Anthony Lock
“We made a difference to so many people in such a short space of time.” (Aeromedical Evacuation Team Leader – Royal Australian Air Force, January 2005, Operation Sumatra Assist – post the apocalyptic Boxing Day tsunami).
Those aeromedical evacuation teams working in the wild extremes of Northern Sumatra post the Boxing Day tsunami in 2004, the Bali bombings in October 2002, or the many missions evacuating injured coalition forces from the theatres of war in Iraq and Afghanistan, our medical, nursing, allied health and flight crews have gained an incredible amount of knowledge and experience.
These experiences and the lessons learned will last a lifetime and shape future operations, but first and foremost they will support the people that give so much to benefit so many in times of need. What were some of these lessons learned? Logistical and environmental challenges, as well as cultural and diplomatic issues existed, requiring all team members to possess a high degree of flexibility. However, it was our Non-Technical Skills and the understanding of Human Performance, that when combined with our technical abilities, allowed us to perform at the highest level achieving and delivering care that many said could not be done. Excellent leadership, communication, teamwork, situational awareness and above all else, good decision-making needed to occur, it wasn’t an option; it was a necessity.