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DL8OL > FIRE 06.01.05 18:31l 149 Lines 5173 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : I9WLDCDB0ABZ
Read: GUEST DK5RAS OE5RCO DB2OY DB1BU
Subj: Personal report from Bankok/Phuket
Path: DB0FHN<DB0FOR<DB0SIF<DB0EAM<DB0ABZ
Sent: 050106/1623z @:DB0ABZ.#NDS.DEU.EU [Salzgitter JO52FD] DP6.00 $:I9WLDCDB0A
From: DL8OL @ DB0ABZ.#NDS.DEU.EU (Klaus)
To: FIRE @ WW
This is the personal report of two paramedics
of Hannover/Germany FB telling about their doing
in Phuket and Bankok..
They flew on 27th of Dec and returned on 5th of
January
Hannover and Munich FB had been the first rescue-
team starting active help after the catastrophe.
In Germany due to the experiences with multi-
number causalities in different catastrophes
so-called "Crisis Intervention Teams"
are formed.
Their task is multiple, paramedic skills but
even psycho-social help (in this case two
priest, a (femal) protestant and a male
roman catholic,being trained in post-
traumatisation of causalities) had been on place..
Let's listen to my both old collegues from my
ex-brigade of Hannover (I am a retired FB Captain)
Michael M and Roland G.
************************************************
"The first unexpected problem to us was the sepa-
ration of the team member. Two of us stayed back
with the team of Munic in Phuket and the other
four flew to Bankok"
"To us the experience of the colleagues from Munic
was a true big help", so Roland G.
"Because we had been the first emergency responder
it was our first task to create structures to start
any rescue action and in the follow of time we
could do the trained "Crisis Intervention "
(CIT) duties.. This means mainly psycho-social
emergency support of traumatized patients.."
ORDER OF TASK AND DUTY
========================
"The requested task was clearly defined. Cata-
logizing of all German and European causalities,
Judging the importance of urgent or less urgend
treatments, (TRIAGE)
this under the special aspect of a
possible sepsis (A lot of the injured did not
have a daily change of bandages or cleaning of
wounds) and the investigation and writing reports
of missed persons in co-operation with the "German
State Criminal Investigation Police "
Parallel we had to install a Headquarter. Here
all information had been collected and linked
to the different services.
Helicopter-mission had been organized from this
place and we flew to far-distant places like Krabi,
Thalon, Hat Yai and Hatong."
Roland G pointed out that this all had been done
in direct cooperation to the German Foreign
office and the German Ministry of Defence.
He told that these hour-lasting flights often had
been difficult which even had to do with the men-
tality of the Thai's (Who had been praized with
loud voices by our men!!), even here in the distant
hospitals the hard task to decide who shall be
transported and who has to be left back for a later
mission.
"If we had made these decision it was often the
question how to transport the patient from hospital
to the chopper" Roland pointed out, "there was
nothing like **call control for sending a paramedic
unit**"
"Later the selected patients had been overhanded to the
German MediVac Airplane, a flying hospital of the
German Airforce, flying as a shuttle from and to Ger-
many. "
"We never looked to the nationality, our airforce trans-
ported patients from all over Europe!"
As Roland (I know him too well, we both had been very
often one paramedic team whilst my time of service)
was asked about the most stressing experiences he only
could give few examples.. He spoke abou the thanks of
treated patients, finding in such a situation unexpec-
ted German speaking specialists (The native language
is very very important if you have to cope such a
situation to the causalities!)
but he even told about the young lady, having lost her
two children and the husband.
These family member had been brought to the crematory
on place and it was the task of two member to attend
the lady on this hard way...
"..we have already treated and supported 126 badly
injured causalities and supported 500 - 600 other"
Roland reported that even administrative task had
been on their shoulders
"On the airport you saw people, only wearing a
swimming costume, it was now in our hands to
organize with the consulary and airlines a
provisorial passport and a tickett."
Roland denied the rumour that airlines gave
problems if one was not a customer before..
"It was not important, all took any one on board
if the person was overhanded"
After few days they had been supported by another
team from Leipzig FB which came with two additional
physicians.
The cooperation with all organisation, whether
Red Cross,
German Relief Corps, Military , member
of the Foreign
office etc had been fantastic.
These named organisation, much more like
St. Johns Corps and other helpers
came into the scene around the 1th of January.
**************************
If you have seen in the faces of the team member
you got an idea to what they had seen.
They are well experiented professionals but such a
thing will be a burning fire in their souls, I am
afraid: for ever!
The last both had been back just few hours before
the press meeting.
Additonal remarks:
1.:) I tried hard to introduce this impression as
good as I could. I do not need any remark concer-
ning my english skills
2.:) These teams are going around the world as soon
as the Foreign Office requires .
with greetings
Klaus
smoke eater and freelance
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