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Sunday, 07 October 2007 |
MERCY Malaysia’s Basic Mission Training - the second of its four-tiered training programme (Volunteer Induction Programme, Basic Life Support, Basic Mission Training and Advanced Mission Training) is a 3-day-2-night programme during which participants are taught the basics of what will be required of them as well as what to expect during missions. This includes rapid medical response for communities affected by man-made or natural disasters, and humanitarian relief.
During the first of 2007’s BMT that was held in Kedah, registration for the programme was at 9 am, 30th March 2007. However, most of the participants arrived the night before as they were from out of town. The extra time gave the participants from diverse backgrounds a chance to get to know each other, thus making registration a very smooth and friendly process.
Once registered, the 30 participants were divided into 5 groups of approximately six members per team plus a facilitator. These ‘training families’ started with the setting up of their tents, helping the participants bond with their team mates right from the beginning. The first day’s activities weren’t very physically challenging so the groups were required to cook their own food as well.
Activities for the first day were mostly theoretical. Instructors briefed the teams on the basics of essential elements of disaster preparedness. Courses for this day included radio communication, personal safety and security. Elements of these courses included radio communication etiquette and protocol as well as how to prevent further casualties and personal injuries when attending a disaster site.
Subsequently, each group prepared and cooked themselves dinner. This lead to some interesting creations as teams got used to dealing with unusual cooking conditions. Following dinner, MERCY Malaysia’s instructor explained the reasons for and importance of evacuation protocol. While listening to this, some of us recognised this as a sign that the already long day was about to get longer.
Saturday started early with breakfast at 7 am sharp. The first talk was on navigation skills, steering the groups in the right direction for the day. The skills learnt in this course were immediately put to use as the teams were made to find their way using a compass and a map, to find the place where their Basic Life Support Medical Evacuation was conducted.
Practical was the order of the afternoon. Instructors briefed and demonstrated possible dangers in hostile conditions and how best to face as well as avoid them. It was then each team’s turn to run the gauntlet, and expect the unexpected.
The afternoon’s ordeal finally ended at seven. Following dinner, the teams had a chance to discuss what working in an active disaster zone would be like. The difficulties and frustrations of dealing with unusual and stressful situations were likened to the day’s events. The groups also expressed their thoughts on how the situations could have been handled better, comparing success stories and ways to set and attain goals while on the field.
The next morning, after tearing down the campsite, all the teams were taught how MERCY Malaysia’s mobile clinics are set up and run. The teams then collaborated to set up their own clinics, enacting real life scenarios. The trainers acted as patients intent on getting their own back by acting as troublemakers.
The training finally came to an end after lunch with looks of achievement on everybody’s faces while they made their sad goodbyes. As one of the participants, I felt that the training, even though only three days long, taught me a lot of things that I will need during a mission. I am now a lot more confident about being sent on a MERCY Malaysia mission due to the invaluable experience I obtained throughout these three highly educational days.
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