NEWFANE — Teachers believe there might be some future emergency medical technicians and paramedics at Townshend Elementary School.
On Feb. 3, students from the Townshend school visited the new Vermont EMS Academy in Newfane. The trip was organized by Townshend Elementary School Principal Renee Merluzzi and VEMSA Lead Instructor Armadeus Davidson. Merluzzi was also able to secure funding to cover transportation costs courtesy of The Stratton Foundation.
“The students were offered a tour of our medical and rescue education facility,” Davidson said.
The students were broken down into groups as they entered the facility and escorted throughout our campus with demonstrations provided at each station.
The stations included: a technical rescue evolution using ropes and pulleys to rescue of a simulated patient; observing treatments of a patient in the emergency department simulator; treating a simulated patient in an ambulance simulator (with motion, lights and sirens).
Age-appropriate students were given access to a patient treatment area where the students helped stabilize and treat an “injured child” mannequin, and anatomy and physiology introduction using visual aids. Students were given juice and a cookie before departing.
The students described the trip as “really cool and fun,” “eye-opening” and “a blast.”
Leland & Gray, too
Leland & Gray Union Middle and High School students spent their Wednesday Winter Activities day, a total of six weeks, learning basic emergency response and wilderness first aid skills. The program started with a career-oriented introduction to emergency medical and rescue services, especially atypical careers in industrial, international and humanitarian organizations. Next, the students learned about basic first aid, austere environments, emergency shelter building, rope rescue techniques and the incident command system.
Based on skill, ability and interests, students were divided into a first aid squad and a technical rescue squad. Under the leadership of student incident and safety commanders, the groups implemented an incident action plan during a simulation during their final event on Feb. 15. The objectives of the course were teamwork, leadership, followership and introduction to the rescue industry.
