Rescue mission:
We did a medical evacuation drill involving three teams: the Ocean Search and Rescue (OSAR), the Glacier Search and Rescue (GSAR) and the Trauma team.
Meet the teams:
Guess who was the victim? Me. Kelly and I pretended to be on an island searching for moss and lichen. You know what… there were some pretty neat moss and lichen carpets where we were dropped off!
The scenario was that I slipped on some algae, got my foot stuck in a rock, thereby breaking a bone just above my ankle. Additionally, as I fell, a sharp rock behind me made acquaintance with a vertebra in my lower back, thereby cracking it and causing a pinched nerve.
Kelly made the “emergency call” that prompted all three teams to dispatch. She stood on a nearby cliff so she could see me while also being able to scan the horizon for the approaching teams on zodiacs.
The scenario involved one more accident! In the process of looking for me, one of the rescuers becomes injured also - a dislocated shoulder.
The rescue operation was successful: I was in good hands, pampered actually (excellent hot tea, Marissa!), and I was carried out on a litter by about 6 people.
One novel thing was that during this drill, I remained on the zodiac all the way to the medical office (so, from zodiac on water to going on the trailer, then hauled up on the trailer, while still in the zodiac, to the Doctor). This was to see if this method was more efficient and safe enough for future rescue missions. The normal procedure would be to offload the patient from Zodiac to the floating dock, and then taken to the Doctor on a stretcher with a wheel.
What a great team effort! Although fun for me to participate (who doesn’t like to be pampered!), drills like these are crucial to ensure the survival of future victims.
Thanks everyone, for a successful rescue! The station is in good hands.
(Thanks, Doc, for the photos and for healing me instantly!)