March 18, 2014 – Local fire and police departments are brushing up on lifesaving skills, including delivering a baby in the middle of a street or safely removing a motorcycle helmet to manage an accident victim’s airway, with training provided by Englewood Hospital and Medical Center’s (EHMC) Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Department.
Bergen County’s finest are renewing critical skills and techniques in the management of medical emergencies through a four-week comprehensive course that provides training in CPR, airway, trauma and emergency childbirth.
EHMC EMS employs the use of a model of the female abdomen – complete with baby and placenta – to simulate the labor and delivery scenarios and other obstetrical emergencies. Trainers perform the simulation in parking lots and the back of ambulances to ensure first responders experience a realistic scenario. Training also covers breech births and other pregnancy-related complications.
The course also allows participants to reinforce their skills in common emergency scenarios, including CPR, clearing a blocked airway, and safely removing accident victims from vehicles for transport to the nearest medical facility.
“We are pleased to provide this important course as a refresher to area firefighters and police officers,” said Harvey Weber, Director of EMS at EHMC. “When you’re first on the scene, you need to be prepared for anything – whether it’s assessing needs, making decisions or providing life-saving care. The response from our counterparts at local agencies has been extremely positive, allowing us to work together to offer the best pre-hospital care to folks in our community.”