Eglin tests new approach in casualty care training
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. — The 96th Medical Group hosted a Tactical Combat Casualty Care Tier 4 train-the-trainer course Sept. 8-18 that brought together instructors from across the Air Force to test a new standardized approach to TCCC instruction.
Tier 4 represents TCCC’s highest level of training and focuses on advanced battlefield trauma care for combat paramedics and medical providers.
The students traveled to Eglin for th4e training from installations across the Air Force, primarily Pacific Air Forces, because the 96th MDG’s TCCC team is Tier 4 instructor qualified. This new course using Eglin’s team will establish a standard other TCCC training sites can follow creating consistency in how Airmen are trained regardless of the location.
“The Eglin trainers have operational and medical experience in executing TCCC skills,” said Lt. Col. Maritza Ruiz, Air Force Medical Command TCCC program manager. “They’ve taken the Joint Trauma Courses and trainer-specific courses that have contributed to their TCCC expertise. This is the first official Regional Site for the Department of the Air Force.”
The students spent the time homing in on their TCCC skills while learning how to teach those skills to others. TCCC progresses from basic lifesaving skills for all service members to combat lifesaver and medic-level care, with Tier 4 covering the most complex clinical care performed before a casualty reaches a medical facility.
The 96th Civil Engineer Squadron EOD Airmen completed their own training, known as Tier 2 Plus, before the Tier 4 course began. The Tier 2 Plus course delved deeper into physiology, point-of-injury blood transfusions, triage and building casualty collection points.
Caleb Hester, Eglin TCCC program manager, said EOD Airmen can reach an injured teammate before medics because medical personnel cannot enter an area until EOD clears it. The additional training allows the EOD team to begin casualty care during that delay and help identify the most injured patients before medical personnel arrive.
The two groups put that training to work together Sept. 11 during a mass causality exercise simulating a missile strike that left casualties across the site A follow-on drone threat followed the “attack” to further complicate the medical response.
The Airmen triaged and moved simulated casualties before transitioning to a casualty collection point, where they spent roughly 90 minutes stabilizing patients.
Medics directed EOD Airmen through casualty care while continuing to treat patients themselves. The EOD Airmen applied what they learned during their training course as the scenario continued around them. Hester said the scenario replicated conditions Airmen could encounter at a deployed location. Rain and low-light conditions added another layer as participants worked through the simulated attack and moved casualties to cover.
“Building relationships and understanding triage, casualty collection points and doing joint rehearsals early and often will directly lead to increased rates of survivability when they face these situations downrange,” Hester said. Both groups used the same procedures to assess casualties and pass patient information as care changed hands. Ruiz said training medical and nonmedical Airmen together establishes a shared approach to casualty care before a deployment.
“Joint TCCC reduces procedural friction by establishing a shared operational baseline between clinical personnel and tactical warfighters operating under fire,” Ruiz said. “It trains medical providers to maneuver within resource constrained environments while providing advanced casualty management and stabilization during delayed evacuations.”
Creating more Tier 4 instructors allows more Airmen to complete TCCC training on station instead of traveling elsewhere for certification.
“Streamlined deployment pipelines reduce training bottlenecks and TDY costs by establishing on-station certification opportunities for deploying personnel,” Ruiz said.
Ruiz envisions Eglin becoming a primary location for future train-the-trainer courses as the program develops.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
