MOUNT GILEAD — Morrow County EMS Captain Mike Carey and EMT Rob Walker talked about their experience in special Tactical Emergency Casualty Care Classes last week.
Carey said this is the first time the course was taught in the county since he was with EMS (Emergency Medical Service). He said EMS personnel and law enforcement took the eight hour course on a volunteer basis.
“It was mostly a refresher course for EMT personnel and it was the first emergency medical training for most of the law enforcement,” added Carey. “It was very good for the law enforcement officers and EMS people to be together for this course.”
Carey said the classes, which were organized by EMS Director Jeff Sparks, were at no cost for Morrow County.
“We did a trade,” said Carey. “Delaware County’s SWAT Medic, Lt. Dan Jividen taught this course and we will teach some courses for Delaware County. We help each other this way.”
Walker referred to the 90 car pile-up on Interstate 71 a couple of weeks ago when all EMS were called out along with Sheriff’s deputies, state highway patrol and other emergency personnel.
“You don’t think it will be happening here. Just like Parkland in Florida didn’t think it would happen, but you have to be prepared,” said Walker.
Carey and Walker came into EMS together over seven years ago.
“This is our home and our county, we care a lot and want to improve things for the EMS department,” Carey said.
The Tactical Emergency Casualty Care (TECC) course is based on Tactical Combat Casualty Care. TECC accounts for the differences in the civilian environment from the military combat environment. Classes in the course range from Hemorrhage control to evacuation care and cover and concealment. There are a total of 14 training topics taught.
The course teaches military medical lessons learned from the battlefield to civilian crisis response personnel in order to reduce preventable causes of death both for first responders and citizens.
Last week law enforcement officers and county staff also attended a class in AED training for Automated External Defibrillators. Sparks said the course, which was taught by Zoll Medical Corporation instructor Bret Vanborgenden, will facilitate getting AEDs for the Courthouse and other county buildings.
The course is needed to get grants and private funding for AED devices in county buildings.
