Firefighters undergo training to improve rapid response to trauma (with videos)

Firefighters in Dominica will now be better equipped to respond to trauma and resuscitation following a 10-day training that is ongoing in Dominica.

The ‘Trauma and Resuscitation Training’ which is organized by Global Emergency Medical Strengthening (GEMS), a German-based organization providing training in emergency medical care, began on June 19 and will end on June 30.

Leading Firefighter in the St. Lucia Fire Service and Co-Director of Global EMS, Ireneus Henry while addressing a press briefing held at the Fire and Ambulance department in Roseau on Wednesday, said the program can be adapted to the Dominican lifestyle.

“The program is not a hand-me-down program, but it is a collaboration where the training can be adapted to the culture, the equipment, and Dominican lifestyle,” he said. “Although the principles remain the same, there are certain things about the training that we have to adapt to Dominica.”

Furthermore, he revealed that following the completion of the 10-day training a two-day workshop will be organized and delivered by the newly trained instructors.

He hopes that in the future members of the Dominica Fire and Ambulance Services may be included in the Global EMS family.

“Already we have members of the Dominica Fire Services who are very competent, both male and female,” Henry stated. “GEMS is here to improve things…”

Meantime, Lead Instructor, Dr. Joachim Unger said firefighters were trained in administering CPR to children and adults, cardiac arrest, and newborn delivery among others.

“The knowledge stays with the fire service and with the help of the GEMS the fire service will be able to train staff,” he stated.

He pointed out that about 50 percent of death between the ages of 15 to 45 is through traumatism, mostly through motor vehicle accidents.

This Dr. Unger said is a big concern.

“Because these are the productive and young people, these are young females and males who have a lot of life span in the future if they don’t die from the accidents,” he remarked.“ And with simple measures, it is possible to save these lives, because traumatism leads to bleeding and this bleeding has to be stopped.”

Dr. Unger mentioned that emergency departments all around the world are capable of managing severe bleeding.

However, he explained that if someone is involved in an accident and doesn’t receive medical attention on time, he or she may die.

“So what we are doing to support the ambulance services in St Lucia and Dominica [is] to improve the pre-hospital care to stop the bleeding, so they can reach the hospital alive and get the appropriate treatment and transfusion and survive,” Dr. Unger explained.

He added, “This is why care and trauma management is so important.”