Photo By Capt. Kevin Maynes | WRAIR-AFRIMS and Royal Thai Army personnel coordinate patient evacuation and provide...... read more read more
BANGKOK, Thailand (March 31, 2025) — In the wake of a 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Southeast Asia on March 28, personnel from the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research-Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences sprang into action to support emergency medical response efforts at Bangkok’s Phramongkutklao Hospital.
Though AFRIMS facilities sustained no structural damage, the nearby hospital experienced power failures and structural instability, forcing the evacuation of its intensive care unit. Despite the risk of aftershocks, Staff Sgt. Matthew Pascual, Maj. Michael Baisa, Capt. Kevin Maynes, and other WRAIR-AFRIMS leaders ascended 11 floors via the fire escape to locate and successfully evacuate several patients who had been left behind.
“In the middle of chaos, our soldiers and civilians did exactly what they’re trained to do—stay calm, assess the need, and get to work,” said Col. Matthew Levine, WRAIR-AFRIMS director. “We talk a lot about readiness, and the truth is we must always be ready—because we don’t always get to choose when the moment arrives.”
As medical care providers began triaging injuries at a temporary site set up in the AFRIMS parking lot, WRAIR-AFRIMS teams coordinated closely with Royal Thai Army officials to manage logistics and patient care. Col. Levine led manpower and support operations, while Col. Eric Garges and Lt. Col. Edgie Co provided real-time medical consultations with the hospital’s care providers. AFRIMS personnel also assisted with evacuation, equipment transport, and patient stabilization.
“I’m profoundly grateful that no AFRIMS employee was injured,” said Col. Levine. “While we typically serve as a research platform for force health protection, on March 28th our iconic building stood strong and became a refuge for nearly 100 critical patients who came flooding into our parking lot from nearby hospitals. This is our community, and in its time of need we showed our capability and our character.”
In the hours following the quake, WRAIR-AFRIMS service members distributed water, installed fans to mitigate the heat, and leveraged local resources to ensure continuous airflow for recovering patients.
AFRIMS resumed full operations on March 31. In the aftermath of the disaster, the institute demonstrated more than operational readiness—it stood as a pillar of humanitarian response, resilience, and U.S.-Thai partnership in a time of crisis.
| Date Taken: | 04.01.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 04.01.2025 13:51 |
| Story ID: | 494235 |
| Location: | BANGKOK, TH |
| Web Views: | 347 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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