Medics undergo casualty training

COLUMBUS AFB, Miss. - Medics of the 14th Medical Group participated in a Tactical Combat Casualty Care Course (TCCC) at CAFB, hosted by the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians, on Feb. 23 to challenge medics to perform battlefield care in a simulated combat environment in an aid to bolster their medical skills and readiness. TCCC is designed to help prevent combat deaths by teaching trauma stabilization techniques, enabling the wounded to survive longer until they can receive better treatment. “This is the foundation that all medics should be proficient in doing,” said Lt. Col. Christopher Kelly, 14th MDG chief nurse. Medics had the opportunity to practice life-saving skills they’d use in combat: Tourniquet applications, wound packing, airway support, applying intravenous medications and hemorrhage control. But, rather than use plain mannequins, the 14th MDG used hands-on tactical combat scenarios with augmented dummies with real pig tissue replicated battle wounds to allow the medics to apply needles and chest tubes. These dummies were used as a way to simulate the look, feel and smell of severe traumatic situations on a live human. (Source: CAFB 02/24/20) https://www.columbus.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/2092274/columbus-afb-challenges-medics-with-combat-casualty-exercise/