Seeley Lake volunteer (SLV)Angie Scott-Kelley maintains the airway while SLV Michael Triplett listens to the lungs after the patient was removed from the vehicle that had been in an accident. Swan Valley volunteer Gary McCleerey is ready to assist when needed.
Seeley Lake volunteer Shelly Johnson works with Swan Valley volunteer Jenny Kauffman as they pack a deep wound with four yards of combat gauze. The gauze is made specifically for bullet wounds and contains a clotting agent called kaolin. It is effective for all kinds of bleeding that can not be stopped with a normal amount of pressure.
SEELEY LAKE – Volunteers with the Seeley Lake Rural Fire District (SLRFD) and Swan Valley Emergency Services (SVES) spent their weekend May 14-15 improving their knowledge of trauma response. The 16-hour class, taught by state certified instructors, earns Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) a Pre-hospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS) certification and, as lead instructor Shari Graham said, "improves patient outcomes from trauma related injuries."
Graham, the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems Manager with the Montana Department of Health, taught the class along with a team of other certified instructors from around the state. They typically offer five to six classes per year but have already given the class to seven other departments in 2016.
The class is free to the departments thanks to a partnership between the Department of Health who provides the instructors and a grant from Montana Department of Transportation (MDT). SLRFD supplied the location, lunches and patients for the scenarios.
"It is a part of MDT's Vision Zero campaign," said Graham. "These classes have absolutely improved trauma response by improving the ability to provide care quickly and efficiently."
SLRFD Fire Chief Bob Vanden Heuvel is a certified instructor for the course. He said the main goal behind the course is to help EMTs identify severe trauma and rapid response of "load and go."
"It's a great primer for the summer of trauma," said Vanden Heuvel. "When the lilacs come out and you start smelling the flowers, the trauma spikes. More people are out and about."
SLRFD volunteer EMT Laura Wood has taken the course many years ago in Missoula but thought this was a great refresher.
"Summer is coming and you can never have too much knowledge of trauma," said Wood. "I love to help our community.
SVES volunteer EMT Jenny Kauffman just got her EMT last year and took the course for continuing education. She also volunteers to help out her community in Condon.
"We focused on fast assessment and package and go," said Kauffman. "We are so far from definitive care and don't offer a big scope of care. We need to get to people as fast as we can."
The 10 students were required to pass a pre-test to get into the class and then pass a written exam and practical at the end to earn their certification.
"It is important for the community to understand the dedication of these volunteers," said Graham. "They gave up their weekend to improve their trauma care. Communities don't understand the value of volunteers. Their commitment is huge."
Reader Comments(0)