Page 120 - JSOM Winter 2018

So, at these times when it becomes increasingly more difficult Starlite’s goal is to deliver a top-quality, client specific service
to deploy a Role 2 close to combat zones, the experience of the to achieve a cost-effective solution.
Belgian SOST has shown that medical and surgical treatments
can be provided with good results in pre-hospital at CCP-level. Starlite’s strength lies in our previous experience operating ro-
tor wing and fixed wing aircraft in hostile environments with
full intensive care capabilities which has provided us with the
Starlite Aviation Group – International Milmedevac knowledge of anticipated maintenance issues and the vari-
Fiona McCarthy ous layers of safety applied to operations in harsh operating
Operations environments.
Starlite Aviation Group is a diverse aviation company, offer-
ing a wide range of helicopter and fixed wing services. Boast- Surgeon Experience in Afghanistan and Iraq:
ing an impressive portfolio, having operated in 25 countries Improving Outcomes in Low Resource and
and 5 continents in some of the harshest environments in Austere Surgery
aviation, we are a solution driven organization focusing on LCdr Sanita Atwal Dr, Department of National Defence (Canada)
providing mission ready aircraft for multi-task configurations
on a global basis. Starlite prides itself as experts at taking on he challenge of providing medical and surgical care in mil-
complex assignments in remote locations and focusing on fast Titary operations is multi-layered, depending on the type of
deployment. operation, the responses required, the medical rules of engage-
ment, and the underlying circumstances upon which these are
Medical overlaid.
Dedicated intensive care equipped aircraft has become one of Combat surgical care focuses on providing appropriate sta-
Starlite’s primary areas of focus providing medically equipped bilization, resuscitation, and damage control procedures for
helicopter and fixed wing aircraft on a 24/7 basis. The success injured soldiers, with the anticipated course being their evacu-
of Starlite in this area is attributed to our all-encompassing ser- ation rearward, through established levels of care, with speedy
vice which provides aircraft, maintenance, medical equipment repatriation so that definitive care can then be accomplished.
and consumables and fully operational, experienced teams for Conflict ops may also involve caring for injured local soldiers
complex assignments in the most remote areas. and civilians; other military responses include efforts of hu-
manitarian or disaster relief.
Flight Crew
Starlite’s aircrew are made up of a select group of pilots with Humanitarian emergencies complicate standard conflict (trauma)
a wide range of flying experience ranging from, Medevac op- care, and natural disasters, famine, and disease outbreaks
erations, general utility flying, high altitude cargo sling work, are characterized by the collapse of infrastructure and basic
offshore and ship service flying, rescue and disaster relief, as health services. Emergencies are superimposed on longstand-
well as night, Night Vision Systems and Instrument Flight ing needs, and on extreme poverty. Over 95% of the world’s
operations. refugees and displaced persons are in low or middle income
countries, and disproportionately represented are the coun-
Medical Personnel tries with high maternal, newborn and child mortality rates.
Starlite provides highly qualified registered medical practi- The special considerations are (1) care of more vulnerable
tioners and advanced life support paramedics specialising populations, such as women, children, and the elderly, (2) lack
in pre-hospital emergency care and extensive experience in of standard equipment and medications, (3) the need to alter
trauma, cardiology, surgery, anaesthetics and aviation medi- surgical strategies, perhaps using older or more radical tech-
cine. Starlite are committed to ensure a high level of quality of niques, (4) the need to provide definitive solutions for local
the medical service provided with the focus being on a seam- patients, (5) the need to be cognizant of the local resources,
less transition to provide uninterrupted medical evacuation and the ability of the local organisations to care for complex
including the transfer of ventilated intensive care patients to patients, and (6) these considerations need to be balanced with
various hospitals while maintaining treatment if required. the absolute requirement for ethical treatment.
Night Vision Systems We have the opportunity to enhance our clinical capabilities to
Starlite obtained the first ever official approval for Night tailor our medical response and to achieve the best outcomes
Vision Systems from the European Aviation Safety Agency for low-income, high-risk populations. Civilian medical data-
(EASA) and South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) bases (MEDLINE) and published literature from multiple hu-
as a civilian air transport operator. manitarian organisations (EM-DAT, ICRC, UNHCR, WHO,
Oxfam, World Vision, UN Dept of Peacekeeping Operations,
The night vision systems are used purely in a civilian role to World Bank, Global Humanitarian Assistance, CDC, MSF,
enhance the safety of operations throughout the spectrum of Canadian Global Surgery, Canadian Network for Interna-
our operations. In utilizing NVS in the civilian sector for the tional Surgery), as well as available military databases (JTTR)
past 12 years predominantly with military experienced flight can be systematically reviewed to detail the most common sur-
crew, we have gained a vast amount of experience in the safe gical issues treated and procedures required.
practice of this system. NVS is extremely beneficial where time
is crucial and any delay in dispatching a flight would add addi- Once the most common problems are identified, a data-
tional risk to a positive outcome of the situation which is often collection tool adapted from those extant, or formulated based
the case in emergency medical scenarios. on these can be used to form a prospective dataset to identify
our own most commonly encountered global/conflict surgical
Starlite is a results oriented rotor wing and fixed wing operator problems, and most beneficial/lifesaving interventions.
who places priority on safety, availability and cost efficiency.

118 | JSOM Volume 18, Edition 4 / Winter 2018