last thing he said walking out the front door of the clinic was "I will blow this place up!"
Once the lone gunman was outside, smoke began to fill the clinic waiting room. People started to moan and cry out for help, and many of the injured simply lied motionless on the floor. Airmen were covered with blood, and many of them showed visible signs of mass trauma to their bodies.
A mass casualty exercise is now underway at the Joint Base Charleston Medical Clinic. Handling this type of incident is never easy; however, the men and women of the 315th Airlift Wing were put to the test as they worked to showcase their readiness for any real-world disaster they might encounter.
According to Maj. Amelia Simmons, 315th Aerospace Medicine Squadron chief of medical readiness, more than 145 Airmen from the 315 AW here actively participated in the exercise Jan. 26. Firefighters, civil engineers, members of the clinic, and aeromedical evacuation personnel all played crucial roles in the success of the exercise.
Firefighters from the 315th AW were first to respond to the scene of the attack. Securing the building and removing wounded heroes from danger was their first priority.
Outside the clinic, health-care providers from all backgrounds began the process of triaging the wounded. Speed, accuracy and proper communication were crucial components of the triage efforts.
"Seconds save lives in situations like this," said Simmons. "Our men and women are professionals and they know what to do. We train hard, and we know how to work together to ensure the best possible outcomes for our patients."
Some of the simulated injuries were minor, and the injured Airmen were able to walk away with small scrapes and bruises; however, many of the Airmen required critical care and needed to be transported by plane to another location for proper medical treatment.
Doctors, nurses, medical technicians, and other 315th AW Airmen carried wounded Airmen on stretchers and loaded them onto busses for transport to a C-17 Globemaster III which was awaiting their arrival. Onboard the aircraft were team members from the 315th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron.
Members from the 31th5 AES are trained to save lives. They have a unique Air Force Reserve mission, and within minutes they can transform the cargo compartment of an aircraft into a flying hospital.
"Our goal today is to ensure everyone participating in the exercise understands the proper way to load our wounded Airmen onto the aircraft and secure them for flight," said Senior Airman Storm Ford, 315th AES medical technician. "Proper communication is the key to getting patients loaded safely and quickly. Any break in our communication process slows us down, and we can't afford to lose valuable time when lives are hanging in the balance."
More than 15 evaluators monitored the exercise, and they placed high emphasis on safety, timeliness and accuracy. Simmons and her team were debriefed by the evaluators after the exercise.
Simmons said it's important to receive solid feedback from the evaluators. The feedback helps them address any issues, learn from their mistakes, and capitalize on their accomplishments.
An exercise of this magnitude required everyone involved to pay attention to detail and work together to stay one step ahead of the game. Communication was vital.
"Our biggest challenge is always communication," said Simmons. "We overcome communication obstacles by staying focused, keeping our minds clear, and thinking forward. We know the challenges, and it's our job to go out there and make great things happen. I'm proud of what we accomplished here today."
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