Ross Alumni Provides Airborne Medical Care during CombatAlthough Bruce Guerdan, M.D., an Air National Guard Squadron Commander, recently returned from being deployed in Operation Iraqi Freedom, it likely won't be long before he is called to serve in yet another dangerous war zone. Bruce's specialty is emergency medicine and he is responsible for the care of combat casualties, evacuating critically injured
patients from battlefields all over the world. Dr. Guerdan serves in Critical Care Air Transport Teams (CCATT) of the 171st Medical Group, transporting and stabilizing the wounded from the front lines of war to the nearest medical facility. These elite teams, which consist of a Physician, Critical Care Nurse and Respiratory Technician, receive extensive training in managing critical patients in less than ideal patient-care
settings. Dr. Guerdan confronts the challenge of providing life saving medical care in what is often the face of life threatening danger. "There are times when I'm treating a patient, trying to insert an IV while in a moving C-130 transport plane, under enemy fire, with no lights on to avoid being hit" he said. During his five months deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Dr. Guerdan dealt with various
kinds of medical evacuations, combat and non-combat, involving military personnel and civilians and served in the same capacity in countries including Afghanistan, Kosovo and Kuwait. Their C-130 transport plane carries roughly 450 pounds of equipment and is capable of caring for up to three ventilated patients, with a six patient total. CCATT are deployed to various war zones treat victims of bullet and shrapnel wounds, heart attacks, burns, broken bones and more. "Down times can get boring" he said, " but when you work, you are working on people that are hurt". | 
