Three critically injured patients need immediate transfer to a medical facility outside of Afghanistan. One has a shot to the head, the other has missing limbs and the last has an open abdominal wound. Without a mobile intensive care unit, these patients will not make the flight out.
For members of the U.S Air Force 455th Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron Critical Care Air Transport Team, this is go-time.
A CCATT crew consists of a physician, intensive care nurse and a respiratory therapist. Together they can turn a regular medical transport aircraft into a flying intensive care unit, making it possible to move severely injured or gravely ill servicemembers by air to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany.
For the complete story by Sr. Airman Chris Willis of the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing’s Public Affairs office via DoDLive, click here.
Photo by Sr. Airman Chris Willis
