Local emergency response teams value chance to learn
Members of the Sugarcreek Fire & EMS team roll a victim toward the ambulance. It was only a mock crash event for Garaway High School, but the practice is invaluable for the emergency crew members.
Mock crashes around prom time are designed to benefit young drivers with the message they need to make wise decisions and not drink and drive.
On Friday, April 21 in Sugarcreek, several area emergency response teams shared that message with Garaway High School teens, but at the same time, the responding teams received some valuable practice that will help them settle in should a real accident occur in the future.
Sugarcreek Fire and EMS Capt. Cody Shetler initiated the mock crash, both for the benefit of the teenagers who were able to witness the mock crash and for the experience it provides the many fire and EMS personnel in learning how to properly respond to an accident.
Shetler said his department actually does quarterly CPR training with some of the Garaway students as well, which is how he connected with teacher Dave Shutt to set up the mock crash.
Shetler said the message and experience of a mock crash are tremendous, but one added feature is it also shows the students how each fire and EMS department works hand in hand with area police units, the coroner’s office and other entities that would be involved in a crash site.
“Not only does this show the students this important message of being safe behind the wheel, but it also shows them how we all work together to create the best possible outcome in a horrible scenario,” Shetler said. “I think that is an important message. I always tell everybody that we understand a part of life that people don’t know about or understand until they are in a situation where our services are needed.”
He said the practice of creating a scenario that requires the various area units to work together and taking time to gain experience in properly responding to high-intensity situations is useful because it lessens the shock when a real-life scenario plays out.
Brian Dalton, Sugarcreek assistant police chief, said events like the mock crash are terrific ways to share a critical message with today’s young drivers, but it also serves a secondary purpose in helping to prepare emergency crews for moments when the results of a poor decision on the road become reality.
“If we’re able to reverse an emergency scene, when one actually occurs, we are essentially hitting our marks because we are going to face the same procedure, and putting it all together and work through and mentally prepare for the actual scene if and when it comes is critical,” Dalton said.
While it may have been a lengthy excursion for the life flight crew with the life flight helicopter from a team from Cleveland Clinic Critical Care, the helicopter was a highlight for many of the youth.
Like the other teams responding to the mock crash, this also proved to be a useful tool for the helicopter response team.
Justin Lonczak, one of the crew members of the CCCC unit, said this type of real-world experience helps them hone their skills and practice for the real deal.
He said the life flight team is capable of doing everything a team in a hospital’s ICU or emergency room setting can do including advanced procedures. When every second counts, his team’s response in critical situations has saved lives — their ability to take flight and go directly to a scene a lifesaver.
“This is good experience for our pilots to learn how to land in a variety of different types of areas rather than on a concrete helipad,” Lonczak said. “Every time we can practice a response it’s great training.”
The crew was called from Wadsworth and made the flight to Sugarcreek in 15 minutes at an average speed of 160 mph.
While the event was staged, the practice and experience for all of the teams involved could pay off in a big way the next time the urgent call is for real.