FAIRBANKS, Alaska - Medical professionals from Interior Alaska visited Fort Wainwright to learn how they can benefit from adopting trauma care strategies used by Army combat medics.
Unlike trauma care in the civilian world, combat medics often face mass casualty, poly trauma situations in the field. Some medical professionals are turning to methods used by the military as emergency rooms and EMTs face an increase in tragedies such as mass shootings. “The whole process for treatment is different in the civilian mindset,” said Choto-Helming. “So, we focus in the army on massive hemorrhage first, securing the airway, checking for respirations and any chest wounds.
“The next portion is our combat focused I guess parts and that’s what the bread and butter of our job is.” The first four weeks of combat medic training is the same as EMT training, but they have an additional 12 weeks of specialized combat medic training. During this time, the medics learn not only how to prevent casualties, but protect themselves and their patients while under fire. This is also a practice that could be used by civilian EMTs that respond to a mass shooting.