U.S. Soldiers train Iraqi Police in basic trauma care

Courtesy Photo | CAMP TAJI, Iraq Col. John J. Lammie, left, a doctor with the 550th Area Support Medical Company, Brigade Troops Battalion, Division Support Brigade, observes as Iraqi police officers go through patient treatment procedures. Lammie, who is from Fayetteville, N.C., and his team were training four local area Iraqi Police stations, here, in combat life saving skills throughout July and August.  

TAJI, IRAQ

09.01.2005

Courtesy Story

DVIDS Hub       

Capt. David Hamilton
550th Area Support Medical Company

CAMP TAJI, Iraq -- "Nafiss and Nazif! Nafiss and Nazif!" said Col. John J. Lammie to the 20 Iraqi Policemen in a training session at the Al Taji IP Station north of Baghdad.

Those Arabic terms for "breathing" and "bleeding" were often repeated during the Basic Trauma Treatment course taught by Lammie, a medical doctor from Fayetteville, N.C.

Lammie was joined by other doctors, nurses and medics of the 550th Area Support Medical Company, Brigade Troops Battalion, Division Support Brigade as they taught IPs how to medically respond during emergencies.

The medics of the 550th ASMC"who deployed here from Fort Bragg, N.C., to support the 3rd Infantry Division"have teamed with 4th Platoon, 860th Military Police Company of the California Army National Guard. The MPs patrol with and mentor four IP stations in the communities surrounding Camp Taji.

Along with conducting daily patrols to the stations, the MPs also have the mission of providing classes to the local IPs on various subjects including medical life-saving measures.

The 550th ASMC medics seized the opportunity of the daily visits to provide much-needed first aid and basic trauma training to the IPs, who are often first on the scene of terrorist attacks.

The training was recently conducted in 17 classes at the four IP stations and one IP checkpoint.

More than 170 Iraqi Policemen were taught such basics as airway control, rescue breathing, chest wound dressings, bleeding control, tourniquets, burn treatment, and transporting the wounded.

First Lt. Ronald Leach, a physician assistant with the 550th, planned the final training event using a scenario exercise. Some of the IPs were spread throughout the station, role-playing as casualties, while teams of three policemen responded to their "wounded" partners, assessed their injuries, and treated them.

"They were very enthusiastic," said Leach, who is from Hardinsburg, Ky. He said IPs did a great job evaluating casualties and providing the proper care.

Leach said future training will include teaching the policemen how to transport casualties in IP vehicles as well as how to coordinate with local medical clinics to develop training relationships and access to ambulance services.

• Date Taken: 09.01.2005
• Date Posted: 09.01.2005 13:45
• Story ID: 2886
• Location: TAJI, IQ