Developing the EMS Capacity of Fire-fighters in the West
The National Fire Service, in collaboration with a non-profit organization from out of the U.S., is developing the capacity of the department in its response to trauma. It is being piloted in Cayo where fire-fighters are learning the basics of emergency medical services which they would be able to execute and very likely save lives when responding to accident scenes and fires. News Five’s Duane Moody reports from the Santa Elena Government School in the west where the last day of training took place.
Duane Moody, Reporting
A group of twenty-six fire-fighters attached to stations across the Cayo District is being trained to provide basic emergency medical services to trauma patients. It’s a set of skills deemed necessary by fire-fighters when responding to accidents and even in case of fire where a first level of medical care may be necessary.
Neuton Lennon
Neuton Lennon, Training Officer, National Fire Service
“With Belize Heroes and the guys, they are coming to help us train and get this project off the board whereas our guys will be able to whenever they have an accident, they will be able to go stabilise the patient, properly package them, put them in an ambulance and transport them to a hospital instead of just having them put them in the back of a pickup and taking them to the hospital.”
Providing the training are members of a U.S.-based non-profit organization, Belize Heroes. It was founded by Archibald McFarlane who was once a member of the Belize National Fire Service, but migrated to Virginia over a decade ago, where he is a career fire-fighter. The organization has been providing support to our local department with equipment and has even facilitated training in the U.S. for six Belizean fire-fighters who are now certified E.M.T.s.
Archibald McFarlane
Archibald McFarlane, Founder/President, Belize Heroes
“There was a lack of service especially when it comes to road traffic accidents; they are extricating patients from a vehicle and sometimes they are taken in the back of a police vehicle to the hospital or the ambulance is delayed or the ambulance has one or two patients, they still have like four or five patients and no treatment is being done to the casualty that has been extricated. So there was a missed opportunity for us to make a huge impact on someone’s life. This is the first step towards EMT; this is the first responder program. So all we are focused on is stopping the bleed and make sure the patient keeps on breathing. Eventually, we will go up to the next level which is EMTB and hopefully after that paramedic level.”
Since the start of the week, the trainees have been participating in theoretical and practical sessions on how to administer aid to victims of trauma. Gareth Freeman is a flight paramedic and is also a member of Belize Heroes; he is the instructor for the training.
Gareth Freeman
Gareth Freeman, Member, Belize Heroes
“Bad things happen to good people and the fire service does have a host of resources they can offer those citizens. They can remove them from broken vehicles, they can out house fires, but what they can’t do as of yet is treat them medically. So that patient who is on the side of the road in the motor vehicle, they can take them out, but they can’t do anything from that point. So this training really does give them the platform to allow them to learn the material they need to be successful in that moment. So once the person is on the ground, they can treat for their spine, they can manage their airway and they can control bleeding. And then also move them to a definitely care facility which we call a hospital.”
For now, it is being piloted in the Cayo District, with plans for fire-fighters across the country to be trained. McFarlane also spoke of the support that they have provided to the National Fire Service since formally establishing Belize Heroes back in 2017.
Archibald McFarlane
“The fire chief just cleared a forty-foot container from Customs this past Friday which we sent back in October. We sent a forty-foot container with two hundred and twenty air packs that the fire-fighters use which would allow for the entire fire department in the country. We also sent a bunch of medical supplies that we sent and it is not just for the ambulance, but we also want to provide service of the fire engines here as well.”
On Friday, the fire-fighters will be tested, followed by a simulation which is being done in collaboration with the San Ignacio Community Hospital. Duane Moody for News Five.
