Medical staff are crucial to all of TDI’s projects and operations. Medics are responsible for providing first aid and front-line trauma care in the field. However, it is essential the rest of the team also be versed in First Aid procedures in case a medic is either unable to be present or occupied with another casualty.
Our medics recently conducted refresher training on First Aid Trauma Response and Tactical Practice for the rest of the team (and a new recruit) in Northern Mali.
Pictures show in order: TDI medic going over theory of First Aid Response. Medic uses a blanket to represent a ‘leg’ and water as ‘blood’ squeezed from a bottle into a tube to simulate an arterial bleed and train on bandage blocking. Last picture is team member practicing a tourniquet to stop a massive bleed.
Teams remove ‘casualty’ from MPV during a practical training exercise. Once theory is completed practical exercises are undertaken to ensure teams are prepared for any incidents and are able to operate quickly and cohesively.
Clear to safety and debrief. Teams carry out exercise and then discuss what worked, what didn’t, what may need to be improved and what may have been missed
For the final stage of First Aid response training, the TDI medics set up and supervise a ‘real case’ scenario in a training room with the added pressure of darkness and only a head torch for light to test team’s skills under pressure in a controlled environment.
The same medics were recently faced with a different kind of challenge while on task in the country when they were met with villagers in desperate need of medical attention. They assisted with 175 cases, 4 of which were critical, to the huge benefit of the local people.
