BEAVER, WV (LOOTPRESS) – A pair of events on Tuesday saw the distribution of packs containing essential supplies and equipment to hundreds of first responders in the Raleigh and Mercer County areas.
The events were held as part of Governor Jim Justice’s recently launched initiative, EMSwv: Answer the Call, which works to fund strategic initiatives that will bolster the state’s EMS workforce and equip communities to better care for West Virginia citizens now and into the future.
The initiative is funded through a $10 million portion of CARES Act funding, and was first announced by the governor in June.
“Our EMS workers are absolute heroes. Whenever we need help, they are always the first ones to run to the fire. But heroes like these don’t grow on trees. They’re few and far between and we need to act now to bring more of them into our state,” Gov. Justice said.
“Through these new and expanded efforts to train more EMS professionals, not only will we reduce the burden on our existing workers, but we will also grow this profession in our state, safeguarding West Virginians for generations to come.”
Part of this new initiative has been the implementation of EMSwv’s five new Mobile Healthcare Simulation stations, which simulate the experience of operating in an active ambulance for the training of new EMS workers and are managed by HealthNet Aeromedical Services on behalf of CTCS.
“We are now ready to dispatch these simulated ambulances across the state, so that we can train even more West Virginians to work in these critical and rewarding careers,” said Governor Justice of the utilities.
One such Mobile Healthcare Simulation vehicle was on-site for Tuesday’s EMSwv: Answer the Call event in Raleigh County, which was held at the New River Community and Technical College Erma Byrd Learning Center location.
LOOTPRESS was offered a first-hand look inside the Mobile Healthcare Simulation during the event, and Brandon with EMSwv went over the details of the state-of-the-art simulator.
“[It’s] set up exactly like an ambulance. If an ambulance came here to pick someone up, this is exactly what it would look like,” he said, proceeding to go into some features in greater detail. “Each one of our trucks have five mannequins in them. This one’s chest will rise and fall, we have a mannequin that will fully deliver a baby.”
“Each of the ambulances have three cameras in the back that move around and zoom in and out so the students can watch from the outside while the other person is inside the back of the truck.”
This refers to a large screen set up outside the simulator which displays various sections of the inside in stunning detail and boasts advanced zoom functions which can render even the smallest of text legible on items within the simulator.
Inside the New River building where bag distribution was underway, LOOTPRESS spoke with West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission Vice Chancellor for Health Sciences Cynthia Persily PhD, RN, FAAN who broke down the contents of each emergency pack, which are intended to provide emergency medical resources to trained personnel who may find themselves in a situation which necessitates medical intervention without having access to proper supplies.
“Inside is everything they might need to be a first responder,” explains Dr. Persily going over just some of the necessities to be found in the response bags.
“There’s scissors; there’s clamps; there’s a flashlight; there’s CPR masks; there are airways, both nasal and oral; there are bandages galore; there are clips and tourniquets; there’s a stethoscope and a blood pressure cuff, as well as slings; there are lots of things in here for protection such as goggles and gloves;”
“There’s everything you would need if you were the person driving down the road and came upon someone, or you’re at the high school gym and someone gets injured,” she says. “That’s what it’s really designed for, to be that first response before an ambulance gets there.”
Such provisional supplies would once have cost first responders hundreds to purchase on their own, but the EMSwv: Answer the Call initiative is currently working to make the packs available for first responders on a state-wide scale.
More information on EMSwv and the Answer the Call initiative can be found at the EMSwv website.
Additional LOOTPRESS coverage for Raleigh County can be found here.