The Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall Fire Department demonstrated a newly purchased medical tent setup May 22 that will aid JBM-HH emergency personnel in providing basic first aid assistance at various events around the National Capital Region, such as the weekly Twilight Tattoo.
Included in the $89,000 set-up were two 18 by 20 square foot grey tents, LED lights with rechargeable solar-powered batteries, a 25-kilowatt "whisper-quiet" generator and a six-ton heating and air conditioning unit, according to JBM-HH Fire Chief Russell Miller.
"In previous years we were dependent upon the American Red Cross letting us use their tent, which took six to eight people and about 40 minutes to set up and break down," said Miller. "We bought these tents because they are less manpower intensive; the new tents take one to two people and five to seven minutes to setup and break-down."
The fire department viewed two demonstrations of the tent system before deciding what system would best support the department's needs, added Miller.
"The two new tents and associated powering system gives us the capability to heat and cool people at any given event, especially at special events, such as Twilight Tattoo, or any mass causality-type event where EMS-related treatment is required," said Miller.
While the tent can heat/cool (temperature controlled) automatically based to pre-set temperatures, Miller says the next step is to be able to heat one tent while cooling the other to maintain varying temperatures based on the needs of patients.
The tents can be used as a command post to house operations personnel for command and control purposes, a shelter during severe weather or as a decontamination tent in the event of chemical or radiological exposure, said Miller.
The tents were used to treat patients at the Fort Myer portion of JBM-HH during National Memorial Day Observance events at Arlington National Cemetery, when thousands of visitors flood the cemetery annually to pay respects and visit grave sites. About 10 people were treated at the tents during the events, which were manned by a team of medical and response professionals from JBM-HH's Fire and Rescue Emergency Services, the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard), the National Capital Region Advanced Cardiac Life Support Team, Manassas Park Fire Rescue and Arlington County Fire Department.
Most patients were treated for heat-related ailments, according to Miller.
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