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| Members of the Korea Aerospace Medical Center and Special Air Force Rescue Team under the Republic of Korea Air Force give first aid to simulated patients before boarding them on a helicopter during a drill on evacuating emergency patients from Ulleung Island on Aug. 4. |
Report! We have seven wounded from an earthquake. Deploy rescue team right away and take patients to a rescue helicopter!”
The Korean Air Force conducted an exercise on Aug. 4 aimed at evacuating emergency patients on the assumption of natural disaster at the Ulleung Island, 87 kilometers (54 miles) northwest of Dokdo islets.
The drill was organized to practice handover activities, evacuation of patients, first aid and skills to tackle emergency situation in case many emergency patients emerge on an island.
When an Air Force air defense control center on Ulleung broadcasted an urgent situation, some 10 senior officers at the center, including Maj. Park Chan-jong, head of the center and 1st Lt. Lee Dong-ik, medical officer, organized a rescue team immediately to prepare for an evacuation operation.
The team made urgent call to command control center on mainland to send an evacuation helicopter. A HH-47 helicopter with members of the Korea Aerospace Medical Center and first aid kits as well as outfits on board arrived at the island in an hour and 30 minutes. When the helicopter landed on the island, members quickly jumped out of the chopper and evacuated two critical patients using stretchers. Five other patients help them evacuate by holding their arms.
The drill ended with the helicopter transferring patients to the Korea Aerospace Medical Center.