Receiving mass casualties at sea: the capabilities of the primary casualty receiving facility

Abstract

Exercise Aurora (May-June 2004) off the eastern seaboard of the United States provided an opportunity, on several occasions, to test the ability of the PCRF to cope with large numbers of "casualties" arriving simultaneously. This article reviews the role of the PCRF, its facilities and capabilities, and how these are currently utilised to handle mass casualties. Some of the valuable lessons identified from Exercise Aurora are briefly discussed.