Solomon Islands

01 December 2010
Combat First Aid Course

Members of the Combined Task Force 635 on deployment to Solomon Islands use the opportunity to develop their first aid skills.

A Combat First Aid course was run to qualify a large number of the contingent as Combat Medics.

Trainees practiced and were tested on the use of an intravenous cannula, insertion of a guedel airway, measuring blood pressure and accessing spinal cord injuries, conducting neurological examinations, recording details on field medical cards and checking for eye response.

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) in association with the Australian Federal Police (AFP) is the lead security agency in the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands.

RAMSI’s mission is to assist the Solomon Islands Government in the maintenance of security, law and justice, economic governance and improving the machinery of government.

The Company strength military contingent, primarily made up of ADF Reservists, is a disciplined and capable force that acts in a proportionate and appropriate manner to support the operations of the Participating Police Force (PPF) and other RAMSI elements.

CTF 635 Rotation XXII is constituted largely by elements of 8/7 Royal Victoria Regiment and 4/19 Prince of Wales Light Horse Regiment.

Other nations involved in the military contingent include elements of the New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Tonga Defence forces.

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Training for Combat First Aid is Signaler Brett Buckley attending to his patient Private Tom Butterworth, checking eye response to light in a simulated head injury scenario.

(Date taken: 12 November 2010)
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Training for Combat First Aid, Signaler Brett Buckley records the details and injuries of his patient Private Tom Butterworth in the field medical card.

(Date taken: 12 November 2010)
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Signaler Brett Buckley explains spinal precautions to assessor Corporal Andrew Young during a Combat First Aid course held at Guadalcanal Beach Resort, Solomon Islands.

(Date taken: 12 November 2010)
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Lance Corporal Julie-anne O'Brien, an Advanced Combat Medical Attendant is assessing Private (PTE) Daniel Horgan as he takes PTE Edin Zulic's blood pressure during a Combat First Aid course designed to provide immediate combat first aid in a theatre of conflict.

(Date taken: 12 November 2010)
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Private (PTE) Daniel Horgan is assessed as he takes PTE Edin Zulic's blood pressure during a Combat First Aid course designed to provide immediate combat first aid in a theatre of conflict.

(Date taken: 12 November 2010)
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Lance Corporal Brent Craske takes the blood pressure of patient Private Tegan Bubb as assessor Captain Heather Ferguson supervisors during a Combat First Aid course designed to provide immediate combat first aid in a theatre of conflict.

(Date taken: 12 November 2010)
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Lance Corporal Brent Craske inserts an intravenous cannula into a training arm as assessor Captain Heather Ferguson supervisors during a Combat First Aid course designed to provide immediate combat first aid in a theatre of conflict.

(Date taken: 12 November 2010)
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Training for Combat First Aid is Signaler Brett Buckley attending to his patient Private Tom Butterworth justifying how and why he would use a Guedel Airway to his assessor.

(Date taken: 12 November 2010)
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