SOF Medical Kits
Customized and Specific Medical Gear for the
Harsh Operating Regime of the SOF Warrior.
by Jeff McKaughan
SOTECH Editor
The SOF Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) Kit Casualty Evacuation (CASEVAC) System will be used for access, rescue, evacuation and stabilization of casualties in case of a delayed or difficult transportation to Level II and or III medical care and is capable of adapting to military and non-military modes of transportation. Part of its inherent capabilities is that the system will be capable of use with SOF peculiar mobility platforms and indigenous vehicles. The SOF TCCC CASEVAC kit and the associated modules make up four distinct kits, each filling a different capability gap.
As part of the search for innovative products and capabilities, USSOCOM planned to conduct an industry day at Fort Detrick, Md., near the end of July. Following meetings at presentations at that two-day event, the command expects to issue a request for proposal. According to USSOCOM, “Innovation and ingenuity are essential for equipment selection in order to meet and exceed the performance specifications”.
The command further explained that, “The CASEVAC Kit’s medical items and protocols shall be within the ability of SOF Medics to effectively employ in harsh environments, during limited visibility, while under fire, and possibly when wounded.”
There are basically four kits: CASEVAC, CASEVAC recovery and extraction kit (CREK), CASEVAC Ground Mobility Kit (CGMK), and the CASEVAC Critical Care Transport Kit (CCCTK).
CASEVAC KIT
The SOF CASEVAC Kit mission is to facilitate the rescue, recovery and evacuation of casualties; stabilize and sustain casualties in case of a delayed or difficult CASEVAC and is capable of adapting to military and non-military modes of transportation. SOF gaps include insufficient penetrating MEDEVAC ambulance capability of supporting SOF under fire in denied areas. SOF utilizes specialized military air, land, and sea mobility platforms, as well as indigenous modes of transportation, to accomplish their missions.
There are key requirements that all items within the kit must comply including that all medical equipment and supplies have to be approved or cleared by the FDA for their intended use. Second is that the CASEVAC kit’s equipment/supplies must meet all applicable electrical safety standards and regulations.
The CASEVAC Kit is to incorporate all equipment/supply required to perform the CASEVAC mission utilizing the latest technology, lightest weight, most compact design, integration of multiple capabilities, highest durability, and highest reliability. The kits are to be lightweight and each individual module be either man-packable or man-portable as specified in their respective sections.
The man-packable kits shall weigh less than 55 pounds with a desired weight of 40 pounds. The man-portable kits shall weigh less than 100 pounds with a desired weight of no more than 80 pounds.
The man-packable packaging shall consist of bags, snaps, zippers, hooks, straps, pouches, pockets, and other SOF common packaging to be as streamlined and compact to the maximum extent practicable. The man-portable packaging shall consist of man-packable packaging and/or ruggedized, air-worthy containers suitable to organize, transport and protect the equipment/ supplies stored within.
CASEVAC RECOVERY AND EXTRACTION KIT
As a baseline, all items incorporated into the CREK have to meet air and crashworthy certification requirements and National Fire Protection Agency and United International Alpine Agency standards.
There are three modules within the CREK request.
Module 1 (R-1)
This one-man, transportable module will have the capability to extricate casualties from all terrain to include water obstacles during day or night in transition to a rigid litter for ground/air evacuation. Inherent will be the capability to package a casualty with spinal injury and to splint upper/lower extremity and pelvic fractures. The R-1 must also have the capability to conduct immediate water rescue and ground safety line operations for vertical hoist extractions of casualties. It also must be able to protect and package the remains of dead personnel.
Module 2 (R-2)
This one-man module must be able to safely access and recover casualties from high angle terrain and urban obstacles using rope and rigging equipment and be capable of vertical hoist operations.
Module 3 (R-3)
This one-man module must have the capability to pry and cut wreckage to facilitate rapid extrication and to lift and move large objects, i.e. vehicles, wreckage, building debris, etc, high enough to remove casualties trapped underneath. This is the only man-portable module.
