Mighty Medics visit Ghana

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Courtney Finkbeiner
  • 341st Medical Operations Squadron Commander
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  Lt. Col. Courtney Finkbeiner, 341st Medical Operations Squadron commander, and Capt. Stacey Vierra, 341st MDOS physician assistant, recently traveled to Accura, Ghana, to the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre as instructors for a first responder course sponsored by the Defense Institute for Medical Operations.  Both officers worked side by side with Ghana instructors to deliver the course to 40 students from Cameroon and Gambia.

This endeavor was part of a West Africa Disaster Preparedness Initiative aimed at transitioning away from the Operation United Assistance Ebola response effort by building upon lessons learned. The goal is to better implement an all-hazards approach to disaster preparedness and response management, and to strengthen national capacities among 17 West African partner nations.

This goal is being accomplished through a series of awareness training sessions with government civilian and military representatives from each participating nation.  Key emphasis is placed on fostering collaboration and communication across the West African region. Awareness training includes DIMO's first responder course which is progressive, starting with basic life support skills and concluding with a mass casualty response exercise.

The DIMO missions are key to supporting U.S. combatant commander's stability operations in regions around the globe. In addition, DIMO courses have been pivotal in real-world disaster response throughout countries such as Ethiopia and the Philippines.