MEDEVAC OS3 RACHEL CHRISTENSEN

Overview To discuss procedures and operations we as radio watch standers should carry out when a Medical Emergency needing immediate assistance occurs in our AOR.

MEDEVAC DEFINITION A MEDEVAC is the evacuation of a patient suffering from an injury or ailment which warrants transportation from a vessel or other remote location to a medical facility or other place where suitable care can be administered. A Sector will normally assume SMC of MEDEVAC cases within its own AOR.

MEDICO/MEDEVAC CHECK OFF SHEET Know where the check off sheet is in the COMMCEN This information that you gather for the check off sheet from the persons in distress will be the info you relay to the flight surgeon so that he/she can asses the situation quickly and in the most accurate way possible.

MEDEVAC –Relaying Info In all MEDEVAC situations, competent medical authorities shall be consulted for a recommendation. The purpose of this consultation is to provide the SMC with a medical opinion on: Patient’s clinical status, and Patient’s probable clinical course if a MEDEVAC is delayed or not accomplished.

In order of preference, sources of emergency medical advice are: (According to CG Directive) Other Coast Guard or DOD Flight Surgeon or Aviation Medical Officer Other Coast Guard/DOD General Medical Officer; and Civilian physicians. At UMR St. Louis MO Sector, we will call D8 COMMCEN, inform them of situation. They will them contact the D8 District Flight surgeon, who will call us, we in turn give him/her the info necessary to talk us through helping the persons in distress.

The medical consultation may include a recommendation to MEDEVAC or not; the SMC will consider that recommendation along with other factors before deciding on a course of action. Other factors that the SMC must consider before deciding on a MEDEVAC include: Medical capabilities of responding personnel and equipment. Type of resource (aircraft, boat, other) available. Availability of merchant or DOD resources capable of responding Environment--wind, seas, darkness, etc Risks to rescue personnel Risks to person being evacuated. (In addition to the normal risks associated with a boat transfer or helo hoist, some medical conditions may be aggravated by such operations.) The resource arriving on scene can asses the situation and still decide whether to evacuate or not to because of these risks.

Resources Contact an area’s police department, EMS, Fire Department, CG Aux, or any other emergency service that may be available. It is the SMC’s responsibility to contact a resource to respond, and make necessary ambulance and hospital arrangements (D8 SOP pp. 3-12). We have no CG assets to deploy other than our Aux, or possibly small boats if persons in distress are close and CRESP says to deploy. Who you call depends on the situation, the location, and the availability of resources in any given area.

Additional info you will need to collect following actual evacuation Name of each person removed from vessel. Location (hospital/emergency room) where patient was delivered. Condition of patient upon delivery. Name, rank, command, and recommendation of flight surgeon contacted prior to MEDEVAC.

Summary Collect information via check sheet to relay to flight surgeon You will be consulted by a competent medical resource (flight surgeon) so that you can be provided with a medical opinion prior to medical services arriving or if none can arrive. Make sure you have resources capable of a MEDEVAC. Contact a capable resource and make necessary arrangements. Collect other information concerning patient.

Cited sources FACSFACINTS3120.1E CGD11 CG DIRECTIVE CCGD8 SOP OTHER USEFUL PUBS USCG Addendum to National SAR Manual COMDTINST M SEC 4.7 pp. 4-25

The End Questions, comments, complaints, suggestions…….