Rakkasan Battlepack saves lives

Photo By William Jones | The Eagle First Responder Kit, that all Rakkasans of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team must have on their IBA's, will save lives by giving them the needed tools to provide immediate first aid while under fire.  

BAYJI, IRAQ

12.09.2005

Courtesy Story

133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

Sgt. 1st Class Walter E. van Ochten
133rd MPAD

BAYJI, Iraq (December 2, 2005)"The Rakkasans have a new pack...filled with a nasal tube, latex gloves, pressure dressings and a 14-gauge catheter. This pack could save the life of a fellow soldier while under enemy fire.

The new medical pack is part of the101st Airborne Division's Eagle First Responder program. Training for everyone in the 3rd Brigade Combat Team is currently underway and will soon be completed.

The Eagle First Responder program began in October of 2004 by former 101st Division Airborne Surgeon, Lt. Col. Michael Place. He examined the tactics, techniques and practices of the 75th Ranger Regiment program and the battlefield casualty data gathered by the US Army Institute of Surgical Research. Then, after some modifications to better suit the 101st mission, his team came up with the Eagle First Responder program.

According to Capt. Peter Purrington, 3rd BCT's Brigade Surgeon, the program is similar to the combat lifesaver program in that it is designed to teach non-medical Soldiers very basic medical skills, but it is much more.

The new skills that the Soldiers learn from the program are how and when to use the tourniquet, the ability to open an airway with a nasopharyngeal (NP) airway tube and the use of a 14-gage catheter to relieve tension pneumothorax, which is chest pressure.

"It differs from combat lifesaver in several ways. The biggest change is with the use of the tourniquet in cases of severe bleeding from extremity wounds. Prior to this change, we found Soldiers were dying from bleeding while we here doing the airway, breathing and circulation checks," said Purrington. "Now we talk about stopping severe bleeding first."

Purrington and his team teach Soldiers how to recognize and treat severe bleeding first, then to move on to the airway, breathing, circulation, signs of shock, and finally the IV.

Previously, applying the tourniquet was being used as a last resort due to fears of causing further damage. On the battlefield, however, they have found that applying the tourniquet quickly and evacuating for further treatment can be done with little risk to the casualty.

During the 14-gauge catheter training, known as needle decompression, the Soldiers learn to put a 14-gauge catheter into the chest cavity to relieve pressure in the chest cavity. This pressure, known as tension pneumothorax, is caused when the lung collapses and creates decreased blood flow to the heart.

With their battlepack and the skills learned in treating tactical combat casualties in the fire zone, Rakkasans can do a lot to save the lives of their fellow soldiers on the modern battlefield.

• Date Taken: 12.09.2005
• Date Posted: 12.09.2005 08:46
• Story ID: 4002
• Location: BAYJI, IQ