Iraqis, 25th ID respond to MASCAL

Multi-National Forces-Iraq ^ | Sgt. Michael Tuttle

[SandRat]

KIRKUK — The sound of emergency sirens streaked through the K-1 Iraqi Army Base as fire trucks and ambulances escorted by military vehicles rushed outside the base to respond to a simulated catastrophic event with massive casualties.

The recent MASCAL training exercise was a joint effort between the Iraqi army and medical personnel and 25th Infantry Division Soldiers from nearby Forward Operating Base Warrior.

In addition to providing urgent medical care to actors playing casualties on the ground, the responders had to deal with the real-world risks of operating outside the security of the base.

With Iraqi and U.S. military trucks forming a secure perimeter around the site, Iraqi medical personnel hustled to the scattered casualties to evaluate their injuries. The casualties lay on the rocky dirt dressed in moulage, rubber “wounds” and makeup worn to simulate bleeding and other injuries.

The casualties were evaluated, transported to triage, by stretcher if necessary, and evacuated to the appropriate medical facility for treatment. Depending on the seriousness of their injury, arrangements were made to ambulance the casualties to the K-1 medical clinic, FOB Warrior or a Kirkuk hospital.

“Coordinating and communicating with all of the elements involved added to the complexity of the exercise,” said 1st Lt. Ranston Harvey, the training exercise coordinator.

“When the alert (of the incident) was made, we had to simultaneously notify FOB Warrior, K-1, the hospital and the supporting services. Everyone had to work together and maintain communication to keep up with what was happening so they could react and coordinate their response.”

The 3rd Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team from FOB Warrior has conducted several MASCAL exercises at K-1. After evaluating previous exercises, it was determined additional support was needed.

“We looked at past MASCALs and the (K-1 medical) clinic staff was doing too many jobs,” Harvey said. “So we contacted the K-1 firefighters and security forces to help.”

Officials at the K-1 medical clinic said the exercise demonstrated that their medics and the Iraqi army were ready to react to the real thing.

“Everyone got there quickly, picked up the casualties and got them to where they needed to be treated,” said Sgt. Mohammed Abbas, one of the first responders and a first aid instructor at K-1.

[SandRat]

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