Photo By Chief Master Sgt. Christopher Drudge | (L to R) U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Mark Crespo and Staff Sgts. Dean Merrill and Travis...... read more read more
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Jason Funaro, Unitek lead instructor, Chris Bartolotti and Anthony Hendricks, both Unitek instructors, put these trainees through more than 120 hours of classroom instruction, mass casualty exercises and actual ride-a-longs with several local ambulance companies. In total, the fire fighters endured 240 hours of training. After their clinical portion of the training is complete all students will then take the certification test, which upon passing, will certify them as EMTs.
“The classroom portion is very difficult, but we work with everyone to ensure the material taught is understood by the students,” Funaro stated. “The mass casualty exercise is where the rubber meets the road. This is where we can see that the training pays off.”
The training will bring the 144th Fighter Wing first responders to the level that all EMTs are required to attain. After certification, the Airmen will be able to work alongside of the Homeland Response Force teams which enhance their overall Defense Support to Civil Authorities mission.
“In case of a major disaster and we have to respond, the EMT training gives the fire fighters that skill set that can save lives,” said Senior Master Sgt. Joe Gallegos, 144th FW Fire Chief.
The mass casualty exercise portion of the training took place Friday, Sept. 16 at the Fresno Air National Guard Base where a simulated improvised explosive device was triggered on the west end of the installation.
After the proper protocol was followed by base personnel, the fire department was dispatched to the scene. The simulated victims’ injuries ranged from burns and cuts to broken bones and missing limbs. The first responders were greeted with panicked screams and painful moaning.
Their first job is to assess the situation and make sure there is no viable threat to them or the victims. Once the scene is secured, triage starts. Triage is the classification of all the injured to ensure the most critically wounded individuals get medical attention first.
The EMT trainees handled the incident skillfully and applied the lifesaving techniques they had learned to assist the victims of the blast.
“This is what we train for,” said Gallegos. “We take these exercises very seriously. They help us prepare for the time when real world incidents happen.”
| Date Taken: | 09.16.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 10.02.2016 19:48 |
| Story ID: | 210924 |
| Location: | FRESNO, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 174 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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