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Hospital
produced out of thin air
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The
assembled Air Transportable Hospital seen from the air,
while on the ground Air Force Dentist Squadron Leader Bryan
Dubbeldam shows Air Marshal Angus Houston the dental chair.
Photos by CPL Andy Hall, 86WG
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INSTANT
hospital – just add air.
Well, it’s not quite instant, but a basic version of Air Force’s
new Air Transportable Hospital (ATH), comprising a series of inflatable,
interconnected dome-shaped tents, can be erected in just 30 minutes.
The ATH can provide emergency medical support within four hours,
limited medical facilities within 24 hours and, in the space of
seven days, evolves into a fully operational hospital accommodating
28 beds with an operating theatre and intensive care unit.
The ATH, operated by No. 3 Combat Support Hospital at RAAF Base
Richmond, was put on display along with its equipment at the base
on September 4.
A Level 3 medical facility, the ATH will provide the Air Force –
and the Australian Defence Force – with a readily available,
highly mobile and rapidly deployable health facility.
Inflated by either foot or electronically operated pumps, the facility,
when fully established, covers an area of about 100 square metres.
It is capable of supporting 26 in-patients, including two high-dependency
patients, and the preparation of a further 18 patients for Aero
Medical Evacuation.
The facility is also equipped to send its surgical capability into
the battle zone via its Fly Away Surgical Team (FAST).
The ATH houses pathology, imaging (including ultrasound), dental,
physiotherapy and environmental health services, and can be erected
quickly or gradually depending on the circumstances.
It has been developed for use primarily in Australia, especially
at the Air Force’s northern “bare bases” at Learmonth,
Curtin and Scherger, where it would be used to support national
emergencies.
All up, to transport the entire ATH requires the equivalent of 24
C-130 Hercules flights.
Airfield Engineers from Combat Support Group have developed a range
of support systems for the ATH, including deployable ablution blocks
containing showers, toilets and laundry facilities, and a waste-water
management and sewage treatment plant.
An efficient reverse-cycle air-conditioning system cools the tents
to 22-24 degrees in treatment areas and 18-20 degrees in the operating
theatre and high dependency areas.
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