Saving hearts and shifting minds: U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers conduct MFRC for Samoan volunteers Story and photos by Staff Sgt. James Kennedy Benjamin, 305th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, 9th Mission Support Command APIA, Samoa – Pacific Army Reserve Soldiers with the 1984th U.S. Army Hospital, 9th Mission Support Command, Fort Shafter Flats, Hawaii, traveled thousands of miles to the remote island community of Apia, Samoa, where they trained more than 125 Samoan Red Cross volunteers in the Army’s Medical First Responder’s course, at the SRC facility, here, Aug. 25-26. The training, equivalent to an American Red Cross Lay Responder’s course, taught volunteers the basics of providing immediate care to ill or injured victims suffering from emergencies, until more professional help arrives to take over. “The last two days, we have been engaged with the Red Cross teaching their volunteers [Basic Life Saver] skills and first aid,” said Capt. Merisue Bowerfind, of Anchorage, Alaska, and the 1984th USAH Detachment Chief Nurse, here. The volunteers were extremely well and everyone participated in the hands-on portion, she added. 1984th Soldiers taught emergency response to heart attacks, choking and care for open wounds. The secretary general for SRC expressed her gratitude, on behalf of the staff and volunteers, for the training. “We are happy that the American Army is working with us,” said SRC Secretary General Namulau’ulu Tautala Mauala. “What the American Army has done in the past few days has been really good. For me, as the head of this organization, I am happy knowing that my team is ready to go – knowing that they have that confidence in their skills,” Mauala added, referring to the upcoming Small Island Development States conference. In preparation for SIDS, the Army Reserve medical personnel will provide medical support, alongside Red Cross volunteers and other medical partner agencies. The medical team brings with them a cadre of specialized physicians, nurses, combat medics and other subject-matter experts. First aid skills were not the only lasting impact that the detachment had on the locals. According to Mauala, the volunteers understood Soldiers as combatants who were only called upon in times of war. “The Army does things in war zones because they want to protect civilians,” Mauala said. “Through this training, the volunteers see that Army Soldiers are not dangerous people, but are here to help others,” The training ended with a short in-door ceremony where each volunteer was handed a certificate of completion, along with traditional songs sung by SRC staff and volunteers. “We are very thankful to the American Army for teaching us those skills,” Mauala said. “We have created that friendship, a relationship with [the Army]. We hope this partnership will continue in the future.” The 1984th USAH took it current form in 1998. The unit is headquartered in Alaska with two detachments there, Det. 1 in Anchorage and Det. 2 in Fairbanks. The rest of the unit is based on Oahu. It provides direct medical support to the Pacific Regional Medical Command and the Korea Medical Augmentation Program. Over the past three years 1984th Soldiers have been on three missions to Malaysia, two to Indonesia, one to Japan, provided staff to Tripler Army Medical Center on Oahu and conducted training on the U.S. Mainland and in Alaska.
Posted on: Mon, 08 Sep 2014 14:59:20 +0000
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