Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Ian Safford | LANSING, KANSAS - Sgt. Wesley Barrett, 117th Medical Company Area Support Unit, Kansas...... read more read more
Training Credited For Quick Medical Response
By Sgt. Ian Safford
105th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
LANSING, KANSAS – Sgt. Wesley Barrett’s shift at the Lansing Correctional Facility was ending when an emergency call crackled over the radio near him. Barrett's training as a combat medic specialist with the 117th Medical Company Area Support Unit took over.
Barrett was mobilized by the Kansas National Guard in mid-April to help with the state's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. His assignment began in Liberal assisting with the expanded community-based testing and then he was moved to Lansing Correctional Facility to help supplement their medical staff.
As his eight-hour shift was ending, Barrett was following-up on paperwork when he heard over the radio “This is (Censored) requesting medical assistance and tourniquet to cell block (Censored)!
The correctional officer and nurse in the room with Barrett began grabbing medical equipment including a tourniquet when the call came in a second time.
“Single mindedly and determined to help, I told the nurse and correction officer that I was going over to help,” Barrett said.
When Barrett arrived at the cell there was a correctional officer applying pressure to the inmate's left arm. Barrett was assessing the situation when one of the officers brought in a tourniquet. He grabbed the tourniquet and focused on his training.
“I applied the tourniquet,” Barrett said. “I noticed that it wasn't tight enough and I wasn’t sure whether I could feel a distal pulse or not. I asked for another tourniquet, but he only had the one. One of the officers handed me a flex cuff. I made an improvised tourniquet with the flex cuff which effectively stopped the bleeding, then I applied a pressure bandage over the wound.”
There was a lot of blood loss and Barrett knew that soon the inmate was going to start feeling the effects and would lose consciousness. He started asking the inmate questions about his family. The inmate asked Barrett if he was in the Army to which Barrett responded yes. The inmate told Barrett that his father had been in the Air Force and his brother was at Marine Corps boot camp and how proud he was of both of them.
A few moments later the EMTs arrived and Barrett handed the inmate over to their care. The corrections team ultimately concluded that the wound was self inflicted. Barrett credits his training for his fast action.
“In the military we train constantly for this type of situation,” Barrett said. “My training kicked in and I was able to act without thinking which helped save this individual’s life.”
| Date Taken: | 06.03.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 06.08.2020 17:14 |
| Story ID: | 371702 |
| Location: | LANSING, KANSAS, US |
| Web Views: | 235 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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