Ahls

[ah2388]

Anyone been involved with this?

I'm a medic student considering taking the class, let me know if you all think this is viable for a medic student, I've heard its pretty advanced so I'm looking for personal experience.

HAZMAT Incidents - Medical Management

Advanced HAZMAT Life Support(AHLS) is the most comprehensive training program to provide the critical skills needed to treat victims exposed to toxic substances.
Whether from acts of terrorism, industrial accidents, or chemical spills on the country's interstate or railroad systems, the threat of life-threatening hazmat exposures is at an all time high.

www.ahls.org

-Adam

 

[JPINFV]

What, exactly, is EMS fetish with A_LS? Seriously, shouldn't something like AHLS really just be called "Hazmat continuing education." I wonder how many people would be getting associates degrees if the degree was marketed as "Advanced Education Life Support." AELS.

 

[ah2388]

What, exactly, is EMS fetish with A_LS? Seriously, shouldn't something like AHLS really just be called "Hazmat continuing education." I wonder how many people would be getting associates degrees if the degree was marketed as "Advanced Education Life Support." AELS.

thanks for your input

Anyone taken the class that can provide additional insight?

 

[VentMedic]

Advanced HAZMAT Life Support(AHLS) is the most comprehensive training program to provide the critical skills needed to treat victims exposed to toxic substances.
Whether from acts of terrorism, industrial accidents, or chemical spills on the country's interstate or railroad systems, the threat of life-threatening hazmat exposures is at an all time high.

I thought this was part of the Paramedic curriculum or at least a solid introducation and the rest presented by some of the mandatory Disaster and terrorism management continuing education courses for the patient care aspect.

For the actual handling of toxic materials and industrial accidents, that falls with the FD and the Paramedic (EMS) should be concerned with the patient.

 

[ah2388]

I thought this was part of the Paramedic curriculum or at least a solid introducation and the rest presented by some of the mandatory Disaster and terrorism management continuing education courses for the patient care aspect.

For the actual handling of toxic materials and industrial accidents, that falls with the FD and the Paramedic (EMS) should be concerned with the patient.

From what I'm told, the students in the class are primarily MD's/experienced RN's...but the guy who puts it on, said that the curriculum is definitely applicable to prehospital personnel. I think its a fairly new course so I was hoping for some input from people who've actually experienced it.

syllabus added to the op

 

[ah2388]

edit i lied

A. Lectures
9:00am Section I: General Principles of AHLS
Chapter 1: Hazardous Materials Epidemiology: Hazmat Happens
Chapter 2: Important Properties of Hazardous Materials
Chapter 3: Medical Management of Hazmat Victims

10:20am Break

10:30am Section I: General Principles of AHLS Continued
Chapter 3: Medical Management of Hazmat Victims (cont’d)

Noon Lunch Break

1:00 pm Section II: Toxic Inhalations
Chapter 8: Irritant Gases
Chapter 9: Asphyxiants


2:15pm Break

2:30pm Section II: Toxic Inhalations (Continued)
Chapter 10: Antidotes in Detail: Normobaric Oxygen
Chapter 11: Antidotes in Detail: Hyperbaric Oxygen
Chapter 12: Antidotes in Detail: Methylene Blue
Chapter 13: Antidotes in Detail: Amyl Nitrite
Chapter 14: Antidotes in Detail: Sodium Nitrite
Chapter 15: Antidotes in Detail: Sodium Thiosulfate

2:45pm Section III: Pesticide Poisoning
Chapter 16: Cholinesterase Inhibitors: Organophosphates and Carbamates
Chapter 17: Antidotes in Detail: Pralidoxime
Chapter 18: Antidotes in Detail: Atropine

B. Scenarios

4:00pm Transition to Break-Out Rooms
4:05pm Interactive Case Studies
5:00pm Day One Wrap Up




Provider Course, Day 2

8:00am Continental Breakfast

A. Lectures
8:15am Section IV: Toxic Terrorism
Chapter 22: Introduction to Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical (NBC) Terrorism
Chapter 23: Chemo terrorism: Nerve Agents

9:25am Break

9:35am Chapter 24: Bioterrorism
Chapter 25: Vaccinia Vaccine
Chapter 26: Trivalent (A,B,E) Botulinum Antitoxin
Chapter 27: Heptavalent (A,B,C,D,E,F,G) Botulinum Antitoxin

11:35pm Section IV: Toxic Terrorism
Chapter 28: Radiological and Nuclear Incidents & Terrorism

12:15pm Lunch Break

1:15 pm Section V: Corrosives, Hydrocarbons, & Halogenated Hydrocarbons

Chapter 29: Corrosives
Chapter 30: Hydrocarbons & Halogenated Hydrocarbons

2:40 pm Section VI: Miscellaneous Toxicants

Chapter 31: Hydrazines
Chapter 32: Antidotes in Detail: Pyridoxine
Chapter 33: Hydrofluoric Acids and Fluorides
Chapter 34: Antidotes in Detail: Calcium Gluconate
Chapter 35: Antidotes in Detail: Calcium Chloride

B. Scenarios
3:30pm Transition to Break Out Rooms

3:35pm Interactive Case Studies

C. Exam
4:35pm Mandatory Exam and Course Evaluation

You will receive verification from AHLS International Headquarters in 4 – 6 weeks. Thank you.

 

[triemal04]

I thought this was part of the Paramedic curriculum or at least a solid introducation and the rest presented by some of the mandatory Disaster and terrorism management continuing education courses for the patient care aspect.

For the actual handling of toxic materials and industrial accidents, that falls with the FD and the Paramedic (EMS) should be concerned with the patient.

It is to a certain extent; but that extent is really just touching on the surface, with most time spent on orthophosphates and cyanides and less, if any, on various other chemicals and toxins. To really go into the action of some toxins and how to recognize/treat exposures will take quiet awhile, and without a fair amount of knowledge on the subject beforehand it'll be less effective. Be like someone off the street taking an ACLS class (even as dumbed down as it is it's a valid point).

To the OP: If this is something that you have an interest in then take the class, but don't expect to come out an expert. If you plan on working as a HazMat Technician, especially as a paramedic, then it'll be beneficial, though there is more out there that you should know.

I'd also look pretty deeply into the class before you shell out any money; amyl nitrite, sodium thiosulfate and sodium nitrite (aka Lily Kit's) have fallen pretty far out of favor as treatments for cyanide poisoning. Unless they are teaching alternate uses for them, it's kind of interesting to see in the curriculum.

 

[JeffDHMC]

Took the instructor course in Fla back in August. I loved it. Out of all the HazMat stuff I had to take a couple of years ago for the DNC I think this one is the most applicable for your straight up EMS provider. No worries about mitigation or what kind of big truck broke open, no real time spent on rubber suits, just dealing with the toxidromes associated with this and that. Granted, I have no FD background and no intention of having one, but I thought the class was worth it and would recommend it highly. Fla was nice too.

Jeff