SIM-ND brings emergency training
BY CHERYL MCCORMACK
Editor
A firefighter begins having chest pain after battling a fire and is in need of immediate, medical attention. It’s many miles to the nearest hospital and time is of the essence. Would you know what to do to save this man’s life? Fortunately, there are men and women in our community, trained to provide quality care in any emergency situation, including that of a heart attack.
On Monday afternoon, Washburn Ambulance was host to Simulation In Motion-North Dakota (SIM-ND), which provides hands-on training to many rural communities across North Dakota. More than 20 first responders took part in the training, brushing up on their emergency response skills. The best part of the training was not having to travel any further than a truck parked in the ambulance lot.
SIM-ND is hoping to reach every ambulance crew in the state, with four separate trucks covering each of the four corners of North Dakota. The SIM truck that stopped in Washburn is responsible for providing training for the southwest region, and is a shared service of both Sanford and St. Alexius Hospitals in Bismarck. Minot, Grand Forks and Fargo are the home bases of the other three SIM trucks.
The pretty blue, 44-foot simulation trucks are fully equipped, custom units provided through a grant from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust. They offer a state-of-the-art learning experience directly to the communities they serve.
Every mobile, learning lab has a replicated ambulance in the back, complete with life-like patient simulators. The "patients" are mannequins that breathe, talk, cry, and react to treatments. Oxygen masks, blood pressure machines, and defibrillators are all put to use during the one hour training session. Typically, sessions involve three or four students at one time, offering quality hands-on training. With space being limited to the number of students that can fit into an ambulance at one time, the smaller class sizes are a must.
