Special Mission Helps Get Fireworks Disaster Survivors to Mainland Medical Treatment Center

Brigadier General Walter R. Ross recently visited the Brooke Army Medical Center and the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command’s Institute of Surgical Research Burn Center’s Burn Flight Unit. He met two Burn Flight Teams (BFTs) from the prestigious Brooke Army Medical Center Burn Unit in San Antonio, Texas.

The BFTs accompanied the survivors of the New Year’s Eve Āliamanu (Salt Lake) fireworks disaster, who were flown to a specialized burn center in Arizona for crucial treatment, along with a Critical Care Air Transport Team (CCATT). The CCATT, a specialized team capable of converting an aircraft into a mobile ICU, ensured that patients received continuous, high-level care throughout the flight. The BFTs, consisting of skilled nurses, respiratory therapists and burn treatment physicians, collaborated closely with the CCATT to ensure smooth and safe transport for their patients.

The lifesaving mission required precise coordination, involving military ambulance support and the Hawai‘i Air National Guard, which transported patients from Queen’s Medical Center and Straub Benioff Medical Center to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam before their flight to Arizona aboard a C-17 military aircraft.

This critical mission involved a collaborative effort among military medical personnel, aircrews and ground support teams, including active duty and Hawai‘i Air National Guard members, working alongside civilian authorities to provide the necessary care.

During Brig. Gen. Ross’s visit, he met the BFTs responsible for aeromedical care during the transport of six burn patients from Hawai‘i to Arizona. To honor their outstanding service, Ross presented the team members with a special military coin in recognition of their exceptional care.

The special military coin features the word Ho‘omau which means to persevere or to carry on, and has seals from the state of Hawai‘i and the five U.S. military branches. Ross said, “This coin was very fitting to give to the BFT members as they personally understood what it means to persevere.” He spent about an hour talking story and thanked them for the help they provided.

Visit this website for details about the mission from the U.S. Air Force, here.