Black Hawk aids medical group's training

VOLK FIELD, Wis. -- Several Airmen from the 178th Medical Group, Springfield, Ohio, learned how to transport aeromedical evacuation patients from a UH-60 Black Hawk during the domestic operations portion of the 2011 Patriot Exercise July 13 - 14 at Volk Field Combat Readiness Training Center, Wis.
     The 178 MDG staffed an in Expeditionary Medical Support Basic, which is designed to facilitate surgical and primary medical care in a deployed environment. The operation relied on aeromedical evacuation, ambulances and other vehicles to transport patients to and from the EMEDS Basic.
     "Since EMEDS's inception, we've never worked with an outside agency like DMAT or air evac, so this is something new that's brought challenges in itself..." said Master Sgt. Donnie Diller, the 178th Medical Group's superintendent of aerospace medicine. Having an environment where the groups can perform their roles side-by-side provides a clearer perspective of the big picture, said Sergeant Diller.
     "I would say probably 95 percent of [our] people have not been trained on the [helicopter] loads and unloads. For the other five percent, it's probably been years since they've dealt with that," said Sergeant Diller.
     Army personnel trained Airmen on how to safely approach a running Black Hawk to receive immobile patients, and take them to an EMEDS using four-person litter teams. They also learned how to load immobile patients. Airmen had the opportunity to practice this training with both manikins and live patients.
     "This whole experience is all about teamwork: being able to work with one another and figuring out how to go beyond the differences that we have be able to work as one unit.." said Senior Airman Samantha Rufh, who worked on an aeromedical evacuation litter team. "It's really exciting. I've learned a lot being out here..." she said.