Dustdevil in Iraq-with pictures!

[Dustdevil]

I'm trying to picture this... how large is this base? I'm just trying to figure out why there would be a need for 3 separate aid posts instead of consolidating them into one clinic.

Yeah, we call it a "camp," but that's probably a misnomer to those on the outside. It's a few square miles, I guess. I mean, it's a former jet air force base, with full runways and hangars and such, so it takes up some space. I think Google Earth has us. I know I've seen satellite views of the place before online. Google "habbaniyah" and you'll find it.

There are three aid stations (not including the Iraqi clinic and two aid stations) because of the various units stationed here. Each unit has its own medical support. It's not like a city where people have no association with their hospital. Each medical clinic is an integral part of the unit it supports. We come and leave together as a team. We know those guys and maintain their medical records, as well as their routine preventative health needs You can't do that if you consolidate. And the other clinics are the size of mine or smaller, so more than a few casualties at once would require all of us, plus some. There's several thousand people on this camp, so that one big clinic you propose would have to be pretty big. And tactically, it is unsound practice to place all your medical assets in one place. You wouldn't want one round to wipe out your entire medical staff at once. Not to mention that ninety-five percent of the people here aren't blessed with wheels like me. When they get sick or hurt, they have to hump to the doctor. If that's just one clinic on the other side of the base, that would kind of suck. Especially if your leg is blown off. We don't have EMS here. My little Land Cruiser and two Hummers with stretcher racks are the only things resembling an ambulance here.

Probably the best reason for having multiple aid stations is as simple as the reason for having multiple fire stations in a city. Because time is of the essence.

[akroeze]

All very reasonable, thanks for explaining!

[Dustdevil]

Well... I wasn't sure whether to post these here, or in the topic about my misfortune in the "Non-EMS" forum, but I figured I'd keep all the pics here in this one.

In the ER shortly after "the incident"...

After the corpsmen applied my cast...

Relaxing in the hotel in Dubai, beginning the long journey home...

Finally arriving home in a limo, with the driver and my nurse-paramedic escort...

[spenac]

Looks like your in good mood for an injury.. Sure your not faking just for some time off?

Glad your alright.

[mrmeaner]

At least you don't have to worry about one leg being more tan than the other! I don't know if I've ever seen a house with "icicle" christmas lights on it with a green leafed tree in front. How long did it take you to get back?

[Dustdevil]

I got hurt on a Monday, and arrived home the following Monday. Took three days to get out of Iraq, then three days of bureaucracy in Dubai, and a day of travelling home.

Forget the icicle lights. Did you notice my house has big balls?

[Eydawn]

If you're talking about the three glass globes on the light out in front... Dust's house has 3 big balls!

Wendy

CO EMT-B

[mrmeaner]

Forget the icicle lights. Did you notice my house has big balls?

ET: Eddie Torez the extra testicle!

[unknown]

I mean call me stupid but why am I the only one noticing the Hotel room- it only has a twin bed? WTF? A TWIN bed? I mean come on Ozzy and Harriett when out of style looong time ago!!!

A TWIN BED!!!!!!

What are you gonna do with a TWIN bed?

[Dustdevil]

Lol! Yeah, that is the norm in the Arabic world.

I should have gotten pics of the bathroom, with the funky toilet and the bidet. It's actually a very nice hotel, too. They just do things very different there.