MINNEAPOLIS AIR RESERVE STATION, Minn. -- The rain was pouring down violently, there was a motorcycle mangled and someone face down in the mud in a residential Minneapolis neighborhood August 10, 2016.
Three Aeromedical Evacuation Citizen Airmen on their way to dinner, noticed there was no emergency responders on site and immediately identified themselves as medical personnel and worked the scene.
1st Lt. Mark Galera, 934th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, flight nurse, Tech Sgt. Marie Carrol 932nd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, aeromedical evacuation technician and Staff Sgt. Ryan Schiemo, 34th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, aeromedical evacuation technician, who had not worked or trained together in any capacity before this moment took control of the scene until emergency responders arrived on scene.
“Without any prior plan, we each took a role at the scene,” said Schiemo. “Sgt. Carrol held c-spine immobilization while maintaining an open air way, Lt. Galera managed the scene control and safety and I communicated and relayed information to 911.”
Although they had never worked together, their Air Force and medial training kicked in and they responded efficiently.
“It was seamless,” said Carrol. “We each knew what we were doing and we knew not only how to do it but how to communicate together to care for the patient.
Each one of these reservists not only have medical training from the Air Force Reserve, Schiemo is a paramedic, Carroll is an emergency room nurse and Galera works as a nurse in an intensive care unit.
“This wasn’t the first time anyone of us had experienced a patient in this condition,” said Galera. “When we arrived, the patient was not wearing a helmet and had moderate bleeding on the back of his head.”
Being a paramedic, Schiemo, assisted the first responders when they arrived on to the seen.
“I knew where everything was kept in the vehicle and coordinated with them and retrieved essential gear as needed and requested by the firefighters and paramedics,” Schiemo said. “This team was great! And it shows directly how we all get such great training, not only how to perform medical tasks but also how to work together.”
As a team, they coordinated the call with 911, stabilized the patient and worked with first responders to help the patient. They provided the necessary care to help the patient and sustain life.
The Airmen recently arrived to Minneapolis Air Reserve Station, Minnesota, to participate in Patriot Warrior. Patriot Warrior is the Air Force Reserve's premier contingency deployment training exercise, designed to demonstrate training ranging from bare base buildup to full operational capabilities.