Worst case scenario

Staff Sgt. Sonja Earle, 302nd Aeromedical Staging Squadron lab technician and Tech. Sgt. Luis Ramirez, a medical technician in the same squadron, prepare to move a mock patient out of harm's way Feb. 7, 2009, at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. Members of their military unit and the 34th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, conducted an annual, mass-casualty training exercise at the base to ensure quality and timely patient care is always provided when needed. More than 40 medical personnel tended to approximately 25 mock patients who were "suffering" from various traumas. "It's important to coordinate our skills and resources to provide patient care." said Staff Sgt. Ibrahim Farah, 34th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron. "We've got to bond extremely quickly. We're all medical personnel here; we know what has to be done; and we need to get it done." (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Daniel Butterfield)