EMT Students Participate in CareFlight Demonstration

Students in Edison State Community College’s Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) program had the chance to participate in a CareFlight demonstration on Friday, July 5. Students learned how to identify landing zones, communicate with CareFlight about landing and takeoff, and properly load a patient.

“To make this a reality, we had to submit a specified action plan to CareFlight,” said Rick Heironimus, EMT Instructor at Edison State. “The plan included information such as longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates of the landing zone, which radio frequency we would use to communicate with the aircraft once it was within range, which departments would be in attendance to assist with lighting and marking the landing zone, photographic/topographic screenshots of the landing area, and the key contact person.”

A CareFlight nurse provided a short lecture on the role of CareFlight, proper procedures to set up a safe landing zone for the aircraft, and safety procedures when operating near the helicopter. Students then left the building to find the Troy Fire Department and Edison State’s Department of Public Safety identifying the landing zone and establishing radio communication with CareFlight.

After landing, CareFlight personnel instructed students about their role as Emergency Medical Service (EMS) providers, their work with CareFlight, and the overall working environment. They also shared how to become a CareFlight crew member, which was of particular interest as the program has seen multiple students with the ultimate career goal of joining CareFlight.

Each student loaded the stretcher onto the helicopter under the supervision of CareFlight staff and explored the helicopter cockpit and patient treatment area. CareFlight personnel expressed the importance of the skills students were learning as part of the EMT curriculum, especially as it relates to patient assessment.

“Traditionally, we’ve taught transportation operations as a lecture process, which is not the most fun way to learn an important topic,” Heironimus said. “We’re grateful to the CareFlight staff for offering a more meaningful learning experience for our EMT students. This demonstration allowed students to experience firsthand what it would be like to contact an air ambulance to transport a severely critical patient who may not make it through traditional ground transport. Students also gained a much better understanding of what types of patients truly need to be transported in an aircraft.”

Offered exclusively through Edison State at Troy, the EMT program covers all aspects of emergency and pre-hospital medical care. Successful completion of the short-term technical certificate allows students to register for the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) Exam.

The EMT program plans to work with CareFlight to offer this demonstration each semester. Learn more about the program by visiting www.edisonohio.edu/programs.