Maritime Mobile Service Net Handles At-Sea Medical Emergency:

Members of the Maritime Mobile Service Net http://mmsn.org/ recently were instrumental in the successful handling of yet another medical emergency at sea. The crisis arose when a young hand aboard a commercial fishing vessel in the Caribbean Sea off the coast of Central America suffered serious knife wounds May 25 in a fight with a crewmate. Although not an amateur licensee, the captain of the Motor Vessel Brandon Travis knew he could get prompt assistance on the net's 14.300 MHz frequency.

"Under normal conditions, transmissions by non-amateur stations on this frequency are prohibited by international law," said Assistant Net Manager Tom Job, VE3II, who lives near Toronto and took the initial call for help. "But when an emergency occurs at sea, anyone can use the frequency for assistance." At the time, the 80-foot, steel-hulled Brandon Travis was reported two days east of Roatan, Honduras.

The captain, who identified himself as "Chris," explained that the most serious injury the 17-year-old crew member suffered was a stab wound in the back, just a few inches from the victim's spine.

After obtaining critical information, Job contacted the Coast Guard's District 7 Search and Rescue Center in Miami and relayed the situation report. The Coast Guard in turn contacted Honduran authorities to arrange to evacuate the injured man.

The net also was able to get physician Jim Hirschman, K4TCV, a net member in Miami, on frequency. Hirschman has extensive experience assisting with injuries and medical emergencies via the radio. He was one of the principal MMSN members to provide assistance and advice to the parents of Willem van Tuyl, then 13, after he was shot and seriously injured in a pirate attack on the family's sailboat in 2000.

The injured man was reported in pain and apparent shock and having difficulty breathing. Hirschman advised the captain on how to stabilize the victim and treat his injuries. No oxygen was available aboard the vessel. "The injury was life-threatening, and medical evacuation was of the utmost urgency," Job pointed out. Hirschman was joined by fellow physician Peter Sosnow, W1KY, an emergency room trauma specialist.

The net remained open past its normal closing time to keep an ear on the situation. Early the next morning, the captain of the Brandon Travis informed the net that the injured man had been removed to a Honduran naval vessel and taken to a hospital.

"Without the assistance of the net, this situation could have resulted in the death of the crew member," Job added. The stabbing victim spent a couple of days in the hospital and was released.

The captain of the Brandon Travis checked into the net two days after the incident to thank everyone for their help. At the captain's request, the net supplied him with a copy of ARRL Amateur Radio license study materials.

"He was super impressed with the net's response and now has 14.300 in the ship SSB radio's memory," Job said. "Chalk up another one for the good guys."

Source:

The ARRL Letter Vol. 23, No. 24 June 11, 2004

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