local operational readiness exercise Beverly High 11-4

Senior Airman Cory Hasik (right) and Airman 1st Class Christopher Draper (left), both from the 18th Civil Engineer Squadron, load Airman 1st Class Malix Britton, 18th Equipment Maintenance Squadron, on to a litter to be transported to the hospital after he was “hit by a truck” and sustained multiple as part of local operational readiness exercise Beverly High 11-4, May 17, at Kadena Air Base, Japan. Kadena's personnel are participating in the LORE to stay prepared for real world contingencies. (U.S. Air Force photo/Junko Kinjo)

SABC 'is helpful'

Published June 13, 2013
By Senior Airman Bahja J. Jones
379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- On the bus headed home after an evening shift, Staff Sgt. Matthew Lothrop noticed the bus slowly start to drift off the road into the gravel. When he looked up to see what was happening, he noticed the bus driver's head was down.

"I yelled 'stop' as loud as I could, but there was no response from the driver," he said. "I ran to the front of the bus and pulled the emergency brake just as the front bumper hit a boulder. It was then I realized he was unconscious."

Lothrop is an 8th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron Aerial Port cargo processing supervisor deployed from Dover Air Force Base, Del. He was involved in an incident May 29 requiring him to respond quickly and administer Self Aid Buddy Care, potentially saving lives.

"When I noticed the bus driver was unconscious, it was almost second nature and [my training] kicked in instinctively," he said. "I got him to regain consciousness and started feeding him liquids while another Airman went to the entry control point to notify security forces and radio for an ambulance."

Lothrop attributed his actions to the training he received during SABC and the combat life savers course he attended during combat skills training.

"SABC is helpful," Lothrop said. "All the information they provide you will come in handy someday, you just hope you never have to use it."

Self-Aid Buddy Care is training provided to Airmen in Basic Military Training and an annual requirement. The course teaches basic life sustaining techniques for casualties until medical attention can be administered. SABC is more than just medical care provided in field conditions although application is mostly described in combat operations. The life-saving skills practiced in SABC can be used in incidents on-and-off duty when least expected.

"The most important thing I gained from this experience is to take [SABC training] seriously and remember those tools in the event that someday you have to use it," said Lothrop.