Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/1536266
What is Austere Emergency Care? Austere Emergency Care represents an advanced medical training program meticulously designed for first responders and medical professionals operating in austere conditions. The course em- phasizes the development of critical skills neces- sary to deliver medical care when resources are severely limited and timely transport to definitive medical care, such as a hospital, is significantly impeded. The AEC curriculum encompasses a broad spectrum of challenging scenarios, inclu- ding operations in remote and isolated areas, con- flict zones, and regions devastated by disasters. AEC builds upon the principles of Prolonged Field Care (PFC), a concept introduced into the civilian sector by Special Operations Forces (SOF) medics transitioning from military service. The ten core capabilities cultivated under PFC have been adap- ted into standard operating procedures utilized by medical rescue teams and aeromedical evacuation platforms. Furthermore, AEC incorporates two ad- ditional pivotal capabilities specifically tailored to the unique demands of medicine in austere con- ditions. At the 2013 Special Operations Medical Association symposium, a cohort of SOF medics initiated di- scussions highlighting the critical need to tran- sition away from a mindset solely focused on rapid aeromedical evacuation. With troop deployments in the Middle East decreasing, these experienced medics observed a decline in the ability to effec- tively stabilize critically injured patients in remote locations. The necessity to manage such patients for extended periods, potentially spanning hours or even days, became increasingly apparent, deman- ding new skill sets and a more profound medical knowledge base. This very exigency spurred the development of the AEC program. www.fragoutmag.com