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Responding
to terrorism
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The
Military Health Symposium recognised the work of personnel
involved in Op Bali Assist. Photo by ACW Libby Ginn.
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The
main theme of this year’s regional health services conference
was how well the defence medical system can respond to acts of terrorism,
such as those experienced recently in Bali.
The Military Health Symposium 2002 was convened by the directors
of health service Reserves.
More than 60 full-time and reserve medicos attended the symposium
at Randwick Barracks in Sydney on November 8-9.
Surgeon General ADF Air Vice-Marshal Bruce Short and Director General
Health Services Air Commodore Tony Austin addressed the conference.
Director Joint Health Support Agency and Iraqi weapons expert Captain
Andy Robertson gave an overview of the threat of biological terrorism.
Aeromedical team nurses from No. 3 Combat Support Hospital at Richmond,
Flight Lieutenant Cath Brown and Flying Officer Steve Crimston briefed
the conference on the rescue effort and retrieval of victims of
the Bali bombings.
Rapid evacuation was said to be the key to the success of the Bali
operation. Co-convener and Director of Naval Health Reserves Commander
Mike Garvan commended the Air Force personnel involved.
“The medical teams and aircrew did a marvellous job bringing
the casualties home and transporting them to major hospitals around
the country,” CMDR Garvan said.
Two forensic experts, Group Captains Jim Hilton and Chris Griffiths,
provided a fascinating but sometimes gruesome insight into the task
of disaster victim identification. Both specialists spent several
weeks in Bali and highlighted the problems they experienced, emphasising
the importance of a thorough scientific approach to identifying
the dead in any future disaster situation.
The other major component of the symposium was a practical demonstration
of the Air Transportable Hospital and the role it could play in
a mass casualty environment, either in Australia or overseas.
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