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The National Jamboree provides the opportunity for joint teams of military emergency medical services and civilian agencies to use their experience and years of cross training to increase their level of readiness.
Security and support are at the heart of the Jamboree as it accommodates over 30,000 youths, troop leaders, volunteers, professional staff and around 15,000 visitors on the Summit Bechtel Reserve.
“It’s important for the Army to do this, especially the West Virginia National Guard because it helps us to work in conjunction with our state and federal partners in cases of disasters and in a state of emergency,” said Army Maj. Paul T. Vaughn, a representative from the State Surgeon’s Office of the West Virginia National Guard. “We are in a state of preparedness which is just shy of a state of emergency, and it helps us exercise a lot of training in support of these events.”
Minor injuries are inevitable during the next 10 days, as approximately 40,000 scouts and visitors will participate in rigorous competitive sporting activities in temperatures above 80 degrees over 10,000 acres of property.
In response to the influx of people on the property, a fleet of Field Litter Ambulances (FLA) will be spread out to different locations 24 hours a day during the Jamboree. All emergency calls will be dispatched to the closest FLA team to respond, treat and transport the injured.
An injured person may end up receiving aid from Army Lt. Col. Michael Mystenski, a physician assistant assigned to the 142nd Area Support Medical Company, Connecticut Army National Guard and Army Staff Sgt. Mario Bustos, a combat medic assigned to the 28th Combat Support Hospital, 44th Medical Brigade, Fort Bragg, N.C. The two have never worked together before, yet are using their unique experiences to augment each other to provide the greatest care to their patients.
“My role is important here because I think it gives the medics a point person to go to with experience in trauma-related cases,” said Mystenski.
“I have worked with Army National Guard in Afghanistan but have never worked with civilian counterparts,” said Bustos. “This is my first time with a civilian population as large as this, but it would work really well in future cases of responding to disasters.”
West Virginia has seen its share of natural disasters in recent years and the National Jamboree is an opportunity to train and test the state’s emergency resources and capabilities.
“There are training venues throughout the state where military and civilian agencies can help us prepare to respond to disasters in the state, so we take advantage of such events and use it as a training opportunity,” said Jimmy J. Gianato, director of the West Virginia Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.
The preparations for the 2017 National Jamboree and a natural disaster are similar, except a disaster would render less notice, said Staff Sgt. Brian Vassak, assigned to the 118th Multifunctional Medical Brigade, Connecticut Army National Guard.
“This is great training to respond to natural disasters, especially for the multifunctional medical battalion because these are more than likely the type of operations they will be performing,” said Vassak.
By working together, military and civilian first responders are building channels of communication, improving inter-agency coordination and are creating a safer, more secure environment for everyone involved.
| Date Taken: | 07.17.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 07.19.2017 17:25 |
| Story ID: | 241799 |
| Location: | GLEN JEAN, WEST VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 99 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, The 2017 Jamboree offers the opportunity to work together, by SGT Jacob Banuelos, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
