posted December 03, 2024

Joint multi-agency training simulates real-life emergency scenarios

OCEANO, CA – Dec. 3, 2024 — Just before Thanksgiving, the Mercy Air 34 air medical team based in Paso Robles, CA joined forces with local EMS, law enforcement, fire, and 911 dispatch teams in a mass casualty incident drill at the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area (SVRA).

The one-day training exercise, hosted by California State Parks and developed by State Parks Lifeguard Officer M. Do, simulated a critical incident at the dunes involving a multi-vehicle traffic collision with several severe injuries.

“This complex and multi-faceted training brings together our local EMS agencies and improves communications, working relations, and team building,” said Officer Do. “I designed this training scenario to be complicated and chaotic because, in real life, traffic collision scenes are exactly that. Each rescuer plays a vital role in maintaining public safety and saving lives.”

Mercy Air regularly conducts joint training with first responders and local agencies to be prepared for any emergent situation and meet evolving challenges. Training with partner agencies ensures an understanding of best practices in landing zone safety and the logistics of patient safety in transport whether through ground or air ambulance.

“Each team participating in the drill benefits by having hands-on training to simulate real-time responses to catastrophic events, triaging and stabilizing critical patients,” said Mercy Air Flight Nurse and Base Outreach Coordinator Krysten Daniel. “This allows us to identify any barriers or gaps that may arise and correct them before it has a potential impact on the safety of any patients or the crews responding. Performing these drills also helps us hone each of our roles and communication required to coordinate these incidents so that we can provide the best care to our patients.”

The Mercy Air team responds when dispatched through a 911 call, a local first responder agency request, or a call from a hospital requesting an interfacility transfer. The flight team is comprised of a seasoned pilot and a highly trained critical care team consisting of a nurse and a paramedic. On every transport mission, the clinical team carries blood products, which can be administered in flight, if necessary, positively increasing patient outcomes. Accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems (CAMTS), Mercy Air adheres to the industry’s highest standards in safety and clinical excellence and provides lifesaving services without requiring a membership to avoid a costly bill.

“Where seconds make all the difference in saving a life, trainings like these create a lot of muscle memory so when the call to action is real, we are ready to respond seamlessly and quickly,” said Daniel. “This gives practical and first-hand experience when responding to any critical incident big or small.”