EVA #13

Crew members (5) : Xavier Rixhon (EVA leader), Simon Bouriat, Arthur Lillo, Louis Maller and Mouâdh Bouayad (EVA buddies)

Location: Hab surroundings

Vehicules : Deimos
Time: departure at 1.30pm and back at 4.30pm

Duration : 2 hours

Purposes:
• Test of emergency protocoles and safety gestures in case of one EVA member would faint or break a bone. We’ll stay in front of the Hab because there’s no need to move to another place and we might even simulate emergency calls to the HabCom.

Today EVA was dedicated to emergency procedures. This session aimed to develop the safety moves and protocoles in case one EVA participant passes out, needs to be put in recovery position and eventually, brought back to the Hab for further treatments in a pressurised and clean environment. As HabCom, Victoria took notes after each exercice. That way, with Simon (HSO), we’ll be able to debrief and set a summary of all these procedures.

After a short briefing given by Simon and I to our three buddies on the lower deck, we started the exercices before the Hab :

• Bring the victim to the sitting position : Since our backpacks are rectangular, the sitting position is very stable and relaxing for the victim. This is why we tested to sit the victim with 1, 2 then 3 people to help him out.

• Bring the victim to the recovery position : Once the unconscious victim has been sat, the biggest risks are to worsen his case (i.e. choke by throwing up or swelling his tongue). This is why it’s crucial to put the him in the recovery position.

• Bring the victim on his back : Some situations of fainting attacks force to put the victim on his back and lift his legs. Since the sitting position was very stable, it was that easy to do it. We then tried many ways to do it and ended up with the most efficient, less exhausting procedures.

• Accompany the victim to the passenger seat of the Rover : In case of a break somewhere on the upper body, the victim can still walk but needs help to get in the Rover. Since the opening is quite wide, it was very easy to help him out.

• Carry the victim on the rear of the Rover : In case the victim cannot be sat during the transport to the Hab, he has to stay laid (in recovery position) on the rear of the Rover. After trying it with ropes which was very unhandy, we made it very successfully and put the victim in comfortable and safe position. We even drove a bit to be sure it was stable.

Beyond all, the communication between the EVA participants and with HabCom was very efficient and led to a constructive and full of learnings EVA.