Air Force hospital saves lives of Iraqi terrorist attack victims

  • Published
  • By Maj. Robert Couse-Baker
  • 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq (AFPN) --  Shortly after terrorists set off a string of car bombs in the nearby town of Balad on Sept. 29, medical professionals at the Air Force Theater Hospital here prepared for an influx of severely injured patients.

"When we started unloading the first Army helicopter, I realized that everyone who came in was going to require an operation," said Maj. (Dr.) Alan Murdock, chief trauma surgeon.

Working through the night and into the next day, the hospital's staff would treat more than 29 Iraqi civilians, including three children. In all, the 19 military surgeons performed more than 80 procedures.

"This would have overwhelmed most level-1 trauma centers in the states," said Col. (Dr.) Elisha Powell, commander of the 332nd Expeditionary Medical Group. "Not a single one of (the injured Iraqis) had minor injuries."

As the wounded arrived, it was clear to the staff that prioritizing the care was going to mean the difference between life and death for many of the patients. Dr. Murdock quickly began assessing the patients' injuries, then matched them with the most qualified and appropriate providers.

"We broke the surgeons down into teams, depending on the injuries," he said.

Some teams had an orthopedic surgeon matched with an expert in repairing blood vessels. Because of the extent of the carnage, many of the hospital's specialists would need to apply their specialties, including brain surgery. Others would focus on basic emergency lifesaving efforts.

"Whatever skills you have, you put them to best to use wherever they're needed," said Maj. Kim Sullivan, chief night nurse supervisor with the Australian Army. His focus was tracking the big picture of patient and resource flow.

Like a juggler, Major Sullivan said, "You have to keep a lot of balls in the air at once."

By the standards of any medical center -- let alone one operating in tents and trailers in a war zone -- there was a huge amount of activity. At times, there were as many as six simultaneous emergency operations.

"It's the specific mix of people we have here that made this work," said Lt. Col. Bryan Angle, 332rd EMG ophthalmologist.

Most of the medical personnel had only been here a couple of weeks, including many deployed from Wilford Hall Medical Center in San Antonio. The team also included a tri-service contingent from the Australian Army, Air Force and Navy. Early on, the word went out on base for all medical people to report to the hospital, but it wasn't necessary.

"When they heard all the helicopters, they just came to the hospital," said Lt. Col. Donna Smith, 332rd EMG chief operating room nurse.

Colonel Smith said much of the success of the response was due to the "silent heroes," those who mopped the floors and took out the trash -- without being asked. Specifically, she cited the Airmen in central supplies who worked nonstop to keep clean the surgical instruments available for the huge number of operations.

The "silent heroes" were not just members of the hospital staff. Support from the rest of the base materialized wherever it was needed, she said.

"We didn't have to ask for things like the food and water. It just appeared," said Maj. (Dr.) James Johnson, chief of anesthesiology.

But sustenance for the staff was not the only thing that arrived on cue. One Iraqi victim needed a transfusion of the rare blood type AB positive. This did not become a problem, however, as donors stepped forward just minutes after the request went out.

"It was an honor to assist the host nation health care system. Iraqi hospitals took care of many more of the casualties than we did," Dr. Powell said.

Despite the success of saving so many lives, many in the hospital expressed frustration that the insurgents are targeting innocent civilians, including women and children.

"This was a terrible event. But we feel fortunate to be able help heal some of the damage inflicted on our Iraqi neighbors," Dr. Powell said.