Exercise sharpens medical response to major accident

Published Oct. 13, 2010
By Steve Pivnick
81st Medical Group Public Affairs

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- The 81st Medical Group conducted a major accident response exercise Oct. 7 to prepare for the upcoming Air Education and Training Command Unit Compliance Inspection that begins Oct. 24.

The exercise scenario involved a fuel truck carrying JP-8 fuel "T-boning" a bus with 18 passengers. The accident "victims," students from the 332nd and 338th Training Squadrons, sustained burns and other serious injuries. Medics evaluated and provided immediate care for the injured near the accident scene. The accident victims were then transported to the 81st MDG Hospital by ambulances and Ambus.

They were removed from the emergency vehicles outside the emergency department and, since the accident involved fuel, were cared for by the hospital's in-place patient decontamination team. Following decontamination, the patients were further evaluated and, based on the severity of their injuries, taken inside the emergency department for treatment and later moved to simulated in-patient
units for care.