Medical maintainers keep 2 MDG up and running

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Andrea F. Liechti
  • 2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --  Sometimes things break. A machine quits working, a piece of equipment gets added to a recall list or a dental chair malfunctions, leaving someone stranded longer than she intended.

Master Sgt. Mark S. Person and Staff Sgt. Orlando A. Ortega, members of the 2nd Medical Group medical logistics flight, are ready to respond.

"We try to never keep people waiting," said Person. "A patient with his mouth wide open in a dental chair knows how unpleasant it can be at the dentist. We try to get there lickety-split to keep broken equipment from prolonging the experience."

However, the dental clinic isn't the only organization this crew oversees. Person and Ortega are also responsible for supporting the medical clinic, the veterinary clinic and the 917th Reserve Unit. In addition to these organizations, they take care of the war-reserve materiel on base.
 
Their job is to ensure that all of the medical equipment at Barksdale is working correctly.

Person and Ortega gained their expertise by attending 42 weeks of technical school and two years of upgrade training. They also attend training on new brands and improvements in technology at least once a year to keep themselves up to date with advancements in the medical field.

In addition to their extensive educational background, the team members have a bookcase in their office filled with manuals and references for each piece of medical equipment they work on.

"If you know wires and gears and the components that make things up, you can work on just about anything once you're given a book," Person said.

In addition to being ready to fix machines, the crew ensures all of the medical equipment on base is consistently checked for safety and efficiency.

The large machines, such as the X-ray machine and computerized tomography scanner, are calibrated on a regular basis ensure they are safe for patients, Person said. It is important to make certain that a minimal amount of radiation is being used during X-rays and scans.

It is also imperative to verify the computer systems are working properly, said Ortega. If the software is down and doesn't capture an image, then the patient has to be scanned again. The team works hard to prevent this from happening.

Smaller items, such as dental tools and defibrillators, are checked regularly as well.

Aside from routine maintenance checks and trouble-shooting, the team has additional duties.

These include checking over recall lists to make sure equipment on base is safe and serving as liaisons between doctors and decision makers to ensure that all equipment purchased serves more than one department in the 2nd Medical Group.

He and Person have been trained and are prepared to conquer any obstacles thrown their way, Ortega said.

"We love our jobs and couldn't imagine doing anything else," Ortega said.