DESERT STORM AFTER ACTION REPORT

File: aabas_04.txt
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Total Pages: 6

devoted to continuing education if possible. It is also recommended that all nurses assigned
against mobility positions, attend the C4 Course in San Antonio.

d. BIOENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. The Bioenvironmental Engineering and Environmental Health
Sections of the ATH combined into one section, Bio/Environmental Health. In addition to
inspecting Food and water supplies,
this section assumed training and supervisory responsibility for two patient
decontamination teams, checked for chemical contamination following scud
missile attacks, and maintained a communicable disease surveillance system.
Problems were noted as follows:

Inadequate equipment. Many activities needing to be monitored could
not be because of a lack of equipment-. Equipment to evaluate the risks of
noise and asbestos, dust, spray painting and carbon monoxide should be
included on the TA.

e. PHARMACY. The Pharmacy was set up smoothly and ran smoothly during the entire
deployment. It was operational 24 hours a day. It is noted that the number of persons assigned to
the Pharmacy was adequate. Problem areas were as follows:

(1) Deployment of three level Pharmacy technicians. Three level technicians should
not work unsupervised. It is recommended that three level technicians not be deployed but
retained at home station to continue their training.

(2) Lack of security It was difficult to secure controlled drugs
and the Pharmacy was in a high volume area. Ideally the pharmacy should be
located In an iso-shelter. This, of course, would significantly increase the
weight of the ATH and decrease its mobility, so an alternative recommendation
Is to move the Pharmacy to a less central location within the ATH and provide
a safe and locking cabinets to limit access to these controlled substances.

f. SURGERY AND CENTRAL SUPPLY. The Surgery Department was used to perform over 75
operations with minimal postoperative complications. Response to mass casualty scenarios was
excellent by the Surgery Department. Central Supply served not only the ATH but also Allied
medical units and the medical services of other Army and Navy units as well. Problem areas were
noted as follows:
(1) Lack of storage space in the preop area which was further
complicated by the setup of an ICU/Close Observation Unit in this area. This
could be helped by addition of wire shelves to the ATH and adding an
additional section of tentage to the Central Supply.

(2) Excessive heat In the Central Supply area was noted. It is
recommended that this area be air conditioned.

(3) inability to monitor autoclave. Autoclave should be challenged
once a week using biological indicators. We were unable to do this because of
lack of reliability of the biological test due to Improper storage. It is
recommended that EM proof biological indicators be used in the future and that
two incubators and four boxes of proof biological indicators be added to the