MERTs and Wokkas in Afghan
 

Channel 4 News broadcast a report yesterday by the excellent team of reporter Alex Thomson and cameraman Stuart Webb on the work of the MERTs.

If you're as higgerant as I am and didn't know what MERT stands for - it's Medical Emergency Response Team.

The piece is mysteriously called 'Miliband Backs Troops in Afghanistan', and you need to click on Watch the report

http://www.channel4.com/news/article...nistan/1507947


I found it takes a while to download, and it'll cut short and return you to the start if it's not fully downloaded - but it's worth waiting for.

airsound

Blimey.:ooh:

:ok::ok::ok::ok::ok: to all concerned. Thoughts are with the guy who didn't make it.

A top report about some very professional guys/gals, who will be kept busy for a long time yet, I fear.

Along with advances in technology (ie smaller & better cameras etc) has come some advances in camera men and women. Stuart Webb, :ok:

Radios in a Chinook
 

Came across this clip by chance last night - excellent stuff. One thing struck me though - the reporter claimed that the medics were reduced to communicating with each other in flight by means of shouting and hand signals 'because they hadn't been issued radios'. Q: would they have been permitted to use radios in the back of the Chinook? Or did he mean the in-cabin R/T?

(or was he just trying to make a political point?)

You can quite safely use personal radios in the back, as many troops do. You will notice that some of the team are wearing flying helmets so could plug into the intercom system. The problem comes with tangled up leads and live mics so most times (certainly on the Merlin) the IRT Docs and medics need to work 'unattached'. They also need both hands free so often shouting is the simplest and easiest way to operate.:)

Hats off though to the girls and boys for doing such good work.:ok:

Airsound

Awesome report, thanks for posting:ok:

A brilliant brilliant job being done there by the MERT's. I didn't know about them. I do now!! And how.

From a PPRuNe point of view, and subsequently, all our readers, Mil et al. It is fantastic that we get threads like this. Otherwise how would we really be aware.

We are thinking about you in harms way out there guys and gals. Really, we are. :D:D:D:ok:

Edit: In Iraq too, of course. :O:ok:

Keep safe.

PPP

I agree. Like most on here I dare say, I don't watch Ch4 news so would have missed it but for this thread. Have cascaded it as essential viewing to all in my unit.

Also, next time those on here have cause to attack journos as all being scum, spare a thought for well balanced, informative pieces like this (and those from Alistair Leathhead on BBC).

Regie, I fear you may be right when you say that most PPRuNers don't watch Channel 4 News. For what it's worth, I believe the 1900 edition of C4N is easily the best tv news of the day. Amongst other things military and aviation-related, it has doggedly pursued the Chinook/Mull story when others gave up long ago.

I also agree that Alastair Leithead is doing excellent front-line work for the Beeb.

Anyway, thanks for the compliment to (some of) the scum - I'm sure it's appreciated.

airsound

PS Thanks to all other posters as well!

Just to add some info that probably isn't common knowledge...

During the day and night we get airborne in the Wokka well below what our mandate is. A slick start by just one pilot and one crewman whilst the other two are getting the details means that we regularly do it well below the maximum time we given.

Some of you may wonder why we aren't manning the aircraft 24/7 in these circumstances, well it takes a finite amount of time to get the info of where and if the Medevac needs to take place, in that time the aircraft is spun and ready to go.

We of course couldn't do this without the support of the engineers who do their utmost in making sure we get away without any troubles.

The MERTS, aircrew, engineers and the force protection guys that we carry with us are all responsible in the incredible number of injured personnel that make it when statistics say they shouldn't have done. It's no mean feat believe me for it all to come together in such a slick operation :D:D:D

Edited to save embarrassment! :oh:

Not withstanding, the Channel 4 article is great PR and shows what many don't see goes on behind the scenes.:D

It it obvious that it is all teamwork, and that one observation makes it very special indeed.

Our prayers are with you in both theaters.

PPP

I can imagine the Taleban rubbing their hands with glee to discover only two crew start the aircraft, and that the engineers help. Glad your here to police affairs Wizard!

PP has not said anything wrong, and I doubt very much that the Taliban are rubbing their hands with glee infact they wouldn't even notice the info if people did not (incorrectly) say it is valuable int.

Sarcasm this is Tigs, Tigs this is sarcasm

MGD - Don't try and get ahead, just keep up. The info referred to has been removed.
Anyway, I thought it was only you that did all the policing. At least thats what you tell us on an almost daily basis. http://forums.airshows.co.uk/iB_html...cons/loser.gif

Tigs2 - similar information has been used before and sadly very effectively.

Wizard - Are you still standing up, with trumpets and drums, or have you actually started doing anything yet. Thought so!

MGD

You are correct sir, it is! I happily award myself 'tool of the day award':}