BUCKLEY SPACE FORCE BASE, Colo. -- In a powerful display of collaboration and readiness, the Colorado Army National Guard, Colorado Air National Guard, and the 460th Civil Engineer Squadron’s firefighter paramedics conducted a quarterly joint trauma training on Feb. 4, 2023, on Buckley Space Force Base.
During this training, the teams took a deep dive into the crucial aspects of medical care, focusing on the proper treatment protocols for various scenarios. Participants expanded upon their knowledge of managing spinal cord injuries, handling extreme fractures and addressing crush syndrome, a severe condition arising from crush injuries.
The medics took part in four different classroom setting trainings before conducting a knowledge-based exercise, simulating the care for a deployed Airman with a crush injury on her lower extremities.
By honing their abilities together to address those injuries effectively, military personnel enhance their capacity to provide timely and proficient care in high-stress situations.
“There is so much information within the clinical practice guidelines, it's our bread and butter for the military and how we communicate with each other,” said Lt. Col. Jason “Cosmo” Patton, 140th Medical Group emergency physician. “You can take a Navy medic and a guardsman that does this part time, and they speak the exact same language. They treat exactly the same by using these guidelines in order to communicate, no matter where we are in the world, according to scientific proven treatment.”
By devoting a training day to enhancing their medical expertise, these military personnel demonstrate a proactive approach to maintaining peak operational readiness.
The joint trauma training marked a milestone as this was the first quarterly session the 460th CES firefighters participated in.
“This is a great training for us to get out of the fire department and get into the community with all the different medical groups here,” said Tommy Latimer, a firefighter paramedic from the 460th CES. “It is a different training environment from what we typically do. It was a lot of fun integrating with a team that we don’t normally integrate with.”
Their inclusion not only enriched the training experience, but also highlighted the value of interoperability amongst the team. Their presence showcased the importance of diverse perspectives and skill sets in cultivating a robust approach to military medical training, setting a precedent for continued collaboration and shared learning in the future.
“We want to be able to prepare in a joint fashion to be able to prepare for the landscape of combat in the future,” said Col. Paul Morton, 140th MDG chief of aerospace medicine. “These trainings are really a great way to try to work together. We don’t actually get to work together often, so this is a great avenue to allow that to happen.”
The ability to jointly deliver timely and proficient medical care in high-stake situations is crucial. Through rigorous and comprehensive training programs like these, military healthcare professionals not only hone their skills, but also cultivate a culture of preparedness and continuous improvement.
By equipping themselves with the necessary tools and expertise to address complex medical situations, these dedicated health professionals bolster the resilience and effectiveness of military medical services. They ultimately contribute to the overall readiness and well-being of our armed forces.