Emergency Medical Assistance Provided by Sailors and Marines During Southern Partnership Station 2011

Strategic Insights -

Sailors and Marines supporting Southern Partnership Station 2011 in South America provided emergency medical assistance to a hiker on Pacaya Volcano, near San Juan, on January 30. A Swiss tourist had collapsed due to heat exhaustion and dehydration, and the naval personnel were in the right place at the right time with the right group of trained personnel to provide life-saving assistance.

Key Takeaways:

  • The incident occurred during a hiking tour, where a Swiss tourist collapsed due to heat exhaustion and dehydration.
  • Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Pablo Mercado was the first responder and performed a level of consciousness assessment, checked the pulse, provided water and Gatorade, and administered electrolyte tablets to the tourist.
  • The Sailors and Marines constructed a make-shift stretcher from their walking sticks, shoestrings, and parachute cord to transport the tourist down the volcano, a distance of over 200 meters.
  • The tourist was conscious and responsive when he entered the waiting vehicle to head to the nearest hospital and thanked the men who potentially saved his life.
  • The incident highlights the quick thinking and teamwork of the Sailors and Marines who provided emergency medical assistance to the tourist.
  • Rear Admiral Ricardo Segovia, Commander of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command, emphasized the importance of the mission's primary goal, which is information-sharing with navies, coast guards, and civilian services throughout the region.
  • The mission's objectives include theater security cooperation, relationship building, humanitarian assistance, disaster response, community relations, and counter-illicit trafficking operations.

Statistics:

  • 1 tourist received emergency medical assistance on Pacaya Volcano.
  • 2nd Class Pablo Mercado was the first responder and performed a level of consciousness assessment, checked the pulse, provided water and Gatorade, and administered electrolyte tablets to the tourist.
  • 200 meters: The distance the Sailors and Marines transported the tourist down the volcano on the make-shift stretcher.
  • 6-man teams: The number of Sailors and Marines who alternated to carry the tourist down the volcano.
  • 2011: The year in which the Southern Partnership Station mission took place.

Sources:

  • "U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command, U.S. 4th Fleet, http://www.navy.mil/local/cusns/"
  • "Southern Partnership Station, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Southern-Partnership-Station/116426301746856"