Seabees Build to Help Docs

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq (NNS) -- Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 1 completed a potentially life-saving project at Fallujah Surgical Company here April 17.

The project is a brand new triage and receiving canopy, which will augment the triage tents currently being used.

“It’s a timber and aluminum triage canopy to provide shelter to patients waiting to get into Fallujah Surgical,” said Chief Builder (SCW) Rob Morrison, the project chief, “and also to provide lighting at night.”
The canopy will be able to comfortably accommodate up to 10 patients at a time.

“We’ll be able to line up 10 stretchers, five on each side,” said Cmdr. Carol Blackwood, a triage doctor at Fallujah Surgical. “Before, they would have been in the gravel or falling off the [entry way].”

Eight Seabees from several construction rates were utilized for the construction.

“We had steelworkers prefab the reinforcing steel that goes in the concrete and also the corrugated sheet steel that will go on the roof,” said Morrison, a native of Clove, S.C. “We had (construction) electricians do the wiring and switches and lighting, and utilitiesmen cap off and reroute the storm drain. Then we have the meat and potatoes of the project, which is builders, because it’s mostly timber and concrete, which is the main part of their rate.”

The new structure, which was started March 29, is designed to allow emergency vehicles to back up to the opening for unloading patients for triage into a safe environment.

“This will provide more protection for patients during triage,” said Blackwood. “We’ve had incidences with our own staff tripping over stuff. It will also provide protection for the patients in the heat by keeping them in the shade.”

While a lot of units train like they fight and fight like they train, the Seabees constructing the triage canopy can see differences between normal operations during peacetime and operations in a combat zone.

“When we deploy to other places, we’ll work on a project the whole six months we’re there,” said Builder 2nd Class (SCW) Nick Hoffman, the triage canopy project supervisor and native of Decatur, Ala. “Out here is more high-paced than normal peacetime projects.”

Security issues keep the Seabees of NMCB 1 encamped for the most part, relegating them to projects such as camp maintenance and force protection. Because of that, the Seabees here are grateful for the opportunity to build a facility that will enable health care providers to work in a more controlled environment during the crucial time that is triage.

“It’s for a real good command. They’re providing triage to troops throughout the theater,” said Morrison. “We’re glad to do whatever we can to help them.”

For related news, visit the Commander, 1st Naval Construction Division Navy NewsStand page at www.news.navy.mil/local/1ncd.