posted July 23, 2024

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA, July 23, 2024 – Air Methods, the nation’s leading air medical service provider, announced today that the Council Bluffs Fire Department has selected Air Methods Ascend’s in-person and virtual reality programs to provide advanced training, including airway management training, for its first responders.

Located in Iowa’s eighth-largest city, the Council Bluffs Fire Department (CBFD) serves the city’s more than 60,000 residents. With over 100 full-time staff, including firefighters and paramedic-trained personnel, the CBFD provides fire prevention, firefighting, and emergency medical care, from its five neighborhood fire stations strategically located across the department’s 40 square mile jurisdiction. In 2023 alone, CBFD responded to more than 10,000 calls.

“Ascend’s cutting-edge airway management training will provide CBFD with the necessary skills to fulfill our pledge to protect the lives of the citizens of Council Bluffs,” said CBFD Fire Chief Justin James. “Having access to the same clinical education that Air Methods air medical teams receive allows us to remain confident that we are prepared to provide the best possible care every day.”

CBFD first responders will be taught by the same world-class instructors that train Air Methods clinicians, who boast a 94% first-time intubation success rate and will also have access to virtual reality training through Ascend’s latest partnership with SimX. This collaboration offers lifelike medical emergencies, through realistic virtual scenarios, allowing clinicians to enhance their decision-making skills and refine their ability to provide optimal patient care in high-pressure situations.

“We are excited to partner with Council Bluffs Fire Department to provide advanced and difficult airway training,” said Dr. Stephanie Queen, Air Methods Senior Vice President of Clinical Services. “Our training will provide them with the latest clinical techniques and practices to provide the best possible care for their patients.”

Ascend’s in-person and online education programs provide pre-hospital and critical care clinicians with access to world-class educators, state-of-the-art tools, and cutting-edge technologies to help build their knowledge, enabling them to operate at the top of their licensure and fulfill continuing education requirements. Education programs include advanced manikin-based simulation and virtual reality training that mirror real-world patient care scenarios, building life-saving skills and confidence. Courses meet certification requirements for the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN), Commission on Accreditation for Pre-Hospital Continuing Education (CAPCE), and International Board of Specialty Certifications (IBSC).

Learn more about the Ascend education program here.

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