Photo By Andrea Jenkins | Staff Sgt. Ernest Duke Pastor, 349th Aeromedical Staging Squadron biomedical equipment...... read more read more
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CASTRIES, Saint Lucia – Behind every successful medical mission is a team of experts ensuring the equipment remains operational. During the Lesser Antilles Medical Assistance Team (LAMAT) mission, a group of biomedical equipment technicians (BMETs) are working to maintain and repair critical medical devices, allowing healthcare providers to deliver much-needed care to the local community.
Staff Sgt. Ernest Duke Pastor, 349th Aeromedical Staging Squadron, and Staff Sgt. Ricardo Perez, 349th Medical Squadron, are two of the BMET technicians tasked with keeping medical equipment serviceable throughout the two-week mission in Saint Lucia.
From dental chairs and sterilizers to centrifuges and diagnostic tools, their expertise ensures that doctors and dentists can perform their work without disruption.
“Our job is to support the surgeons and dentists,” said Perez. “Wherever the team is providing healthcare, we’re there to make sure the equipment we’re using is maintained and serviceable. It's an incredibly rewarding and satisfying mission. We feel like we're truly making a difference.”
Although the host-nation biomedical teams are highly skilled and self-sufficient, they often face challenges in acquiring necessary replacement parts. In one instance, the LAMAT BMET team had to retrofit an old mounting bracket onto a new part to repair a malfunctioning washer-disinfector at a local hospital.
“It's a collaborative effort," said Duke. "Their technicians are incredibly skilled and experienced, often working with limited resources. They've taught us a lot about modifying equipment and making do with what's available. Their resourcefulness is impressive, and it’s something we can apply when we’re deployed in austere environments. We’re learning just as much from them as they are from us."
The team has also worked alongside the LAMAT dental professionals, assisting in clinics that lack full-time BMET support staff. At one site, they repaired a leaking dental chair, doubling the clinic’s patient capacity.
“We've been working closely with the dental team, as this facility lacks dedicated support,” said Perez. “We've already made a number of repairs, fixing chairs, sterilizers, and various lab and dental equipment. It’s rewarding to know that a simple fix can have a big impact. Now they can see two patients at a time instead of just one.”
While their primary focus is on equipment repairs, the technicians are also documenting their work and ensuring readiness standards are met. They coordinate with local BMET teams, adjust their schedules based on mission needs, and step in wherever necessary to support medical operations.
"This experience is invaluable,” said Duke. "Back home, if we receive the wrong part, we send it back and wait for a replacement. Here, we don’t have that luxury. We have to find solutions with what we have, and that’s exactly the kind of problem-solving we’d need in a deployed environment.”
he team has also experienced the warmth and gratitude of the local community.
“The people here are incredibly kind and appreciative of the LAMAT mission,” said Perez. “Even when we’re out in town, everyone greets you with a smile. It’s a great reminder of why we do what we do.”
| Date Taken: | 03.05.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 03.07.2025 13:12 |
| Story ID: | 492268 |
| Location: | LC |
| Web Views: | 156 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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