SIGONELLA, Italy — U.S. Naval Hospital (USNH) Sigonella’s Emergency Department was a topic of the most recent installment of Armed Forces Network (AFN) Sigonella’s, Patient Informational Minute.

Capt. TaRail Vernon, and Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Brenden Sherrill, who are assigned to Navy Medical Readiness Training Command (NMRTC) Sigonella, shared information on the Emergency Department’s role in supporting around-the-clock readiness for military personnel, families, and NATO partners stationed in Sicily. The hospital also serves as a platform for NMRTC medical personnel to help them maintain their skills for austere environments.

“This month we’re focusing on the Emergency Department and the comprehensive services it offers to our community,” said Vernon, who is both the Commanding Officer of the NMRTC and the Director of the hospital. “I’ve invited Sherrill to help break down what patients can expect and when they should seek emergency care.”

Sherrill, a certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and frontline Corpsman in the Emergency Department, provided listeners with a detailed overview of the department’s operations and capabilities. Located on the lower level of the hospital, the ED is open 24/7, 365 days a year, and is staffed by a multidisciplinary team of emergency and family medicine physicians, nurses, and certified EMT Corpsmen he explained.
“We’re equipped to care for everyone—from newborns to retirees,” said Sherrill. “With seven treatment beds, including a trauma bay stocked with resuscitation equipment, we’re ready to respond to any emergency—whether it’s a serious injury, mental health crisis, allergic reaction, or a diving-related decompression event.”

Sherrill emphasized the importance of patients understanding when to seek emergency care versus using routine primary care services at the Flight Line Clinic. “If it’s time-sensitive, potentially life-threatening, or involves serious trauma, don’t hesitate—call emergency services or come to the Emergency Department,” he said.

The conversation also addressed the patient experience within the Emergency Department, from check-in and triage to evaluation, treatment, and follow-up planning. “We aim to deliver safe, efficient, and compassionate care,” said Sherrill. “We work closely with specialty clinics and host-nation facilities to ensure every patient gets the right level of care.”

Vernon praised the collaboration between emergency teams, specialty providers, Tricare Patient Liaisons, and case managers, citing it as a model for what mission-ready, patient-centered healthcare looks like in an operational setting. “That coordination is what keeps the engine running,” he said.

Additionally, through real-world experience, in a high-tempo environments like the Emergency Department, NMRTC personnel can maintain their clinical proficiency and operational readiness needed to support missions wherever they are called while providing high-quality healthcare across the force and global community.

The discussion wrapped with Sherrill highlighting the Corpsman team’s dual responsibility in the hospital and on the road. “Our ambulance crews respond to calls across the base living areas, operational flight line, nearby communities spanning more than 6,000 acres, and stretching over 10 miles,” he said. “If you or someone near you needs help, call. We’ll be there.”

As the Informational Minute concluded, Vernon emphasized that the Emergency Department exists not only to treat but to reassure. “USNH Sigonella is always here—day or night—to care for our community.”

U.S. Naval Hospital Sigonella provides high-quality, patient-centered care to forward-deployed forces and beneficiaries in Sicily, supporting operational readiness and enhancing allied health partnerships throughout Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. As a platform for Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Sigonella, the hospital is committed to supporting excellence in expeditionary medicine and care that is ready, reliable, and globally responsive.