USF program partners with Temple Terrace firefighters, paramedics for training

TEMPLE TERRACE, Fla. - Last week, Temple Terrace Firefighters and Paramedics went back to school.

Not just any school, however, they went to the University of South Florida Center for Advanced Medical Learning and Simulation, known as CAMLS. USF CAMLS Executive Director Haru Okuda gave a description of the school.

"We've partnered with Temple Terrace Fire Rescue to train their paramedics and EMT's on how to better care for patients having difficult airway situations," Okadu said.

The reason is obvious but so important. The time to learn how to save a life is before you have to do it.

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"When it comes out, and you're out in the field, you don't have time to figure out, you know, on-the-job training, you have to reach back and rely on your training," shared Temple Terrace Fire Chief Ian Kemp.

The training isn't easy either. Imagine going into a test that is pass or fail and having a noisy environment with a screaming loved one standing over your shoulder and getting in the way. That's this class. 

"You need to recreate all those distractions, so they can still focus and care for their patients," said Okuda, "These mannequins allow you to bring the oxygen level down, bring the heart rate up, blood pressure you can adapt..."

And those realistic experiences make all the difference.

"It's nice to come to a facility like this that not only has the facility but also the equipment that we basically don't have the capability of having," said Kemp, "The more you can get realistic training that simulates exactly what you are doing in the field, the better off certainly you're going to do and the better off the patient outcome is going to be."

Okadu said he agreed.

"One of the paramedics said that they felt that were at a pool side in a real environment taking care of a patient," Okadu said. "It feels that realistic."

The end result after a week working in those simulated environments is better prepared firefighters, paramedics and EMT's that can go into rescue situations with the muscle memory of what to do.

Fire Chief Ian Kemp summed it up this way.

"This training in invaluable, you can't ask for better training."

To learn more about the USF CAMLS Center click here.