Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Peter Lewis | 190805-N-AZ907-0208 GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala (August 5, 2019) - U.S. Navy and...... read more read more
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U.S. Navy Supports Medical Readiness in Guatemala
By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class (SW/EXW) Peter Lewis, Southern Partnership Station 2019 Public Affairs
GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala (August 5, 2019) – The Southern Partnership Station (SPS) 2019 Medical Engagement Team (MET) conducted subject matter expert exchanges (SMEE) with Guatemalan partners, July 22 - August 16.
Topics covered included tactical combat casualty care (TCCC) for medical personnel and all combatants, massive hemorrhage control, patient movement, and psychological first aid.
“Our SMEEs will help to reinforce the Guatemalan medical students’ understanding of lifesaving techniques,” said Lt. Cmdr. Loren Nedelman, officer in charge, SPS 19 MET. “The patient movement classes are especially beneficial in regulating the movement of large numbers of patients during a crisis, and the exercise gave insight into DOD medical capabilities during a disaster. We also reviewed their MEDEVAC system to ensure the students have a better understanding of and confidence in their medical capabilities.”
“The SMEEs have been amazing, especially seeing the Guatemalan students pick up new skills, as well as them showing us some new techniques,” said Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Tavonda McGhee, from Navy Environmental Preventive Medicine Unit (NEPMU) 2. “Working together has been absolutely terrific. It’s been great exchanging ideas and experiences, and we’ve learned a lot that we can take back to the states. The students did great and I know that if they had to go out and perform any of these tasks, they could.”
During the SMEEs, the MET conducted a joint service patient evacuation drill. The drill including a simulated vessel attack and mass casualty event where Guatemalan military person performed triage and treatment on a large number of simulated injured personnel. After treatment, the patients were evacuated via aircraft to a military treatment facility.
“Although they already have training in tactical medicine, Tactical Combat Casualty Care compliments their medical training,” said Guatemalan army Subteniente Brandon E. Coronado. “After completing training, they will return to their commands and disseminate the information and training to the rest of the soldiers in their brigade.”
SPS is an annual series of U.S. Navy deployments focused on exchanges with regional partner nation militaries and security forces. SPS 19 consists of fly-away deployments of adaptive force packages to Barbados, Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras and Peru to conduct training and subject matter expert exchanges to improve capacity in medical, dive operations, and engineering.
SPS is part of U.S. Southern Command’s Enduring Promise initiative and reflects the United States’ enduring promise of friendship, partnership and solidarity with the Caribbean, Central and South America. U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet is committed to supporting the efforts of partner nations to increase institutional capacity and regional collaboration for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief – one of the greatest challenges facing the region.
For more information and news from U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command & U.S. 4th Fleet, visit https://www.navy.mil/local/cusns/, https://www.faxcebook.com/NAVYSOUS4THFLT/, and https://www.twitter.com/NAVSOUS4THFLT/.
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| Date Taken: | 08.05.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 08.07.2019 01:08 |
| Story ID: | 334818 |
| Location: | GAUTEMALA CITY, GT |
| Web Views: | 97 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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