Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) training for 30 Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) personnel was conducted aboard the BRP Teresa Magbanua (MRRV-9701) by the United States Civil Military Support Element.
During the training’s kick-off ceremony on Friday, November 4, Philippine Coast Guard District Palawan commander Commodore Rommel Supangan emphasized the importance of the training to the province’s coast guard.
“Itong training na ito ay medical first responder training na magagamit ng ating mga tauhan dito sa Philippine Coast Guard District Palawan. Lalo na yung mga nasa barko natin, ang Special Operations Group, na sila yung pangunahing tauhan natin na dinideploy kapag may mga emergency kagaya ng HADR o Humanitarian Response and Disaster Relief Operations. So, mabibigyan sila ng karagdagang kaalaman paano nila gagampanan ang kanilang tungkulin,” Supangan said.
“At the same time ang mga equipment na ibinigay kagaya nung mga diving gears at medical equipment ay ibubuild up yung ating kapasidad para sa pagtulong s mga nangangailangan lalo na sa mga kababayan natin dito sa Palawan,” he added.
Aside from knowledge exchange, the US military has also donated medical supplies, equipment, and diving gear to the PCG Palawan, which, according to Supangan, will strengthen their capabilities in providing assistance to the province’s residents.
The PCG noted in a separate statement that the training was carried out in accordance with the US military’s guidelines for trauma life support in prehospital combat medicine.
“The said training reinforced skills in immediately recognizing and addressing injuries, life-saving techniques and strategies for providing the best trauma care on the battlefield encountered during maritime search and rescue, maritime law enforcement, and/or maritime security operations,” the statement reads.
