become careless and transport the victim in a way that
will aggravate the injuries.
Emergency Vehicles
In most peacetime emergency situations, some
form of ambulance will be available to transport the
victim to a medical treatment facility.
Navy
ambulances vary in size and shape from the old “gray
ghost” to modern van and modular units. Although
there are many differences in design and storage
capacity, most Navy ambulances are equipped to meet
the same basic emergency requirements. They contain
equipment and supplies for emergency airway care,
artificial ventilation, suction, oxygenation,
hemorrhage control, fracture immobilization, shock
control, blood pressure monitoring, and poisoning.
They will also contain litters, spineboards, and other
supplies and equipment as mandated in BUMEDINST
6700.42. (Table 3–1, at the beginning of this chapter,
lists the currently required equipment for EMT-Basic
level ambulances, and table 3–2 lists the contents of an
emergency bag that a Hospital Corpsman might find in
that ambulance.)
Deployed units at sea and in the field and certain
commands near air stations will also have access to
helicopter MEDEVAC support. Helicopters are ideal
for use in isolated areas but are of limited practical use
at night, in adverse weather, under certain tactical
conditions, or in developed areas where building and
power lines interfere.
In addition to taking these
factors into consideration, the Corpsman must decide
if the victim’s condition is serious enough to justify a
call for a helicopter.
Some injuries require very smooth transportation
or are affected by pressure changes that occur in flight.
The final decision will be made by the unit
commander, who is responsible for requesting the
helicopter support.
Preparing the Patient for Transport
LEARNING OBJECTIVE:
R e c a l l
p re p a r a t o r y, e n ro u t e , a n d t u r n o v e r
procedures for patients being transported to
medical treatment facilities.
Once emergency medical care has been completed
on-scene, the patient must be transferred to the medical
treatment facility. A process known as packaging
provides the means of properly positioning, covering,
and securing the patient to avoid any unnecessary
aggravation to the patient’s condition. (Covering helps
maintain the patient’s body temperature, prevents
exposure to the elements, and provides privacy.) Do
not “package” a badly traumatized patient; it is more
important to transport the critical or unstable patient to
the medical treatment facility quickly.
The most
important aspect of each rescue or transfer is to
complete it as safely and efficiently as possible.
Care of Patient en Route
The emergency care a Corpsman can offer patients
en route is limited only by the availability of supplies,
the level of external noise and vibrations, and the
degree and ingenuity the Corpsman possesses.
3-25
Figure 3–43.—Two-person arm carry (alternate).
