Photo By Ana Henderson | The fully functional 4x4 Mobile Treatment Center is housed on a Dodge Ram 2500 truck...... read more read more
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The Airborne Test Force (ATF) at Yuma Proving Ground is responsible for testing parachutes and air delivery equipment for Yuma Test Center.
Naturally their jumps and drop zones are remotely located across the proving ground’s ranges and have rugged terrain. When ATF Senior Medic Staff Sgt. Ahmed Elinbabi came on board two-and-a half years ago he, “almost immediately” saw a need for a dedicated medical vehicle that could traverse that terrain. Elinbabi was originally traveling in a transit van which wasn’t up to the challenge.
“A van with 16-inch tires is not going get out there. We have gotten stuck multiple times. There have been injuries on the drop-zone where people have been stuck. So, there was a need for something more versatile and dynamic,” tells Elinbabi, “This vehicle is a cog in the well-oiled machine of the ATF airborne and free fall operations.”
He’s served as an airborne medic for 11 years and at YTC is, “responsible for the health and welfare of the test jumpers, riggers and contractors that are involved with the day-to-day freefall operations.”
That means administrative duties such as keeping their health records up to date and ensuring they are physically fit to jump. Up until about three years ago, ATF had to rely on other units to provide medics.
“Other units don’t necessarily have the same experience with airborne and freefall operations, and they don’t have that type of skillset and knowledge,” explained Elinbabi.
Now it’s ATF who is providing the support with a fully functional 4x4 Mobile Treatment Center with occasional support from medics from the YPG clinic or MFF school. The unit is a Dodge Ram 2500 truck equipped with a bed camper shell which can house up to three patients at a time, has areas for a person to lay, sit or stand.
Elinbabi and a driver have been at the scene for events such as the YPG Change of Command and YPG’s 80th Anniversary celebration where their team jumped on to the field and recently provided support for a month while another unit was deployed to YPG.
“I went out with them in the truck when they did their air assault ops. I was there on standby because they didn’t have that capability.”
The Mobile Treatment Center is on site at each test event where jumpers are present. Elinbabi used his experience working as an airborne medic to select care items. The mobile unit is stocked with a range of tools from basic first aid to critical care. It even has a sink! Basically, anything a medic can use to stabilize and treat a patient on scene until flight care arrives. He can provide care for minor to severe, life-threatening critical injuries. He says his most vital piece of equipment is a Propaq Portable Vital Signs Monitoring system.
“The first few minutes after an accident are critical, absolutely critical.”
| Date Taken: | 08.30.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 08.30.2023 09:35 |
| Story ID: | 452316 |
| Location: | YUMA PROVING GROUND, ARIZONA, US |
| Web Views: | 95 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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