right track!

THE V8 Supercar series may soon see a change in the way its rescue services are run thanks to the efforts of Bahrain's medical team, it emerged yesterday. The move follows the visit of V8 Supercars chief executive officer Cameron Leveck and Australia V8 medical delegate Dr Carl Lee, who attended the Gulf Air Desert 400 that ended at the Bahrain International Circuit on Saturday. Impressive "The officials have requested all details about the way we have planned the medical services and have been particularly impressed with the way our extrication teams have performed," said V8 chief medical officer and Salmaniya Medical Complex senior resident Dr Amjad Obaid. "They said that the excellent co-ordination between several components has made V8 officials look at Bahrain as a model for races all over the world." Dr Obaid was speaking to the GDN as he revealed that the extrication team performed a record 2 minute and 40 second rescue of participants during a demonstration for the V8 delegates at the beginning of the race. "Less than three minutes is a heroic effort by any standards and we have managed to do it in far less time," he said. "This has been tremendously appreciated." Dr Obaid said also under request from the V8 organisers was the emergency rescue plan of the Bahrain medical team as well as its teams' plan records. "We have pledged to co-operate as much as we can in making the V8 medical teams' efforts much more professional than they already are," he said. Dr Obaid said the medical team earlier had won praise from the organisers of the Formula One event held in Bahrain in April. "The Formula One is already considering several modifications to its own plan and now the V8 organisers are also following suit," he said. "This is a tribute to Bahrain's achievements in the last five years that it has been organising these world class events." The official said that Bahrain has two to three six-person extrication teams, trained in the complicated procedure of removing an injured driver from his car without endangering his spine. "There are ambulances and a medical centre, which at some circuits is almost a small community hospital," said Dr Obaid. He said that the full staff for a typical race consisted of about 30 to 40 doctors and as many nurses, working with ambulance crews and paramedics. "All these personnel have to liaise with each other to be ready at all times to face any eventuality," said Dr Obaid. He said the high level of safety at all of Bahrain's events so far was due to the excellent training that has gone into the making of its medical team. Training "Because these elements form a chain of safety, a good outcome requires all links to be as strong as possible," said Dr Obaid. "And that is what we are striving to do." He said that in order to hone the skills that were required at the scene of the incident, they were currently involved in a programme of training and evaluation using accident simulations. "Full accident simulations, using a modified Formula One chassis and a briefed 'driver' as a victim, allow us to reveal the strengths and weaknesses at a given circuit before the race weekend," said the official.