The elaborate scenes were part of a disaster drill staged by Gundersen MedLink Air and local first responder teams.
Wisconsin Academy of Rural Medicine (WARM) students experienced these re-enactments of farm-based accidents that have actually occurred in the rural Midwest as part of their medical training at UW-Madison. Kim Lansing, the Gundersen Health System director of the WARM program, let volunteer firefighters from Shelby, Coon Valley, Stoddard Bergen and Campbell use real rescue vehicles and equipment on her land in the town of Shelby.
The 26 WARM students visited each station, working with with medical professionals and rescue workers. “This shows students what it takes to get a victim to the hospital. They can appreciate the group effort,” Lansing said.
The training benefits the firefighters as much as the med students. The chief from each fire station stood back as the teams worked and gave them feedback. “Mistakes are OK,” Lansing said, “We want to make mistakes during practice so we don’t make them in real life.”
La Crosse Emergency Management director Keith Butler read from a script during the treehouse scenario, playing the parts of the 911 operator, the victim and even a concerned relative. Doctors from Gundersen prompted the students to consider how each injury was affecting the victim internally.
Gundersen’s Integrated Center for Education lent their interactive manikin. The $70,000 simulators are decorated with a makeup-like substance, moulage, to represent cuts and welts. Sheila Chapel of Gundersen joked, “I get paid to play with expensive dolls.”
This is the fourth year for the training program, which is run entirely with volunteers and donations from Gundersen, WARM and area firefighters. “It cost $12 to pull off the whole thing. We only paid for the posterboard for signs,” Lansing said.
Lansing says the program has no trouble recruiting volunteers: “The fire departments love it. How many times can you get this much practice?”
Stoddard Bergen Fire Chief Joe Pfaff agrees: “Anytime you have the opportunity for quality training, it’s not hard to get people to come out on a Saturday morning.”
Third-year medical students Breanna Wimmler and Dan Miller found the demonstrations invaluable.
“It’s a good way for us to get experience in the field and put together what happens before (the patient) comes to the hospital. It’s been fun too,” Miller said.
Wimmler was especially appreciative of the experience. Her brother was injured on the family farm in Plymouth last March, when his leg was caught in a silo auger. “The rescue team had to come in for him. It made me really grateful for all the training people do.” Her brother is understandably excited about Breanna’s plan to practice medicine in her hometown.
Lansing was pleased with the day.
“Everything went off better than I could have asked for. I’ve seen a lot of learning from the students, the firefighters and the paramedics. It’s perfect, just the best day.”
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