Right into the disaster zone

By Andrew Stackpool

FSGT Trevor Amos confers with colleagues onboard a B-707 heading to Pakistan with the ADF medical team.

Pakistan medical liaison officer LTCOL Qazi Abrar (left) briefs MAJ Isaac Seidl and WGCDR Karen Leshinskas from the ADF medical team in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Photos by CPL Neil Ruskin

NINE Air Force personnel are a vital part of another ADF medical team leaving Australia to help people in distress.

The 140-person team left Australia for Pakistan on November 10 and 11 as part of a new operation – Operation Pakistan Assist.

B-707 and C-130J aircraft, from Nos. 33 and 37 Squadrons at RAAF Base Richmond, took them to a base at Dhanni, about 20km north east of Muzaffarabad on the Pakistan-controlled side of the Kashimir Line of Control, where they are providing vital health care to local people affected by the recent earthquake.

About 86,000 people were killed, another 70,000 injured and more than three million left homeless when the earthquake struck on October 8.

In addition to the health service personnel, the team includes a command element and aviation detachment, as well as logistics and communication personnel.

The Air Force personnel comprise five medical personnel from No. 3 Combat Support Hospital and staff personnel attached to the command and logistic detachments.

Hospital Commanding Officer Wing Commander Stephen Davis said each member of the team had different operational experience, but between them had been involved with Rwanda, the Middle East, East Timor, Bali Assist 1 and 2, Operation Sumatra Assist and various aeromedical evacuation missions.

“The [hospital] team was ready to go from the outset, but has been undergoing force-preparation and mission-specific training this week, prior to the deployment,” he said.

“They are obviously saddened by the fact that they will be away from family and friends over the Christmas period, but are all keen to deploy on Operation Pakistan Assist and feel that their medical skills will help provide much needed support to the people,” he said.

“Morale within the team is high and all the members of [No. 3 Combat Support Hospital] are supportive of the deployment.”

Backing them in Australia is a diverse range of dedicated and hard-working personnel from No. 3 Combat Support Hospital, Air Lift Group, the Health Services Wing, the Air Mobility Control Centre, Nos. 84 and 86 Wings and Air Terminal, Logistic, Communication and Combat Support Squadrons at RAAF Base Richmond.

These units also have recent and extensive experience in disaster-relief operations.

The majority of the Operation Pakistan Assist personnel were provided from the Army’s logistic support force based at Randwick Barracks. Other personnel have been drawn from a range of units across Australia and the reserves.
Four Black Hawk helicopters from 5 Aviation Regiment will also deploy to support the team, which will establish its central medical facility at Dhanni.

The helicopters will enable the team to deploy three mobile medical groups to assist remote regional communities in an area with limited road access and very difficult terrain. Their task will be made more urgent with the onset of the alpine winter.

The deployment is expected to be for up to 90 days.

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