RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Aeromedical evacuation in the humanitarian and disaster relief environment of Op RUMAN
JF Journal of the Royal Army Medical Corps
JO J R Army Med Corps
FD British Medical Journal Publishing Group
SP 440
OP 442
DO 10.1136/jramc-2019-001240
VO 165
IS 6
A1 George Edward Evetts
YR 2019
UL http://militaryhealth.bmj.com/content/165/6/440.abstract
AB The 700+ Caribbean islands present a vast area of operations (AO) with challenges providing healthcare to the local population and deployed personnel. Predisaster host nation medical care relied on casevac for basic primary and secondary healthcare, with medivac by air for advanced medical treatment. Disruption to facilities and transport links by Hurricane Irma rendered the native healthcare system on its knees. During Op RUMAN, the Royal Air Force Medical Services (RAFMS) provided expertise in prehospital emergency care and critical care aeromed to enable emergency treatment and access to definitive care for local nationals and our own personnel. The ability to provide independent, safe aeromedical care across a variety of aviation platforms is unique to the RAFMS. The AO did not fit any current doctrine; an adaptable, functional unit concept was adopted to enable care to the walking wounded through to critical care along prolonged timelines.