Doc battles the big dry
Volume 11, No. 43, May 18, 2006
By Lt Simone Heyer

Workload: Maj Doug Randell's experience as a GP is helping on deployment. Photo Sgt Katrina Johnson

A DEPLOYMENT by an aviation squadron wouldn't be complete without an aviation medicine specialist and Maj Doug Randell is C Sqn 5 Avn Regt's man.

Maj Randell trained as a GP and is serving in that role at the RAP at Camp Baker, Kandahar.

He said though he had specialised in aviation medicine for the past few years, his experience as a GP was helping him now.
The Australians man one of 10 RAPs on Kandahar Air Field (KAF). Maj Randell and medic Cpl Stephanie Bellm treat the ailments of the Australians, and sometimes the locals, in their office in a partitioned shipping container.

Maj Randell said their days were full. Common health complaints in Afghanistan were eye, nose and throat irritations caused by the constant dust. Dry skin was also very common - particularly among Townsville-based members of the contingent who were used to moist, humid weather, not dry heat.

The doctor said malaria was a low risk at KAF, but more prevalent between May and October. Scorpion and snake bites are a risk, though their favourite hide-out is under loose leaf litter, of which there is very little on KAF.

At home, Maj Randell works in aviation medicine, a sub-branch of OH&S.

"My job is all about aircrew safety in a hostile environment, in high altitude, low humidity, low temperature with acceleration forces that are different," Maj Randell said.

"With engineering as reliable as it is, the pilot is often the weakest link. They are susceptible to stresses and communication breakdown.

"We help to maximise the performance of aircrew through training, altitude training and experience reactions to low oxygen environments.

"We study oxygen systems, aircrew harnesses for safety and crash survivability, design of the cockpits, work and rest cycles and duty limits. It's quite interesting."

Maj Randell said that seeing the aircrew after missions and talking about how they were feeling was an important part of his work.

"Sorties can be quite long, and their duty day can start quite early, or finish late. When they put in a number of long days consecutively, it can be physically and mentally taxing.

"The guys have been working hard and going well."

The doctor said there had been few issues with the task group becoming part of Task Force Knighthawk.

"We've integrated well with the US. We had a safety stand-down day to talk about fatigue and lessons learnt in a series to increase awareness, to be diligent and to monitor each other."