Coalition medical training pays off
A training session held by the US Army, Italian Carabinieri and the Iraqi Federal Police has brought improved capabilities to the Police force for them to provide emergency medical care
A training session held by the US Army, Italian Carabinieri and the Iraqi Federal Police has brought improved capabilities to the Police force for them to provide emergency medical care. The Iraqi Federal Police began their medical training after members of Task Force (TF) MED 47 were invited to observe and grade a basic combat lifesaver skills demonstration. However, TF MED members felt that it was inappropriate to grade the students without witnessing the training that the students had received. Subsequently, TF MED 47 was invited to assist with the FEDPOL medical training.
“The theater mission from our understanding was to help create a local national force that was self-sustaining and self-sufficient,” said Sgt. 1st Class Thomas Kelley, Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge of the Emergency Medical Treatment Team at the 47th CSH. Kelley said the question asked by the chain of command was; “If this is supposed to be self-sustaining, why are we just teaching CLS? Why don’t we teach a CLS instructor course so that the local Federal Police can now teach themselves?”
Col. Robert Howe, commander of Task Force Medical BDSC, approved training for intermediate and advanced medical courses, which would qualify the Iraqi policemen to instructors. Kelley, along with key members of TF MED 47, were instrumental in developing Programs of Instruction which provided a detailed description of the course and phase content, duration of instruction, and resources used to conduct the class. So far 11 members of the Iraqi FEDPOL have completed the advanced course and are now qualified to teach the basic CLS course and see patients in their own clinic.
“I have Iraqi Federal police instructors training CLS for the Iraqis, saving lives for the Iraqis! That’s self-sustaining! That’s why we are here,” said Kelley.
Sergeant Dennis Glass of the US Army wrote of the training: “The [Iraqi Police] students quickly applied tourniquets and evaluated the explosion victims for more injuries. One of the victims arrived at the clinic with partial amputations to both legs. With absolute professionalism, the students were able to stop the bleeding, stabilize with intravenous fluids, and arrange for the transfer of the casualties to the 47th Combat Support Hospital at the Baghdad Diplomatic Support Center for further care.”
The triage and transportation of the injured personnel was coordinated by the Italian Carabinieri, another Coalition partner that has an integral role in training the FEDPOL.
US Army photo by Master Sgt Horace Murray