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| Training in a civilian hospital emergency room prior to deployment helped prepare Army medics for treating injured soldiers and civilians in Iraq. |
| By U.S. Army Spc. Carlos Caro 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry |
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BAGHDAD, Iraq, Nov. 3, 2005 — Thanks to the time they spent training in a Syracuse, N.Y., emergency room, U.S. Army medics from 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division were a little better prepared to respond to the trauma of bomb attacks in Baghdad.
Not all victims are fellow soldiers, either. "Many evacuees are civilians seriously wounded by insurgent attacks," said U.S. Army Capt. Doug Herrmann, a medical officer with D Company, 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry. "Because of their quick actions, these medics saved many lives." During their first two months in Iraq, 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry medics treated and evacuated more than 20 seriously-injured patients. Despite their accomplishments, the soldiers remain humble and dedicated to their task. "We're just doing what we can to save lives," said U.S. Army Sgt. Paul Roberts. "The medics are doing a great job supporting the mission. I'm very proud of these soldiers." Responding to terrorist attacks isn't always easy, said Hermann. However, the medics geared up for these kind of missions long before deploying to Operation Iraqi Freedom 3. "One of the most important programs was trauma training at University Hospital in Syracuse," Hermann said. "In an unprecedented program, University Hospital opened its doors to the 1-87 Infantry Medical Platoon. There, the medics experienced trauma care in the emergency room. They also received professional instruction from emergency room physicians and nurses." |
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This training gave medics excellent preparation for their duties in Iraq, said Herrmann, adding, "They worked with the staff of University Hospital and the Staff Judge Advocates office of 10th Mountain Division to develop this program. It started because of a commitment from the [1st Battalion, 87th Infantry] leadership to ensure our medics had every advantage possible to prepare them for deployment to combat." Hermann said he sought out University Hospital because it is the premier trauma center in central New York. "Now that this is an established division program, I am confident that other medical platoons across 10th Mountain Division will benefit from it as much as [1st Battalion, 87th Infantry] did," he noted. "University Hospital is committed to supporting our troops in a tangible way." Now that they have a couple of months' experience in Baghdad's combat zone, the medics said they're glad they went through the training during their pre-deployment preparation. "The benefit of the University Hospital emergency room training was that all of the medics had the opportunity to experience live trauma treatment in a controlled setting," said U.S. Army Sgt. Michael Singer. "That's much better than having to experience your first live trauma in combat. The ER training helped better prepare us for the real deal." In Iraq, the 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry medics have already been faced with treating multiple combat wounds. "The training at the hospital helped me get over the initial shock of seeing real traumatic injuries," said U.S. Army Pfc. William Pickett, who is on his first deployment. "The first time I had to treat a casualty, I just reacted as I've been trained. "It was pretty weird being shot at while trying to treat someone," he added. |
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