Tinker Air Force Base Trains Medics In Mass Casualty Exercise
MIDWEST CITY, Oklahoma -
Medics at Tinker Air Force Base received hands-on training on base Friday morning. They were thrown into action during a simulated mass casualty event, without knowing any information beforehand.
The training exercise began around 8 a.m. with people covered in blood and varying injuries strewn across a parking lot.
The volunteer victims called for help, as teams of medics assessed and treated their severe wounds, put them on stretchers and carried them away from the causality site.
"[My] Adrenaline was absolutely pumping when the first patient came in. Someone referred to me as a G.I. Joe medic cause as soon as I saw the patient, I was like let's do it," said Senior Airmen and medic Thomas Sackett.
The training event took six months of planning, with the last two being intensive.
The Medical Group Commander, Colonel Jennifer Trinkle said the event is the ultimate test in readiness.
"It gets us ready mentally, physically, emotionally," Trinkle added. "They don't know the casualties or any other types of patients they'll be dealing with, so it's more realistic than we would in a classroom."
"Looks like something potentially could have exploded, maybe some chemicals in the air," said Sackett.
The event had three main locations, the blast site, a decontamination tent, and a medical center where victims could receive further treatment. In each location teams of medics worked together seamlessly.
"Our medics are anywhere from two days in the military to 27 years. So, it's how you work as a team during an event like this. The communication, using each other's experiences to take care of the people so we can take care of team Tinker," said Trinkle.
Evaluators took notes and judged the trainees' actions throughout the exercise.
Officials said it is more of a learning experience than a pass or fail exercise.
