# 4 Reserve Medics in Asia



## old medic (5 Jan 2005)

The various Canadian media outlets have been making occasional mention of the four  reserve medics from 25 Fd Amb going to the Tsunami area on their own initiative.  I believe they are funding themselves with their own money, and with corporate sponsors back in Toronto. 
CTV news net has been running an interview with them today, with the story and on-screen graphics showing them as members of the unit.

Any opinions out there on this ?

I'm especially curious to hear from anybody from LFCA HQ or 25 Field Ambulance.


----------



## Navalsnpr (5 Jan 2005)

As long as they can perform some function and assist.... good on them.

More hands make lighter work, and being a medic will be a definite asset


----------



## Soleman (5 Jan 2005)

In what capacity and who are they representing?  I know a reg force QL5 is EMT qualified (I may be wrong), what level are these reservists?  I am curious as to how they are being represented by the media. IMHO if they are civilian EMT, awesome good on ya, great job and some positive PA for the reserves .  If they are going to represent the military and riding that wave (no pun intended) bad idea. Is there not some sort of liability/legal issues? What if they f*** up or get injured?  Will the government come in and say why were four reservists there with out authorization. 

I guess it all depends on how they represent themselves and how the media does as well. 

My opinion.


----------



## Armymedic (5 Jan 2005)

Here is the article...

They are representing themselves, but the media picked up that they are civilian paramedics and highlighted the fact they are CF reservist as well....personally, I think it looks good on him. 

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1104803571924_13/?hub=TopStories

Canadian paramedics volunteer in Sri Lanka
CTV.ca News Staff

A group of Canadian paramedics are donating their time, services and money to help tsunami victims in a forgotten Sri Lankan fishing village. 

Among the group are four paramedics from Toronto, who paid their own way to reach the remote village of Induruwa on the southwest coast of Sri Lanka -- a place that has seen no aid arrive since the tsunami hit. 

Most of the injuries that people are suffering from in this village are infected gashes and intestinal problems. 

Billy Lui is a medic who works for 25 (Toronto) Field Ambulance, part of the Canadian military reserve. He spent $20,000 from his own pocket to take part in this aid mission.  (my emphisis)

"We're Canadians, we're human beings and we believe we should help other human beings," said Lui. 

Despite resistance from official aid groups, which are discouraging independent volunteers due to the complications they can pose logistically, the team of four managed in 10 days to set up a tiny urgent care clinic in the front yard of a villager's damaged home. 

Military reserve medic Jonathan Howard said, however, that he's not impressed with the organization of the infrastructure. They're having to use their own supplies that they brought with them. 

"Lots of supplies are coming in," said Howard, "but there is no dynamic movement of those supplies." 

"The IV units were sitting in boxes in the sweltering heat, so it's garbage."

Helping disaster victims is nothing new for Rahul Singh, another Toronto paramedic donating his services in Sri Lanka. 

He's the driving force behind a group of paramedics, police officers and firefighters who travel every year to Third World countries. 

Singh is also the director of emergency programs for the David McAntony Gibson Foundation, an organization that takes relief supplies and equipment to those in need. 

This time, he brought with him a donation to Sri Lanka made by the city of Toronto, consisting of water-treatment supplies to provide clean drinking water for up 100,000 people. 

"We're going to go in and teach people how to rehabilitate wells and purify water, and we'll do that two or three times with a core group of 10 to 15 people," said Singh. 

The medics know they can only do so much, however. 

"The people here are reluctant to go to hospital," says CTV reporter Lisa LaFlamme in Induruwa, "afraid that when they come back, the little they have left will also be gone."


----------



## Soleman (5 Jan 2005)

Army medic thanks for that article,

This is the first I have heard of it out west.  I agree it looks good on them.  I sometimes cringe when I here headlines like this.  You have to wonder if it is an over-zealous, young reservist who is eager to deploy somewhere and make a difference with out taking everything into account hoping that the CF will give him the publicity he needs.  It sounds like they have thought this through and have their stuff together.  I hope they keep the LOC open and can stay there as long as possible.

Cheers to them.  

Like the article said "Despite resistance from official aid groups, which are discouraging independent volunteers due to the complications they can pose logistically" With out extreme command and control over the amount of people just picking up and heading over there to help can confuse things and could cause villages to be missed by real aid agencies.

I wonder what Ottawa would say if a Reg force medic/engineer/whatever took leave to go participate?


----------



## Armymedic (6 Jan 2005)

Soleman said:
			
		

> I wonder what Ottawa would say if a Reg force medic/engineer/whatever took leave to go participate?



It would never make it that far...Your c of c and ultimately, your CO should nip it in the bud. While noble, we are paid to serve where and when at the discretion of our national gov't. A reg force mbr would have to take leave without pay to do something like this in a foreign country


----------



## JAFMA (6 Apr 2005)

Not a good idea encase of injury, illness or exposure to toxic substance.  Christ member's have a h_ll of a time now going through the red tape at the VA.  Both Reg force and Reserve. Could you just imagine the crap they would get regarding something like this.  Like Armymedic stated very Noble but not a good career move.


----------

