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Thread: Looking to get some emergency medical training...

  1. #1
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    York, PA

    Looking to get some emergency medical training...

    Hi all,

    This year, I have resolved to get some serious medical training in an effort to better handle emergency situations that myself, family, or friends may encounter. I'd like your input on how to start and how to progress. My ultimate goal is basically to have the skills needed to handle anything from first aid/CPR to traumatic wounds (e.g. gunshots, etc).

    I've been doing a bit of research online as well as reading some of the medical/emergency sub-forums on the Internet forums of which I'm a member. A few ideas I've found include:

    Red Cross Basic First Aid/CPR/AES class
    Red Cross Wilderness/Remote class
    Red Cross Emergency First Responder class
    Pennsylvania EMS-Basic cert from local community college
    Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT)
    Combat/Traumatic Wound Training (e.g. Grey Group Training, etc)

    I'm not necessarily looking to do this as a profession, and thus not looking for any particular certification (but that would be nice). I'm just not quite sure if some of the certification classes above (e.g. EMT-B) is really what I'm looking for. I suspect it may be a lot more than I really need/unnecessary training.

    What organizations would you suggest I contact for information on this, and what type of courses (specific, if possible) would you recommend? Assume I'm starting this from square 1.

    Thanks.

    Chris

  2. #2
    Member Dropkick's Avatar
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    Feb 2011
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    Northern VA
    The Red Cross Basic First Aid/CPR/AED class is the best place to start. It will give you the foundation to build off of, and likewise it's a pre-req to many other courses. (Which reminds me I need to renew mine.)

    Unless you're interested in the CERT program and being a team member it's unlikely they'll provide training.

    Hope that helps.

  3. #3
    Are you assuming that advanced care will be available in a reasonably short time? Most first aid/first responder/EMT classes assume that you can have help on-scene in less than 30 minutes, and that you have some equipment. "Wilderness" classes assume that it may be hours or days before you can get help, and focus more on improvised solutions and long-term care.

    A regular EMT class will spend a lot of time on legal issues and patient care protocols, and use a lot of gear you probably won't own -- oxygen, suction, longboard, etc.

    I'd start with basic first aid/CPR/AED, and then maybe a wilderness first aid or first responder.

    Outdoor sports clubs(hiking, kayaking, mountain biking, etc.) sometimes run first aid classes.

    JEMS and EMS magazine online have a lot of good articles.

    One additional training resource to consider is EMS conferences. Most are open to the public. My state has two every year, and there are always classes of interest for non-professionals.

    You might contact any volunteer rescue squads in your area to ask about training opportunities.

    Once you have a foundation, something like a PHTLS class might be good for more work on trauma. http://www.naemt.org/education/PHTLS/phtls_a.aspx
    Last edited by peterb; 01-26-2012 at 09:04 AM.

  4. #4
    Site Supporter vaspence's Avatar
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    Richmond VA
    I was in a similar situation in 2009, wanted to get some good FA skills and had none. I took a WFR (Wilderness First Responder) course from SOLO and never looked back. Having taken SOLO's WFR, WEMT and WFA (to recert) courses, these are money well spent and very engaging. I'm also a Red Cross FA/CPR/AED and Wilderness First Aid instructor (I use this to help my SAR team and son's scout troop stay current, not for $$).

    I'd highly recommend a Wilderness First Aid course and a Red Cross CPR/AED course to start. You can sometimes find these taught together. Do your due diligence, these courses are only as good as the instructor teaching them. SOLO, WMA and WMI are pretty picky on their instructors and have standards/requirements, while the Red Cross you get what you get. Plenty of good people teaching Red Cross WFA though, just ask for a resume/background like you would for a handgun/rifle instructor. There are also regional groups doing their own WFA courses, again do your due diligence, but some of these are very experienced people. The reason I recommend a WFA or WFR (if you have the time/$$) is that they will give you good improvisation skills with what you have on hand and great assessment training. Check with your local SAR (Search and Rescue) group, they should have a connection to someone teaching WFA.
    Last edited by vaspence; 01-26-2012 at 12:57 PM. Reason: spelling

  5. #5
    Licorice Bootlegger JDM's Avatar
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    Albuquerque
    Local community colleges often have an emergency medicine program.
    Nobody is impressed by what you can't do. -THJ

  6. #6
    Take the Red Cross First Aid, Adult/Infant CPR, and AED class and know that 911, direct pressure, heat & cold app, elevation, and aspirin fix everything else.

  7. #7
    Site Supporter NEPAKevin's Avatar
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    Poconos, PA
    Its been a while since I took first aid, but I vaguely recall being told that aspirin and other over the counter meds were a no-no.

  8. #8
    Licorice Bootlegger JDM's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by NEPAKevin View Post
    Its been a while since I took first aid, but I vaguely recall being told that aspirin and other over the counter meds were a no-no.
    As touched on in other threads, practicing medicine above your level of training amounts to negligence.

    Further, ASA is an anti-platelet, and has a documented history of nasty allergic reactions in people with aspirin allergies.

    Suffice it to say that giving any drugs to anyone without knowing their medical history is a bad idea unless you're in a location to deal with the potential complications (an ALS ambulance at the very minimum).
    Nobody is impressed by what you can't do. -THJ

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by NEPAKevin View Post
    Its been a while since I took first aid, but I vaguely recall being told that aspirin and other over the counter meds were a no-no.
    Administering aspirin is part of our protocol for acute coronary syndromes if there are no contraindications.

    For anyone who's interested, NH has a nicely organized set of EMS protocols here:
    http://www.nh.gov/safety/divisions/f...eprotocols.pdf

  10. #10
    Member
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    Feb 2011
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    North Georgia
    Be careful... a little bit of medical training and you might get sucked in... just like me... I started with EMT-B... That quickly progressed to getting my Paramedic license, and now I'm on the way to becoming an MD.

    Here's my breakdown of your options:



    Red Cross / American Heart Association / Others -


    first aid and CPR give a foundational base on the very basic basic things... ie positional airway management, bleeding control, CPR and AED use, fracture support, etc. Everybody should get this level of training at a minimum.


    Training Company Courses - Tactical Response IAM, Grey Group's NAR Operator FR, Suarez Intl Trauma for CCW etc



    ..... all teach the "sexy" trauma medicine...including skills you, without a license, can not perform inside CONUS (Intubation & Surgical Airway, IV access, needle thoracostomy, and some other skills some companies are teaching come to mind.). Trauma is exciting and fun... but its the 1/2 of 1% of encounters. You are far more likely to come across allergic reactions, AMI (Heart Attacks), Dehydration / Vomiting / Fever / Infection / General Malaise, and other medical problems. Don't get me wrong, these are good classes that are teaching important skill... and certainly something to think about... but maybe not right away.


    EMT-B -


    will give you the widest and most balanced approach to medical training. You will cover everything... assessments, physiology, pharmacology, etc. etc.... as well as the medical and trauma training - dealing with that heart attack, to trauma, to controlling crowds and dealing with other responders (a key skill btw...).


    Your location says York, PA.... Harrisburg County Community College is COAEMSP Accredited for their EMT-B and Paramedic programs. I'd check them out as your primary medical training institution.

    Any other questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

    - Sam


    Samuel B. Long
    NREMT-P, MICP, WEMT-P
    UNM School of Medicine
    Last edited by SamuelBLong; 01-28-2012 at 05:43 AM.
    "I want to see someone running down the street with a sims-gun shrieking 'I am the first revelation' " - SouthNarc

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