CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
The military medical community is very proud of the care we are able to provide to patients. We have made great strides in the care we provide to troops who are injured in the field. This hits home with all of us who have deployed or who will be deploying.
According to statistics, we are better at treating those injured in battle now than we have ever been in the past. We, as medics, like to pat ourselves on the back for this because we have moved surgical teams closer to the frontlines and we have a medical evacuation system that is second-to-none. In truth though, a lot of the credit for this should go to the non-medics who are performing self-aid buddy care in the field. These measures, when applied appropriately, greatly enhance the chances of survival for someone injured in the field.
With that in mind, I wanted to present a review of some of the basics of SABC.
Safe scene - Make sure the scene is safe before attempting to provide SABC. You do not want to become a casualty yourself.
Airway - The first thing to check is to see if the injured person is breathing. If they are not, attempt to open their airway using a head tilt-chin lift technique. If you suspect a neck injury, do not use the head tilt-chin left technique, instead use the jaw thrust technique.
Bleeding - Bleeding to death is the major cause of fatalities in the field. SABC teaches several ways to control bleeding until medical help can be received. The first step is to apply direct pressure to the area that is bleeding. Use gloves if you have them available, but don't let the lack of gloves keep you from saving someone's life. If direct pressure is not sufficient to control the bleeding, other actions to take include elevating the extremity, utilizing pressure points and applying a tourniquet or blood clotting agent.
Shock - Shock is the condition where blood flow is insufficient for the normal functioning of the body's organs. Bleeding is the most common cause of shock. If you come across someone and think they are in shock, support that person. If they are bleeding, use the techniques described earlier to control the bleeding. You will need to provide adequate shelter for a person in shock. Elevate the extremities if there are no signs of trauma to them. One key thing to remember is to avoid giving them anything to drink. The temptation is to give them something to drink but this is the wrong thing to do.
Get help - You are not expected to be medical experts. Do what you can in the field and then transport the injured person to the casualty collection point where the medics will take care of the patient.
As the 437th and 315th Airlift Wings gear up for the operational readiness inspection, we all need to review and sharpen our ability to survive and operate. SABC is a significant part of our ATSO skill set and will be tested in the upcoming ORI. This skill set is also testable in real-life. You never know when you will come across a situation that will require you to use your SABC skills. The actions you take may make the difference between life and death.
For further details on SABC, see you unit's SABC instructor or go to the SABC computer-based training located on the advanced distance learning system Web site.