Death of airman leads to review

Press, 16 August 1984, Page 3

Death of airman leads to review

PA Wellington A review of physical training and some medical procedures is being done at the Services’ Corrective Establishment at Ardmore after the death from heatstroke of a leading aircraftman who died the day after a compulsory run last January, said the Army yesterday.

Releasing the findings of Army Courts of Inquiry into the death of Leading Aircraftman Damon Craig McDougall, aged 20, the Army said that a medical officer’s certificate, which cleared a serviceman to undergo detention, would be revised to provide specific provision for comment on a detainee’s limitations or for guidance that would assist* the corrective staff. A Coroner’s inquest in May found that L.A.C. McDougall’s death was caused by heatstroke complicated by clotting, problems and obesity. Yesterday’s report of the findings said that corrective staff had treated L.A.C. McDougall with the care that could reasonably be expected of personnel of their experience and training.

It was also founnd that he might have been pathologically in trouble before the run, but that the staff with him could not have been expected to recognise his condition.

The report said that although physical training at the Corrective Establishment was no different from that done throughout the Army, a review of its physical training routines was being conducted:. More emphasis would be. given to the recognition and treatment of hypothermia—which included heatstroke and heat exhaustion—and other medical conditions which could arise from physical activity, the Army