By Li Dongdong and Sun Xingwei
BEIJING, June 15 -- Recently, the PLA airborne troops carried out a drill on battlefield first aid in central China's Hubei Province. With several large transport planes roaring in the air, a total of 60 military medics, together with various materials and equipment, parachuted from the cabin one after another.
After landing, the medics freed themselves from parachute gears, collected airdropped materials, and began to set up the functional field rescue center, assembling medical tents and equipment.
“Quick and vertical entry into the battlefield is the unique advantage of the airborne medical team”, as introduced by Cheng Wenguang, commander of the airborne medical detachment. In the past, medical personnel and equipment landed separately and their reorganization was time-consuming, which restricted the capacity of rapid battlefield first aid.
In recent years, airdrop platforms suitable for carrying medical equipment have been developed in succession in a bid to improve the efficiency of rapid airdrop. In addition, more than 20 types of medical equipment suitable for airlift and airdrop have been innovated. In all, the assembly time for medical members in airborne landing has been shortened step by step.
According to the head of the PLA airborne troops’ hospital, since its establishment, the airborne medical detachment has been continuously improving its abilities of airborne landing in complex weather conditions, precise positioning and assembly, and mass casualty treatment.
