Kelly 0 #1 January 6, 2007 I have posted similar topics to this prior. I'm starting a new thread to weed out all the excess. If you want local EMS agencies to attend your dz's safety day then you should start now. step 1: Find out who to contact. Your DZO, DZM, or local S&TA might know. Find out if there are any local jumpers/EMS people at your dz. Step 2: Have the following information in order when you contact the local ambulance or fire chief: Date(s) of safety day , including rain dates Objectives, what you want to achieve : This could include wanting them to be more familiar with gear, knowing where the fusalage is located, number of people in various aircraft, access roads, location and names of various places such as the peas, the far field, etc. At crosskeys our rescuers know where the "field of houses" are, where the paintball field is, etc. This helps because radio communication can sometimes be misleading. If they know the lingo, they can more easily reach the destination, handle any obstacles,etc Expected time frames At Crosskeys we often have the Fire Department run a station and the ambulance run another station. They stay for several hours and the rescuers go between running courses and sitting in on courses (gear familiarity, hazards, aircraft safety) schedule of events for both safety day and the remainder of the season. This includes big boogies/ swoop events where you might want to have an ambulance standing by, fundraisers (bring them out! Help them raise money, etc), or other events that might increase "normal activity" and require additional services. If you normally fly a cessna but will have a casa then let them know this; if they respond for an aircraft emergency during that weekend and they know the date they can immediately call for additional services. Minutes matter! A suggestion or two for events where the EMS system benefits ie: a fundraiser hosted at/ or by the DZ, a raffle, etc. Showing EMS agencies that your dz is intersted in helping them will create a stronger relationship. At cross keys local agencies use our briefing room for meetings, our hangar for debriefs, our runway for drills, our woods for rescue practices, and our aircraft to assist in the rare occasion they need it. Our FD knows that John will fly his cessna or helicopter if they are trying to locate/ size up a fire in the woods or some other remote/ difficult location to reach. The FD, knowing that they can rely on the dz like this, appreciates us more. We also do "hose swoops" where the FD pumps water and people swoop under it. This is in conjunction with a fundraiser for them. The added element of hose swooping pumps everyone up and helps with their fundraising So you've got your information and phone in hand.... You are ready for step 3. Step 3: Call and explain who you are and what you are looking to achieve. Keep it simple. Saying "I'm from the local skydiving center and we are having a safety day and we would like to get EMS/ FD people out to teach us and to learn about us. Being brief but knowledgable will keep you from talking to someone for an hour who can't actually help you. Step 4: Have an idea of when you or the point of contact is available to discuss this more. Also, have the contact phone number available. Step 5: End it with an agreement to remain in contact. Better yet, invite them out to the dz to discuss this more. Ask them for an email address so that you can send them a list of ideas that other dropzones and fire deptartments/ EMS agencies do Here are some ideas. Send this list to the chief [Green] Rig familiarity Have an instructor go over rigs, including disconnecting an RSL, cutting away a canopy, pulling a reserve, removing gear, etc It is very easy to remove a rig without cutting it, even from a jumper with known injuries! I will provide a detailed explanation to any instructors who want this. email me at [email protected] for this detailed explanation or for my phone number to get verbal instructions. edit to add** Rig removal should only be performed by trained rescue persons, using spinal boards and proper technique. I am not suggesting that any non-EMS/Fire person remove rigs, but simply that they learn how to verbally instruct a rescuer in how to do it, if the situation allows for it. Obstacles particular to your dropzone and the surrounding areas. Tree landings/ rescue techniques Water emergencies, including water landings and locations of water sources that the FD can tap into. An instructor on staff can teach rescuers how to pull a canopy out of the water properly. Some methods will keep water in the canopy whereas pulling from the tail will force water out. They need to be told this; they aren't familiar with the construction of canopy and chambers etc. [Green] Kelly Evans has been working as an EMT for seven years. She has spent the last six years coordinating efforts between rescue agencies and the skydiving community. Her roles and responsibilities have had her initiating, organizing, and running drills between the two organizations. She teaches fellow rescuers skydiving specific rescue techniques, including gear removal, patient mobility, patient stabilization, gear operations, and other related topics. She also works within the skydiving community, teaching fellow skydivers how to assist in emergencies. She has assisted many injured skydivers and uses these experiences to revise known rescue and first aid techniques. She has played key roles in simulated airplane crash drills, managing all liaison responsibilities, determining, assigning, and managing patient injuries. She has worked as an observer, providing critical feedback to improve future operations. She has written detailed overviews of these operations, providing drop zones with scripts for successfully initiating, planning/ organizing, and managing these types of operations. Additionally, she has organized countless fundraisers for local EMS agencies sponsored by the skydiving community. Her training includes ICS courses, rope and tree rescue courses, water rescue courses, and trauma courses, amongst many others. She is available, free of charge, to consult with EMS/Fire departments and skydiving operations in order to facilitate better relationships and determine objectives for future drills. Please feel free to pass her contact information on to any interested parties. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gene03 0 #2 January 6, 2007 The health of the rig is always secondary to the health of the jumper.“The only fool bigger than the person who knows it all is the person who argues with him. Stanislaw Jerzy Lec quotes (Polish writer, poet and satirist 1906-1966) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dharma1976 0 #3 January 6, 2007 nice post kelly... Cheers Davehttp://www.skyjunky.com CSpenceFLY - I can't believe the number of people willing to bet their life on someone else doing the right thing. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
