# BLS  Training Drills



## skyemt (Nov 18, 2007)

i'm looking for ideas...

what training drills do your agencies have for BLS...

do many involve FD?

thanks


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## Chimpie (Nov 18, 2007)

How large of drills are we talking here?


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## skyemt (Nov 18, 2007)

yes, good question... sorry...

we would have about 20-30 emt-b's... with about 5 als to supervise/evaluate...

we are fully volunteer, 911 response, and not part of our district's FD...
so any FD activity would be coordinated, which would not be a problem...


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## Chimpie (Nov 18, 2007)

Are you wanting to plan a MCI?


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## firecoins (Nov 18, 2007)

We had a cross training exercise with the FD here.  It was an extrication drill.  We responded to an "mva" with entrapment.  We held C-Spine while the Fd extricated the patient.  

You can do this without the fd or extrication.  Just extricate someone out of personal vehicle in the parking lot.  Put 4 people in.  Have a little MCI.  Have the inital unit set up a staging area, triage etc etc.


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## skyemt (Nov 18, 2007)

Chimpie, MCI is something i definately want to do, but also drills that are not MCI...

i'll be running our training for a couple of years, so i am looking for a good variety of ideas...


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## Chimpie (Nov 18, 2007)

What type of responses do you normally do?  What type of community do you serve?


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## skyemt (Nov 18, 2007)

we serve a semi-rural population... not too many gsw's or stabbings (none actually)...

we do 911 response only... no transports, fully volunteer, with volly ALS and Paramedic..

we respond to about 1200 calls per year.


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## Chimpie (Nov 18, 2007)

And you're not part of the FD right?


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## skyemt (Nov 18, 2007)

correct... totally independent... but we do have a good relationship with FD...


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## Chimpie (Nov 18, 2007)

Curious... what type of vehicles/apparatus do you have since you don't do any transports?  Or when you say you don't do any transports do you mean that you don't do interfacility transports.


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## skyemt (Nov 18, 2007)

no interfacility transports... we do, of course, transport to the hospital...

we have 3 horton type III rigs, and a first responder unit...

i only said that because i have read a number of posts of agencies saying they do "transports", but no 911...

we do only 911, no interfacility transports...

sorry for the confusion!


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## BossyCow (Nov 19, 2007)

We generally have two ems and two fire drills each month.  We like to have at least one of each be a hands on practicals.  As far as integrating fire personnel with the EMS drills, it depends on time and what kind of work they have to complete for the fire side.  

Extrication once a year, definitely.  We get a local junkyard to donate an already wrecked car, put a dummy in it and tear it apart and extricate the patient.  The FF's are asked to practice anything they might be asked to do in a real call.  

Being a volly station, we can't always count on full EMT response on a scene.  For that reason, I like the FF who shows up to drive the rig to the hospital to be able to move the stretcher in and out of the rig, be able to turn on the O2 for me and to know what I mean by "Grab the airway kit, or Monitor and bring it in for me"  

We do train all the FFs in Industrial First Aid and HCP CPR.  I like practicals to be as reality based as possible. So I occasionally chose scenarios where it's just one EMT and 2 FF, just to get practice dealing with that definite possiblity in the field.


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## emtangie850 (Dec 11, 2007)

Unlike yours, my ambulance is part of our fire department (I was a firefighter before I became an EMT). Many times (more than none) the fire department is "toned out" along with the ambulance so we work closely together most of the time. As a matter of fact I think 12 out of our 13 EMT's are firefighters themselves.. 

Anyways like others have stated MCI drills are important. We also do Extrication drills. I have learned that many of the FF's do not know how to do a rapid take down. That could be another part that a firefighter could help with. I know that sometimes with bigger patients I would rather have someone a bit stronger than myself aiding in a rapid take down (and know that they can do it right)

 This upcomming month we are going to do an ice rescue/ cold related emergencies drill. This includes those rope rescue certified skills, then EMS will intervine and practice their skills (dummy or fake patient). 
One thing that has worked well in our department is a "find it" game. We will ask those who are not firmiliar with our rig to find an item on it so they become firmilar with it, its uses and its position on the rig.

Maybe you could look at the types of drills that the fire department does and try to apply EMS skills to theirs.

I hope that this helps
-Angela^_^


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