Jun 21 2008
First Response Members Learn Valuable Skills
Source: www.beaumontenterprise.com
When emergency rescue personnel arrive at the scene of a serious auto accident, removing the victims from the mangled mess often is not simple.
For an emergency rescue person - paramedic, firefighter or police officer - extricating an individual involves a lot of quick thinking.
“About 583 decisions are made in the first three minutes of any emergency situation, whether it be a fire or auto accident,” said Elgin H. Browning, a fire rescue consultant and former captain of the Orange Fire Department.
More than 200 emergency rescue personnel from the U.S. and Canada brushed up on their vehicle extrication skills on Thursday at the Holiday Inn-Beaumont Plaza during the International Rescue and Emergency Care Association’s week-long annual conference and competition.
Throughout the 60th annual confab, organizers threw participants into staged scenarios such as auto accidents and confined space situations.
“During the crash tests, they were having a hard time extricating the mannequins from the vehicles,” Browning said. “That opened the door for additional training opportunities for rescue personnel.”
Participants also talked about the administration issues that have plagued rescue organizations all over the country, including funding and personnel cutbacks.
“Fire and police departments, EMTs and paramedics are doing more with fewer resources,” said Gary Leafblad of Osseo, Minn., conference chair and association past president.
Recruiting also is a major challenge.
Leafblad, a high school teacher, also leads an extensive two-year emergency medical technician program for juniors and seniors.
He brought a team here to compete in the youth division, and said he hoped more school districts will offer the training.
“These programs are a tremendous value to their communities,” Leafblad said. “It shows the youth that these careers are exciting and attainable.”
When participants and instructors leave Beaumont Saturday, they will take new information and skills home with them, said Randy Tanner of Baytown, association president.
“What’s interesting is that each person will tackle the problem in a different way,” he said. “We all learn from each other around here. Nothing we do here is a secret.”
