Airmen give Nepalese disaster-response training Published May 28, 2004 By Maj. Richard C. Sater Pacific Air Forces Public Affairs HICKAM AIR FORCE BASE, Hawaii (AFPN) -- A small country nestled between China and India, Nepal may be best known for Mount Everest.The Himalayas cover more than 80 percent of Nepal, presenting a challenge to mountain climbers and to the Nepalese in the event of a natural disaster.Nepal is predisposed to monsoons, earthquakes and landslides. In the aftermath of such a catastrophe, the “best hope for survival will have to come from within their own communities,” said Capt. Jason Deese, an international health specialist assigned to Detachment 2, Pacific International Health Affairs, under 13th Air Force here.Captain Deese and five colleagues held a 10-day training symposium in Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu, focusing on disaster management and first aid.About 270 participants from 50 organizations came together, including government ministries, the Nepalese army, the Red Cross and the World Health Organization.Seminar officials encouraged local, national and international medical organizations operating in Nepal to work together for disaster response.The results exceeded all expectations, pleasing instructors and students alike, Captain Deese said. The long-term benefits of the training include enhanced emergency preparedness and capability that could mean the difference between life and death.About 90 people attended the first half of the seminar, which examined Nepal’s disaster preparedness from the perspectives of government ministries, the police force, army, and various medical and health organizations.The seminar also involved community- and structural-stability assessments and casualty estimates. Although unpleasant, these topics must be addressed realistically, Captain Deese said.Participants put their new knowledge to work during a field exercise in the city, assessing buildings and attempting to estimate potential casualties.The second half of the seminar involved teaching potential first-aid trainers. The team held five daylong training sessions, teaching nearly 180 students -- from local schools and volunteer organizations -- to assess victims’ conditions and provide first-line lifesaving care.The symposium culminated with a disaster-response exercise -- including 100 simulated casualties -- held to test a local hospital’s triage capability and emergency preparedness.Records dating to the 11th century show that Nepal has been hit every 70 to 100 years by a catastrophic earthquake. The last major earthquake happened in 1934, so statistically Nepal could be due for one.Scientists anticipate that the next quake could register as high as magnitude 8.5. Rescue operations are expected to be very difficult, and casualty estimates range from 40,000 to 100,000 people, they said.“I’m proud of what our team did,” Captain Deese said. “I’m proud of the Nepalese people who worked with us. It was a good partnership. The bottom line? It will save a lot of lives.” (Courtesy of Pacific Air Forces News Service)