THE arrival of the hurricane season in the Caribbean Islands has seen airborne medics from Colchester’s 16 Air Assault Brigade ready themselves for helping those hit by the tropical cyclones.

Known as Operation Ventus, the Royal Navy has ships in the Caribbean which are ready to help should any British Oversea Territories and its inhabitants be threatened by natural disasters.

In early July, 16 Medical Regiment underwent Exercise Winged Serpent at Stanford Training Area in Norfolk, where units simulated casualties which were treated from the point of wounding to resuscitation and surgery to save life, limb, and eyesight.

As the British Army’s global response force, the 16 Air Assault Brigade is trained to deploy at short notice by parachute, helicopter and airlanding.

The medics in the battalion, Major Sean Mason explained, have exactly the same aim as the soldiers – to save lives and reduce suffering as quickly and as effectively as possible.

He said: “As medics, our approach is the same whatever the operation we are involved in.

“We are there to save lives and prevent human suffering, whether the casualty is a soldier with a gunshot wound, a child with a disease caused by bad water quality or a woman injured in a car accident.”

Major Mason went on to say the exercise in Norfolk challenged the medics to work outside their comfort zone and take on challenges they were forced to adapt to.

“The exercise was designed to put our medics under pressure in a different scenario to what they’re used to, and they dealt with it very well.

“We learnt during the evacuation of Kabul last summer that our people need extra support after dealing with unfamiliar casualties, like children or elderly people, and realistic training helps build resilience and familiarity with what they could be called on to do.”

Should a major hurricane hit overseas territory, 16 Medical Regiment would be the first on hand to initiate Operation Ventus as part of the disaster relief effort.

“16 Medical Regiment is the natural choice because our role within airborne forces means we have a readiness mindset.”