PUNTA GORDA, Fla. — Dozens of fire and EMS responders around Charlotte County took part in a training exercise deliberately designed to be as realistic as possible. The exercise simulated a "mass casualty event," in this case, an accident involving 10 patients after a school bus crash.
Fox 4 Photojournalist Andy Cunningham gives you a first-hand look at the training:
Crews suited up, arrived at the staging area, then dispatched to the nearby scene — all the while treating the exercise as a real-world, lifesaving event.
Firefighters positioned on the school bus held cards describing various states of injury or respiration to be communicated, treated, and if necessary, transported.
"Outside of real, injured people I don't think you can get any more realistic than this; with the actual crews on scene, the equipment, and the units and radio talk its as realistic as you can get," describes Jeremy Tuttle, Battalion 2 Chief.
That sense of realism helps first responders develop a sort of muscle memory and repetition beneficial toward life-saving decision making.
Battalion Chief of Training Andrew Miller adds that consistency for these emergency personnel fits into the mission statement that underscores their roles.
"We do it over and over, as you know we go on scenes like this — your heart rate gets a little higher and we want to make sure people are focusing on the priorities, focusing on what they've been taught and their skills," Miller said.
The mission statement of Charlotte County Fire and EMS is "community focused, excellence driven."
It's an ideology Miller says can be witnessed in the daily training undergone by area professionals.
