Think Tank

 Aeromedical Evacuation Workshop

In November 2006, the Adelaide Node organised and hosted the National Mass Casualty Aeromedical Evacuation (AME) Think Tank here in Adelaide at the National Wine Centre.  This workshop provided the opportunity for the different groups to form a network, compare their experiences, processes and equipment, explore case studies, identify key issues and develop recommendations to work toward an Australian national approach to AME for significant disasters.

To achieve this, 75 representatives were brought together for the first time from:

• the Australian Government,
• State and Territory Governments,
• the Australian Defence Force,
• domestic and international civilian aero-medical evacuation providers, and
• International Defence Forces.

A report was produced (see report) and distributed and as a result, a full scale international AME exercise is currently being proposed by the United States Air Force and will involve a joint response from the Australian Defence Force.