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***image1***(Editor’s note: First in a three-part series highlighting the 435th CASF)
The 435th Contingency Aeromedical Staging Facility provides around-the-clock operations support for all aeromedical evacuation, urgent and priority patient missions arriving here from downrange.
One of the keys to the unit’s continued mission success is their perpetual state of readiness. Preparing for in-bound patient missions requires constant communication and coordination.
“We prepare as much as 24 hours ahead of time,” said Master Sgt. Phyllis Jenkins, control center administrator. “One of the first things we do on our shift is pull and review the 24-hour report.”
The report provides important information about the missions, the type of aircraft, aircraft schedule and how many patients are on board. Control center administrators review patient movement requests for each patient. PMRs provide clinical information, patient information and any special equipment needs.
“We call the Theater Patient Movement Requirements Center-Europe to get actual versus planned information, since things change constantly in the AE system,” said Sergeant Jenkins.
The TPMRC-E provides vital information about how a patient is classified for flight. For instance, if a patient is classified ‘2A,’ the patient is on a litter and unable to move on his own. This is critical information for manpower planning. Sometimes it takes six people to lift a patient litter from the aircraft to the bus on the flightline.
Manpower planning is critical since the average patient load on missions is more than 40 patients.
“Making sure you get all the details passed on quickly and accurately is really important,” said Staff Sgt. Christopher Reese, control center administrator. “We are the center point or hub where information is dispersed to everyone.”
One of those transport details is the number of urgent and priority patients, and whether there are critical care air transport teams on board. CCATTs provide intensive care to urgent patients during the flight.
“We only provide interim care, and to do that properly, we need to plan ahead and communicate with everyone to ensure that the correct resources are at the plane when it lands,” said Maj. Lisa Corso, a deployed nurse at the CASF.
Vehicles are also essential for the CASF and transporting its patients quickly and safely to the appropriate medical facility.
“Vehicles are our bread and butter, and we need to make sure we have the right vehicle with a licensed driver who knows the routes,” said Staff Sgt. Chad Seibel, a permanent party shift leader.
“We take our driving responsibilities seriously,” said Senior Airman Clayton Harper, a deployed medical technician.
The 435th CASF Airmen don’t do it alone; they work with Marine and Army liaisons to recover patients. The liaisons are notified when Marines or Soldiers are on board, approximately one hour before the aircraft is due to land. Once on the flightline, they help with all patients regardless of their branch of service. The liaisons also help their patients with non-medical issues, such as administrative paperwork and decompressing from the battlefield.
Cpl. Jake Scott, a Landstuhl Regional Medical Center Marine liaison, said he likes working with the Air Force and believes that the most important thing he can do is greet his fellow Marines at the flightline.
“If I were ever injured downrange, I would feel safe knowing that the Air Force is taking care of me,” said Corporal Scott.
