OhioHealth Teams With Local Fire Department For Training

This week is EMS week around the country. It serves as a chance to honor the men and women who are the first responders to emergencies all around central Ohio.  To make sure these hard working teams are at their best, many of the local fire departments work closely with the simulation teams from OhioHealth on a monthly basis.

"We are able to jump in when there are big simulations, and in this case, we set up three different scenarios for the first responders to run through," Dr. Brad Gable, Medical Director for OhioHealth Simulations said.

These teams know that practice really does make perfect.  And because Worthington Fire, and OhioHealth team up for these training sessions, they are able to use the mannequins instead of "actors".  But these mannequins aren't your typical dummies. They are robotic, with the ability to add realism to the scenarios.

OhioHealth Simulation team members are able to control every breath, every sound, and give instant feedback to the first responders during the training situations.

The result is these first responders, getting a chance to take their already high level of skill even higher. During the scenario is critically important, but for these front line heroes, it stretches further.

"Yes we are getting better, and not just from the training itself, but when the scenarios are over, we are able to debrief and talk about what really happened," Lt. Michael Duncan of Worthington Fire said.

It's not only about making these teams better, but building strong community relationships, and an even better situation for patients.

"These first responders will have the first hands-on experience with our patients," Dr. Gable said. "Knowing that we have trained together, that we know each other, it makes the situation that much better, and an easier transition once a patient gets to one of our facilities."