Glacier View trains new EMTs

By Cherry Sokoloski
North Forty News

The Glacier View Fire Protection District recently sponsored a lengthy training that should make mountain residents rest easier.

Fifteen people from four different communities completed the training in emergency medical services, becoming certified emergency medical technicians in the process. The rigorous class began in January and finished May 7 with the final practical exam. During that time span, the students - all volunteering their time - met each Monday and Wednesday evening, plus every other Saturday.

Now, there are six new EMTs on the Upper Poudre Canyon fire department, four at Glacier View, four at the Shambala Center near Red Feather Lakes and an additional one with the Wellington Fire Protection District. The situation had been especially serious in the Upper Poudre Canyon, where the department had only one trained EMT before the recent class.

Emergency medical services, which are generally connected with fire departments, are "an important part of the health care system," said Brian Gould, assistant fire chief for Glacier View. In mountain communities they are especially important, since they are usually the first responders and hospital personnel are miles away. EMTs handle such diverse emergencies as auto accidents, heart attacks, seizures, asthma attacks, allergic reactions and fractures. The emergency workers transport their patients to rendezvous points with hospital ambulances.

Normally, people wanting EMT training would have to travel to Front Range Community College, but Glacier View wanted to make it more convenient for their mountain neighbors. The department also wanted to make the training more specific to mountain scenarios.

In the more remote communities, Gould noted, EMTs must be skilled not only in medical matters but must often be incident managers as well. That means they must evaluate the emergency scene, figure out what other resources are necessary - such as a helicopter or additional ambulances - and communicate important information to dispatchers.

"It's a different world up here," Gould stated. When he and his wife, Jennifer, moved to Glacier View in 1996, they found the conditions much more challenging for emergency workers than those in the city.

In the mountains, Gould pointed out, there are fewer people on a call and fewer available resources. "Not only do they have to be good EMTs for patient care," he said, "but they also have to be good scene managers until more help arrives. The only way we can win up here is to quickly recognize what we have and what we need to mitigate the situation. Triage is a big thing, figuring out who needs help the worst."

Given the special needs of mountain EMTs, the Glacier View department developed a specialized training program called "scenario-based training" which gives people plenty of practice in sizing up an emergency situation and taking appropriate action.

"Ambulances and emergency services are called for a lot more reasons than when I started in the business more than 22 years ago," Gould noted. Now, EMTs are called for problems such as domestic abuse, alcohol abuse and psychotic episodes. "We're default social workers," Gould noted, and the volunteers never know what to expect at the scene. Some have had guns pulled on them. Scenario-based training prepares responders to better evaluate the scene, insuring greater safety for themselves and their patients.

All 18 members of the Glacier View fire department participated in the recent training. "It was the biggest team effort we've ever put on," said Gould, calling the project "a rousing success." The new Glacier View fire station made a good training site, Gould noted, since the training room is equipped with plenty of high-tech media equipment.

Jennifer Gould, also a paramedic, is the EMS director for Glacier View. Warren Jones is the training officer, and fire chief Greg Niswender played a large role in developing the scenario-based training. The lead instructor for the recent training was Greg Rhoads of Front Range Community College.

Glacier View also holds monthly classes on EMS issues. Other fire departments are invited to participate and may call the Glacier View station, 493-3353, for more information.