EMTs Reach out to students
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
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A helicopter landed on the Activities Center track Wednesday, Jan. 20, as part of LBCC’s Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) training, giving students a realistic experience of a chopper medical crew in an emergency situation.
Reach Air Medical Services flew from Corvallis Municipal Airport to give a lecture at LBCC, as well as to answer questions and provide a demonstration on how to safely move a critical patient into the helicopter, provide care, and quickly transport the patient to the hospital.
The chopper carried a flight crew of three: pilot Bryan Bowen, paramedic Eric Schmidt, and trauma nurse Kenny Nealy.
Bowen stood by and assisted wherever possible, but is not medically trained. Schmidt said that being a flight paramedic is a totally unique environment to work in. He said that his seven years of ambulance experience prepared him for his flight crew job. Nealy could not put enough emphasis on being safe in and around a helicopter. He said that once they reach the hospital, he stays with the patient, and often stays at their bedside to provide care for as long as possible.
Reach can transport a patient from Eugene to Portland in 30 minutes, and they have six choppers.
One student poked her head inside the unit and observed that it had limited space and posed the question of obese people. Nealy said that there are only 13 inches of clearance for a person’s body when in a supine (laying face up) position. He said that sadly, he has had patients too large to fit into the chopper’s cavity.
The inside of the chopper is not very accommodating for large people and is limited to three people plus the patient. There is no height requirement to be on the flight crew, but there is a weight limit of 215 pounds. Mike Perks, an EMT freshman, squeezed inside and found it limiting for his large frame.
Miranda Scott, another freshman in the EMT program, posed as a trauma victim as the crew demonstrated how to transport a critical patient, and students got an opportunity to get involved in placing her on a board, wrap her in a warm blanket, carry and load her into the chopper.
Ashley Louie, an EMT freshman, said, “I want to do a ride-along.” Carrie Thomas, a sophomore studying to be an EMT, said, “This is my first time to see a chopper up close. It is an awesome experience, very exciting.”
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