U.S. Army Europe's first FRST equipped for future field trauma care

By 1st Lt. Nicholas Oberholtzer, 160th FRST Executive OfficerApril 4, 2018

U.S. Army Europe's first FRST equipped for future field trauma care
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U.S. Army Europe's first FRST equipped for future field trauma care
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U.S. Army Europe's first FRST equipped for future field trauma care
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KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany -- The 160th Forward Resuscitative Surgical Team fielded its medical equipment set upgrade from United States Army Medical Materiel Agency at Resolute Park, Rhine Ordnance Barracks, Germany, March 26-29, 2018.

The team began its conversion Oct. 15, 2017 with new authorizations of personnel and equipment that started with the arrival of the new fiscal year. In addition to the traditional surgical section of the FST, the transformation to FRST includes the addition of a resuscitative section, which includes two emergency physicians, two emergency nurses, and two medics. As Europe's first FRST, the personnel changes and new medical equipment provides the team with the necessary tools and personnel to conduct split operations.

A team from USAMMA flew in from Fort Detrick, Maryland in order to field 160th FRST its upgraded equipment. Some of the upgraded equipment includes upgrades to the blood storage equipment, an increase in ventilators and an increase of blood fluid warmers.

"This new equipment will significantly make our jobs easier and our treatments more effective," said Sgt. Jeffrey Wadford, advanced trauma life support noncommissioned officer.

The USAMMA fielding completes U.S. Army Europe's first FST-to-FRST conversion. The 160th FRST is one of the first unit's selected to undergo transformation from the previous FST model.

"The completion of the fielding successfully upgrades the 160th's old MES to the new FRST MES," said Mr. Scott Long, USAMMA Regional Fielding Manager. "The USAMMA equipment fielding enables units to provide critical medical care with the Army's most current equipment. This saves lives."

Unlike many of the FSTs located stateside, the teams in Europe are unique since they have all of their personnel organically assigned and do not utilize the Professional Officer Filler System. Although the missions of providing far forward fluid resuscitation and damage control surgery remains the same, the change in personnel and equipment improves the ability of the team to provide trauma care in support of unified land operations.

"The conversion from an FST to an FRST is an important milestone for the 160th FRST, 212th Combat Support Hospital, and the 30th Medical Brigade," said Maj. Chris N. Angeles, FRST Team Chief. "As Europe's first and currently only FRST, this equipment fielding enhances the team's ability to provide life-saving fluid resuscitation and damage control surgery during split operations.

"Having all of our personnel organically assigned to us has always allowed us to train together as a team, by both providing real world care at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center and through simulation during field training exercises. Now that we have our newly authorized equipment, our team is looking forward to demonstrating our new capabilities to Europe and the world to prove that we are ready, resilient, skilled and resolute."