Firefighters conduct training exercise

Longboat Key Fire Rescue conducted a training exercise Jan. 20 behind the Longboat Key Publix.

Dep. Chief Sandi Drake led the exercise, which had crewmembers simulate a response for a person that fell off a roof.

Firefighters had to treat, stabilize and transport a multi-system trauma patient, while using new medical protocol to treat the patient as well as request the trauma helicopter to have the patient transported to Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg.

Personnel drove to the landing zone, where they simulated landing the helicopter and communicating patient information to the flight crew.

After the exercise, personnel conducted a Post Incident Analysis, where each member that participated provided feedback on what they did and suggestions on improvement of the overall operation.

“This exercise provided newly hired and veteran personnel the opportunity to work as a team under safe conditions while, at the same time, having the ability to make suggestions on both patient care and emergency operations,” Drake said.

Contact Kurt Schultheis at [email protected].