Emergency EVA Rescue Scenario: Whenever an EVA is planned, a time frame of completion is designated. As a general rule of thumb, if a crew is not back by the estimated total time, a rescue crew must be sent out to find them. Usually if a crew is late, they are gathering additional samples or ran into delaying conditions, but it could also be that they are trapped, hurt, or worse, unconscious. The desert terrain is very unforgiving so the crew must be prepared for any scenario.

In this EVA, three crewmembers were sent out to perform a typical EVA and simulate an injury. For the simulation we assumed a lower leg injury like a broken or fractured ankle.

Emergency Procedure:

1. One member will succumb to injury (dubbed Hurt) that prevents use of their ATV, i.e. the broken ankle.
2. One member will stay with hurt member (dubbed Nurse), another (dubbed Lassie) will ATV back to Hab.
3. When Lassie is within radio range of Hab, they will radio in an emergency situation.
4. Crewmember at Hab (dubbed Driver) will suit up to help with emergency.
5. Another crewmember at Hab (dubbed Helper) would prepare necessary medical supplies (splint, bandages, etc.).
6. Once Lassie arrives at Hab, Driver and Lassie will enter PEV to return to site of injury.
7. Assuming Hurt can be moved, Driver, Lassie, and Nurse will load them into PEV bed.
8. Driver will drive PEV back to Hab, Lassie and Nurse will ride ATVs back.
9. The elapsed time will be recorded by out-of-SIM member (dubbed Tracker), who will ride along and record relevant observations.

It is important that one member be out of SIM to document accurately the problems and insights we encounter, as well as photograph the mission.

Roles:
Hurt: Amy Blank
Nurse: Dennis Creamer
Lassie: Kevin Sloan
Driver: Daniel Hegeman
Helper: Jason Schwier
Tracker: Ryan Kobrick, HSO

Actual Sequence of Events: When Lassie arrived back at the Hab he described the possible injury and location to the Helper and Tracker. Lassie and Nurse also moved Hurt into the shade, which would be equivalent to moving a Mars victim into shelter from the ambient radiation from space (see image below). The time of 13 minutes and 50 seconds was the time from injury to Lassie's return to the Hab. During this sequence the injured was carried 35 meters into the shade, the GPS coordinates were marked and Lassie jogged as best as possible to the ATV and retuned to base.

(Click Image for Detailed View)
Driver suiting up	Helper preparing medical supplies
Lassie has returned to Hab	Hurt in Shade with Nurse, Lassie and Driver
While trying to move Hurt many different positions for relocation were attempted. After much difficulty the optimal solution was loading Hurt onto the back of an ATV and driving Hurt to the PEV.
Using a pole for Hurt to lean on, two crewmembers lifted the pole to take the weight off of the victim. This caused more discomfort to Hurt and the excessive hopping was difficult.	Hurt was lifted in a basket position. She was not lifted very far before everyone was tired.
Hurt attempting to use a pole as a cane and support from the Nurse. This involved more hopping and didn't get too far.	Hurt elevated by pole in basket chair position. This cause Hurt's helmet to rise significantly but this allowed the most distance to be covered.
Hurt loaded onto back of ATV and finally moved out to PEV.	Hurt loaded and secured into back of PEV.
Hurt unloaded out of PEV by crew.	The final leg of the journey home, the hop up the stairs.
The following is a sequence of events for Elapsed Rescue Time, Elapsed Injury Time and Actual Time in MST.

Problems Encountered:

• Carrying the victim was extremely tiring and difficult. A comfortable position could not be established.
• Hurt could not simply lean on another member and hop since the helmet would smash into Hurt's face.
• Driver (who was actually riding in the back on the way out to the injury site) had his air supply turn off as the battery came loose in one of the bumps in the road.
• Hurt's helmet came up, over and off at one point in the carrying procedure.

Recommendations:

• A stretcher or body board should be donated or built for practicing MDRS Emergency EVA Rescue attempts. This would be useful data for a future Mars mission if a crewmember were injured in the field.
• If driving an ATV onto land that has not been driven on before, driving along the river wash streams could help cover up tracks made during the rescue to prevent disrupting the landscape.
• Finding shade to move the injured victim to is an excellent idea since it takes a while to get the rescue force to the victim and as mentioned on Mars moving the victim out from the ambient radiation would help as well. In this case it took over 30 minutes for Driver and Lassie to get back to Hurt.
• Be Safe, Take Your Time, And Don't Get Injured!

Click Here to see Mars Watch out of the Hab and on the Rescue!