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Deployed aeromedical evacuation team supports life-saving ops

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Bahja J. Jones
  • 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  In remote deployed locations, advanced levels of medical care isn't always available and aeromedical evacuation teams are needed to transport patients to medical facilities for additional treatment. AE crews here rely on quick, careful coordination of the Aeromedical Evacuation Operations Team accomplishing leg work on the ground for successful AE operations.

"They are the heartbeat of the aeromedical evacuation mission," said Capt. Alfred Chan, the 379th Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron director of operations deployed from Travis Air Force Base, Calif. "They pump information to the different 'body parts' of the operation."

The AEOT is the focal point for coordination of AE operations. Once an alert is received, the AEOT notifies AE crews, the air tactical operations center, logistics, supporting air frames, load masters and the Contingency Aeromedical Staging Facility, who are all key players in getting the aircraft off the ground.

"Communication is vital," Chan said. "If any one of the components isn't properly notified, it can create a bottleneck in the entire mission."

Mission identifiers are sent to the AEOT from the Aeromedical Evacuation Control Team, who notifies them of potential aeromedical evacuations.

"The AECT tells us how many medical crews are needed for the particular mission and if there is a need for a Critical Care Air Transport Team, dependent on the number of patients and their conditions," said Master Sgt. Scott Orosz, the 379th EAES AEOT NCO in charge deployed from Pittsburgh International Airport Air Reserve Station, Penn.

Placing the mission identifier number into a computer-based system, the AEOT gains access to the patient and location information used to create a package to brief the crews and determine aircraft configuration based on equipment needed.

"Configuration of the aircraft is ultimately up to the crew, but the AEOT assists with getting it set up before take-off," Orosz said. "We move straps and stanchion poles used to secure litters and help load equipment accordingly after crew members assess the type of cargo and space allocated."

Ensuring mission success is a team effort as they only have three hours to complete the checklists and get the aircraft prepped prior to take-off after an alert. Off-duty AE crews come in and assist in any way they can to ensure the deadline is met.

"It's crucial that the crews leave on-time," said Tech. Sgt. Chris Hines, a 379th EAES AE technician deployed from Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. "We assist the AEOT because the mission is so critical. If there is a delay, it effects everything downrange and can potentially put patients at risk."

Some AEOT members are also certified AE crew members and able to augment missions as needed.

"AE crew experience allows ground members to see the mission through a larger scope and they bring that perspective into the coordination cell," said Senior Master Sgt. Brian Crain, the 379th EAES superintendent deployed from Will Rogers Air National Guard Base, Okla.

In addition to being the crucial coordination cell for AE missions here, the AEOT has a squadron aviation resource manager who verifies that all of the AE crews are current in their requirements, generates the flight authorizations and processes the paperwork to document the flight hours for each member.

"The AEOT is the hub, so we are the facilitators and coordinators of the entire operation," Orosz said. "Without an AEOT presence the mission couldn't take place - crews wouldn't be alerted. Even though we aren't the ones performing the AE we ensure mission execution."