[captionpix imgsrc=”https://thecostaricanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/medevac.jpg” align=”left” captiontext=”Costa Rica Medical Evacuation Personnel help in flood relief.”]A doctor and a nurse, members of the Public Force, were sent to receive special training in aviation medicine to be able to respond in case of emergencies or natural disasters that require medical evacuation.
Johnny González and Jonathan Mora, doctor and nurse respectively, are currently training in the Aerospace Medical Center of the Chilean Air Force as they were invited to be part of their Aviation Medicine course.
“The purpose of this training is to be able to comeback and serve in a field that is very specific to aviation, and in Costa Rica we can’t get that kind of knowledge,” said González, who specialices in respiratory therapy and has participated in medevac operations in the southern zone of the country.
Both González and Mora joined the Reserve Forces of the Public Force to devote part of their free time to work towards maintaining public safety and health of the inhabitants of remote areas of Costa Rica.
“We want to help our fellows at the Air Surveillance Service, who carry out daily air ambulance services or help during situations such as floods and other emergencies in wich medevac is requires and has to be done by helicopter,” González said.
He explained that during the first week of training, they used a flight simulator and the hypobaric chamber to recreate the conditions of flying at an altitude of over 11 thousand feet. These conditions happen at Chirripó Peak and Irazú Volcano, in Costa Rica.
“We have to be well prepared for that kind of flights and this course will also help us teach other people back in Costa Rica, and collaborate in a better way with the Public Force Reserve,” he added.
González and Mora participated in a humanitarian tour to give medical attention and supplies to more than 300 people in Punta Burica, close to the border with Panama.
The tropical conditions in Costa Rica have constantly required medical air support. Last year, Hurricane Thomas forced the government to utilize all resources, helicopters included, to help the victims of floodings and landslides.
by Mario Garita for TheCostaRicaNews.com