CASEVAC GROUND MOBILITY KIT
As a baseline, all items incorporated in the CGMK shall meet air and crashworthy certification requirements and meet SOF military specification standards for all terrain environments encountered as established by SOF prepotencies. There are two modules within this kit.
Module 1 (M-1)
This one-man module must have the components to secure and safely transport a casualty on a rigid litter through all phases of TCCC to level III medical treatment. The rigid litter that meets CBRNE criteria is handsfree, self-contained and compatible with U.S./NATO medical evacuation transport equipment. The module must also be compatible with MOLLE/PALS configurations.
Module 2 (M-2)
This one-man module shall transport the M-1 Module in a modular format and have the capability to attach the rigid litter from the M-1 Module to current SOF ground/air mobility or ad hoc platforms. It will also have the capability to provide day/night landing zone marking. The M-2 Module shall have the capability to mark basic triage categories on casualties. As well as being compatible with MOLLE/PALS configurations it must be capable of carrying additional initial TCCC medical supplies.
CASEVAC CRITICAL CARE TRANSPORT KIT
The most robust of all the kits, this arrangement includes more sophisticated equipment for patient treatment. As a baseline, all medical equipment contained within the CCCTK shall meet air and crash-worthy requirements. Within basic guidelines, each module in this kit must include all of the accessories and supplies necessary to operate and charge the associated pieces of medical equipment.
All modules contained within the CCCTK shall be combined to be manportable to be transported by no more than two SOF operators, although the preference is for a single person. There are six modules within this kit.
Module 1 (C-1)
This one-man module shall have the capability to monitor casualty vital signs to include blood pressure, oxygen saturation, cardiac output, and heart rate. The inclusion of temperature and carbon dioxide levels are desired.
Module 2 (C-2)
This one-man module will have the capability to provide casualty electric cardiac therapy to include external defibrillation and cardiac output monitoring.
Module 3 (C-3)
This one-man module shall have the capability to generate a fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) of 50 percent without use of a pressurized cylinder. It will must also be able to provide casualty mechanical ventilation and it is desirable to be used with an oxygen generation capability.
Module 4 (C-4)
This one-man module shall have the capability to store and transport at least 2 standard blood storage bags although it is preferred to be able to handle four bags. It must also be able to warm blood to at least 32 degrees Centigrade for casualty transfusions. The module will have to have the capability to provide controlled casualty fluid resuscitation administered intravenously and monitor casualty bodily fluid input and output.
Module 5 (C-5)
This one-man module must be able to warm casualties with decreased bodily temperature using a full-body wrap with hood and heatpacs. Module 6 (C-6) This one-man module shall have the capability to mount the medical equipment from the other CCCTK modules to the rigid litter specified in the CGMK.
CASEVAC TRAUMA STABILIZATION AND SUSTAINMENT KIT
CTSSK General Characteristics
The medical equipment contained within the CTSSK shall conform to specifications outlined in Annex 2, Equipment Specifications. All medical equipment contained within the CCCTK shall meet air and crash-worthy requirements. There are two modules within this kit.
Module 1 (S-1)
This one-man module will have the capability to provide and sustain the control of life-threatening bleeding for no less than two patients for up to four hours with the goal being five. With the same patient goals, the module must provide and sustain the treatment and prevention of shock for up to four hours. It must also have the capability to provide and sustain the protection of wounds to include burns from contamination, infection or further injury for at least two patients for up to four hours, with the goal again being for five patients.
Pain management is another criterion, and must be provided and sustained without adverse affects for at least two patients for up to four hours, with the preference for five patients for that same time frame. The module will also have the capability to provide and sustain the control of vomiting for at least two patients for up to four hours, with the preference for five patients. This module will also be able to act as a resource, providing additional TCCC operator and medic kits supplies for four unit operators.
Module 2 (S-2)
This one-man module must be capable of providing advanced airway care up to and including surgical airway procedures. Additionally, it must have the capability to provide casualty mechanical ventilation and it is desirable to be used with an oxygen generation capability giving a fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) of 50 percent. ♦