BCG Conducts Successful Medical Evacuation
BDF Media Release| 18 February 2021
Photography and Story credit: BDF Media
The Barbados Defence Force in its responsibility for the security and protection of life at sea, responded to a medical distress request approximately 5.8 nautical miles (nm) off of Barbados. The Barbados Coast Guard (BCG), Off-Shore Patrol Vessel (OPV) HMBS LEONARD C. BANFIELD, (LCB) conducted a medical-evacuation (MEDEVAC) of a 41-year-old male onboard an oil tanker, the EAGLE SAN JUAN.
The patient was assessed by the BCGs medical team and the Port Health authorities before being transported to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) for further observations. Captain of HMBS LCB, Lieutenant Coast Guard (Lt (CG) Shawn Hazelwood, explained that due to the size of the oil tanker, it could not berth in the Bridgetown Port. He confirmed that all crew members and medical teams adhered to the COVID-19 protocols. Lt (CG) Hazelwood explained that this type of operation is one many multidisciplinary elements that the BDF trains for and executes.
Commodore (Cdre) Errington Ricardo Shurland was appointed Chief of Staff of the Barbados Defence Force (BDF) on 1 September 2021. He enlisted in the BDF in February 1984 and in a military career spanning over 34 years, has served in various operational and administrative appointments.
Colonel Glyne Grannum joined the Barbados Defence Force (BDF) on 18 October 1985 and underwent career development training at the Canadian Forces Officer Candidate School, Chilliwack and the Combat Training Centre, Gagetown New Brunswick, Canada. He subsequently attended the Infantry Training Centre and the Signal Wing in Warminster, UK (PCBC and RSO Courses respectively), the International Institute of Humanitarian Law in San Remo, Italy; the Lester Pearson Canadian Peacekeeping Centre, the Canadian Land Forces Command and Staff College, Kingston, the Canadian Forces Command and Staff College, Toronto, the National Defence University of the People’s Liberation Army People’s Republic of China and the Centre for Hemispheric Defence Studies, National Defence University, Washington. He also attended a Defence Resources Management programme at National Defence Headquarters, Ottawa, Canada. In addition to being a qualified infantry officer, Col Grannum is a qualified Regimental Signals Officer and a former Operations Officer and Finance Officer of the BDF.
Colonel Banfield joined the Barbados Battalion of the South Caribbean Force in 1941 having just left the Cadet Corps at Combermere School, and was granted a commission as a Second Lieutenant in 1942. He was a Platoon Commander and a Company Commander during the war and served in Barbados, Dominica (as part of the Gale Force), St Lucia and St Vincent.
Warrant Officer Class 1 Colin Marshall is a graduate of the St Michael, and was born on the 5 November 1969 and enlisted in the Barbados Defence Force on 16 August 1994. He was promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal in August 1997, Corporal in 1999, Sergeant in 2007, Color Sergeant in 2014, Warrant Officer Class Two in 2017 and Warrant Officer Class One in 2020. He was Most Outstanding Student on Junior Leadership Course in 1998, the Most Outstanding Student on Junior Non Commissioned Officer Cadre in Jamaica in 2000, best at Leadership on the Search Adviser Course in Jamaica in 2007 and the Most Outstanding Student on the Warrant Officer Course in Jamaica in 2015.
