212th Combat Support Hospital joins the United Kingdom’s 33 Field Hospital in exercise to operate in a CBRN environment.

Photo By 94th Airlift Wing | Capt. Keisha Green (left) and Pfc. Christopher Stapleton (right) assist with triaging and caring for casualties in a CBRN environment with the U.K.'s 33 Field Hospital at Bordon Training Area for Exercise Jorvik Look 2015. The 212th CSH integrated and trained with the U.K. hospital, learning the capabilities of a NATO Role II hospital while building capacity and interoperability with European allies. (U.S. Army photo by Capt. Sandy Said, 212th Combat Support Hospital)  

BORDON TRAINING AREA, UNITED KINGDOM

10.17.2015

Story by Capt. Daniel Boone 

212th Combat Support Hospital

BORDON TRAINING AREA, U.K. – The 212th Combat Support Hospital (CSH), with collaboration with the U.K.’s 33 Field Hospital (FH) conducted Exercise Jorvik Look 15-3 in Longmoore Training Area, U.K., from Oct. 12 to 17, 2015.

The exercise promoted interoperability between the two hospitals and validated 33 FH’s latest hospital systems that focused on operating in a chemical, biological, radiological, and/or nuclear (CBRN) environment.

The 212th CSH sent 28 Soldiers with varying specialties, such as nurses, physicians, operations, medics, and CBRN specialists to work with their U.K. counterparts to integrate into the 33 FH hospital to work, train, and learn the U.K.’s Soldiers day-to-day medical operations as well as help 33 FH develop their CBRN standard operating procedures and assisted them with conducting practice and training scenarios. Though each section had varying experiences, every 212th CSH Soldier that got the opportunity to go to Jorvik Look walked away with a better understanding of British methods for providing care in a CBRN environment.

The CBRN Soldiers from the 212th CSH assisted in the validation of the 33 FH’s decontamination operations and procedures. They advised the U.K. Soldiers on ways to improve their process. They also worked with them during the training exercise to include a mass casualty scenario in which all casualties required decontamination before they could enter the hospital.

The 212th CSH spent a total of five days training with the 33 FH. The day the 212th CSH left the training was the beginning of a 72-hour lockdown event in which the 33 FH went on lockdown. This would test to find out if they were able to self-sustain for at least three days, to include showers, bathrooms, drinking water, and food. In future exercises 212th CSH will be participating in this lockdown to also test their sustainability.

This opportunity strengthened the relationship between U.K.’s 33 FH and the 212th CSH. Soldiers were able to familiarize themselves with U.K. treatment capabilities and protocols to prepare themselves for future joint operations. The 212th CSH returns with an understanding of U.K. Army methods in providing NATO Role II care (triage and resuscitation, treatment and patient holding, emergency dental treatment, and surgical capabilities) in a CBRN environment.

Once again, the 212th CSH has successfully integrated with their European allies in a multinational exercise building capacity and interoperability in the "Strong Europe" campaign.

• Date Taken: 10.17.2015
• Date Posted: 11.30.2015 08:23
• Story ID: 183093
• Location: BORDON TRAINING AREA, GB