[Experience with passenger motor ship re-equipment used for evacuation of the wounded and sick]

In September 2002 the mobilization headquarters training was conducted on the base of Volga-Baltic steamship. During this training the passenger motor-vessel (the project 301) was re-equipped into sanitary-and-transport ship. The sanitary treatment coast post and the elements of evacuation receiving-room were developed by the personnel on the shore near the mooring wall. On the 3rd day the ship's sanitary treatment post, medical department (60 beds) with the wards for psychic patients (4 critical patients/ward), post for nurse on duty, room of physician on duty, dressing room, drugstore, autoclave room, clinical laboratory and collective defense post were created in the re-equipped rooms of the ship. The training has confirmed the advantages of casualty and patient transportation using the inner water-ways over the other types of transport. The following defects should be noted: the season work of river transport; frequent discrepancy of river trend with evacuation ways; comparatively low rate of transportation; different types of river ships used for medical evacuation.