Text and photo: Private 1st Class Jacob Trier, the Danish Field Hospital

In a few hours, an empty field near Ålbæk is transformed into a fully functional hospital that is ready to provide humanitarian support to civilians escaping from flooding and an earthquake. The Field Hospital is set up as part of DANEX 07, where the Army, the Nany and other authorities train disaster relief.

The Field Hospital arrived in Northern Jutland around noon, Saturday and is expected to be fully operational Sunday evening. When the hospital is set up, it will be able to receive and treat ill and injured persons, perform operations and accommodate 30-60 patients confined to bed.

The tents are unfolded

The Field Hospital is part of the 5th Logistics Battalion which is based in Vordingborg. In connection with the exercise the hospital, which is primarily manned with reaction force personnel, is activated and deployed to Northern Jutland to provide assistance to the victims of the earthquake that stikes the region as part of the exercise scenario.

The transport from Vordingborg has been done both by truck and by ship. The Field Hospital is a mobile unit that can move out and be self-sufficient, when the situation demands it. The physical framework of the hospital consists of inflatable tents, specially built containers with x-ray equipment, laboratories, kitchen and laundry. The part of the Field Hospital that is activated during DANEX 07 is tranported on 56 vehicles.

As part of DANEX 07 deployment has been trained in co-operation with the Royal Navy. The personnel of the Field Hospital was transported from Korsør to Frederikshavn on board the British naval ship HMS ALBION, a transport ship of the type “Landing Platform Dock” that can hold large amounts of equipment and personnel.

Vehicles and equipment followed on board the DFDS ship Tor Neringa before the Field Hospital escorted by the Navy’s military police drove the rest of the way.

Additional photos