Date: Fri 31-May-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

EMS-Competition-Rambone

Full Text:

EMS Competition Hones Emergency Skills

B Y S TEVE B IGHAM

In celebration of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week, the Newtown Volunteer

Ambulance Corps hosted its first-ever mock accident competition last Thursday.

On the lawn adjacent to the ambulance barn, EMTs were timed and judged on

their response to a motor vehicle accident involving a bicycle. The scene was

made to look as real as possible, complete with fake blood, protruding bones

and plenty of screaming and moaning.

Unaware of what they would come upon, medical technicians from Newtown,

Bethel, Stony Hill, New Fairfield and Scarsdale, NY, arrived on the scene to

find two individuals in serious need of medical attention. Their job was to

assess the situation, identify the patients and determine what was wrong, a

difficult job considering the nature of the injuries.

The driver of the car, an elderly person, suffered a stroke and was

incoherent. He was not wearing a seat belt and had apparently hit his head on

the steering wheel. The biker had suffered multiple injuries.

As EMTs worked on their patients, judges and timers observed the scene. While

the amount of time it took workers to get their patients into the ambulance

was important in the judging, the quality of care, proper diagnosis of

injuries, and the types of equipment used were even more important.

The event was the brainchild of Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps Chief Steve

Rambone, who felt the contest would serve two purposes.

"I thought it would be a good idea to get some of the surrounding towns with

volunteer services to have fun and do something that is worthwhile at the same

time," he explained.

Each town brought with it four crew members, two judges and two people to act

as accident victims.

Brookfield was also invited but withdrew from the competition at the last

minute.

After the judges tallied their figures, Newtown was declared the winner, with

Bethel and Scarsdale finishing second and third, respectively. Newtown's

first-place finish came as no surprise to those who know the service it

provides.

"We've had many drills like this in the past and we practice these things all

the time," Mr Rambone said.

Newtown's crew included Mary Hugo, Josh Chabalowski, Marianne Adams and Sue

Audy, the judges were Patty Powers and Judy Jackson, and the victims were

Gloria Aubin and Lynn Ceccarelli.

Bob Carroll and Patty Powers put on a pre-competition dinner.

The local volunteer ambulance corps hopes to maker the competition an annual

event.