Florida Guard Medics teach Iraqi Police lifesaving skills
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ Fifteen Iraqi Policemen recently completed training in a combat lifesaver course and basic lifesaving skills course that could help save a fellow policeman's life in the future.
Soldiers from the 256th Area Support Medical Company of the Florida Army National Guard taught the four-day course at Forward Operating Base Shield in Baghdad, Iraq.
SPC Eric Sullivan, a paramedic from St. Augustine, FL, SPC Jonathan Pollard, a medical specialist from Greencove Springs, FL, and SSG Hatchett from St. Augustine, taught the course which included tactical field care, CPR, basic first aid, treating chest wounds, giving intravenous fluid, and evacuation carries out of a combat area.
"They were some of the most motivated students I have had," said Sullivan who also has been an instructor at First Coast Technical Institute. "You could tell that they wanted to learn and this was important to them. I have no doubt the knowledge they gained will one day help one of them save someone's life."
One of the students named Mohammed said, "I was so excited when I found out I was one of only five from my company to be selected for this course. This is something we really need. We have not had this type of training before." He said that in the past year alone 72 Iraqi Policemen in his department have been killed.
He recalled one incident last year when their convoy was hit by three IEDs followed by an ambush. "Life can change in an instant in Iraq. Several of my friends died that day," said Mohammed who works in the Iraq Ministry of Interior's Internal Affairs Directorate. In the past year alone, 82 officers in this one department have been killed in the line of duty.
"We have been suffering for a long time. This course is so important to us to give us the skills and know-how to save a life. This is something we have needed, and all of us are very glad to have received this training," he said.
CPT Thomas Larkin of the 256th Area Support Medical Company, medical officer-in-charge of the Troop Medical Clinic at FOB Shield said, "We wanted to teach them skills so they will feel competent in treating a casualty and stabilizing the victims to get them to a higher echelon of medical care."
"We are here to serve the needs of the military and shore up the Iraqi medical system. We want them to feel competent in saving lives when performing missions such as warrant searches for their department."
Eric is a 1993 graduate of Chester High School and the son of Eugene and Patsy Sullivan of Ellis Grove, IL.