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10 fire-based EMS training ideas to master by the end of summer

Conquer stressful calls, identify treatment challenges and pitfalls, and use technology to its best potential to save lives this summer and beyond

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This year, start a summer challenge to trigger medics’ competitive natures and see who can take the most online courses, master the most new skills or educate the most community members.

Photo/Beth Nakamura

Summer training can be arduous – often outside in baking heat. But there’s plenty to train on that doesn’t involve dragging hose, climbing ladders or forcing entry. And yes, fire-based EMS skills fall into that category. These skills are more essential every day as increasing numbers of fire departments shift to fire-based EMS programs.

Here are 10 training exercises to get you started.

1. Responding to an overdose

During the pandemic, overdose rates rose significantly, marking a never-before-seen milestone: an estimated 100,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in one year.

Responding to possible opioid overdose situations can be tricky. Train to identify if the patient really exhibiting signs of an overdose, if the patient actually overdosed on an opioid, and when and how to administer naloxone.

Before you grab the naloxone or reach for the benzos, hit play on this toxidrome masterclass

2. Conquer pediatric patient stress

When was the last time you inserted an advanced airway, or even provided ventilation to a pediatric patient, while they were supine on a table? Probably never.

So why do we train this way? Why not train at our patients’ level, instead of at the level of a classroom table?

Mimic real-world encounters with these scenarios for EMS training in pediatric patient management.

For your reference: A pediatric vitals chart broken down by age range

3. Traumatic wound care

Throw providers a curveball in wound and hemorrhage control training to challenge their critical thinking and appropriate skill deployment. After all, direct pressure, trauma dressings and bleeding control agents still have a place in hemorrhage control.

Challenge EMS providers’ critical thinking and appropriate skill deployment with these 3 penetrating trauma scenarios, ranging from moderate hemorrhage to exsanguination

4. 12-lead mastery

Acquiring and interpreting a 12-lead ECG is a high-frequency, sometimes high-acuity, skill for EMS, even common at the BLS/EMT level. While practice doesn’t always mean perfect, practicing, testing and referencing often can help to master this valuable, care-directing and diagnostic-quality skill?

Quickly and confidently interpret EKG rhythms using this 10-step method tailored for EMS providers, helping improve prehospital cardiac care

5. Evacuating patients

While the vast majority of calls involve a single patient, when a hurricane, major disaster or mass casualty incident occurs, EMS professionals are required to use scene and disaster management skills. The best way to ensure personnel are still proficient in these areas is by participating in training exercises.

Is your department ready to launch a natural disaster response amid reduced staffing and backup systems?

6. Implementing CPAP

CPAP implementation comes down to training, recognizing criteria for use and overcoming a reliance on nebulizer-only therapy.

Train providers on recognizing scenarios that indicate early CPAP use, such as physical signs of respiratory distress, pursed lips, abnormal lung sounds, decreased pulse oximetry levels and tachypnea.

CPAP should be used as a noninvasive positive pressure ventilation tool early on in a treatment regimen for respiratory distress

7. Capnography scenarios

While capnography is a valuable assessment tool that has proven its versatility, validity and value on a number of scales, it’s often misunderstood.

Train medics to start with the waveform in these three training scenarios where capnography is a must.

Understand how continuous waveform capnography and ETCO2 monitoring during CPR can improve cardiac arrest outcomes

8. Identifying sepsis

Sepsis alert criteria can aid in formally identifying sepsis signs and symptoms, but what about training? Use the word SEPSIS as an acronym for integrating sepsis recognition into case scenarios, practical assessments and day-to-day clinical decision-making.

Update your understanding of the role of antibiotics, fluid administration and coordination of clinical care

9. Improving CPR

Having access to – and utilizing – CPR feedback devices in your training scenarios can provide your crew data that can reshape practices, validate hypotheses and provide quality oversight comfort in knowing that everyone is capable of effective CPR.

Make sure each of your service’s cardiac arrest patients get the best chance of survival by prioritizing high-quality CPR in training and in practice

10. Citizen bystander training

Citizens are the force multipliers of public safety, and have the potential to save lives before EMS arrives. Train your community to be the first, first responder and be able to rescue friends, loved ones and nearby victims.

Citizens are the force multipliers of public safety, and have the potential to save lives before EMS arrives

This article, originally published in July 2022, has been updated.

Kerri Hatt is editor-in-chief, EMS1, responsible for defining original editorial content, tracking industry trends, managing expert contributors and leading execution of special coverage efforts. Prior to joining Lexipol, she served as an editor for medical allied health B2B publications and communities. Kerri has a bachelor’s degree in English from Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. She is based out of Charleston, SC. Share your personal and agency successes, strategies and stories with Kerri at khatt@lexipol.com.