Mission Karen-Shan – Karen Prosthetic Lab – Photo Journal
Landmines lay hidden on the jungle floor throughout the Karen region. As Karen soldiers perform recon missions to scout out Burmese military positions they are sometimes forced to carve new paths exposing these lethal devices. The mines used by the SPDC Army are usually industrially produced from non-perishable, waterproof materials and remain active indefinitely. Burma produces at least three types of antipersonnel mines. The MM1 and MM2 which are copies of Chinese mines, and “claymore-like” mines such as the MM3.
Tripping a landmine usually results in death or loss of a limb. Using lessons learned from Iraq and Afghanistan, one of our key topics was providing the medics with skills to quickly attend to such injuries. Visiting the prosthetic lab was a grim reminder that this threat is their reality.
Three Karen men work on a new prosthetic mold
Mine Risk Education
Old prosthetics are discarded in the corner
A new mold is prepared first using plaster of paris then a heat-treated plastic form is created
The mold is mixed, formed, then left outside to dry
Former Marine Andrews Stevens explaining how to apply a tourniquet
Firefighter/Paramedic Zach Smith and Former Marine Andrew Stevens demonstrating the ABC's
Gadou applies a tourniquet on a landmine victim
