Upstate announces major EMS training outreach in Cayuga County on eve of national EMS Week

Photographer Susan Kahn takes a group photograph of emergency responders and physicians in the parking lot at Upstate University Hospital's Community Campus

With the aid of a scissor lift, photographer Susan Kahn takes a group photograph of emergency responders and physicians in the parking lot at Upstate University Hospital's Community Campus. Photo by Susan Keeter.

Upstate emergency physician Derek Cooney, MD speaks to the media. Photo by Darryl Geddes.

In celebration of National EMS Week, May 19 to 23, Upstate University Hospital will present free training to EMS providers in Cayuga County in what will be one of the largest EMS training efforts undertaken by the hospital outside of Onondaga County.

The Emergency Medical Services training in Cayuga County will take place Wednesday, May 22 at the Auburn Holiday Inn, 75 North St., Auburn. It will feature presentations on Upstate‘s EMS Physician Response Team and Mercy Flight Central Air Ambulance. Also part of the training will be presentations on how to take care of an obese patient before they get to the hospital and the importance of conducting a quick assessment of stroke patients and how stroke care differs from hospital to hospital.

EMS officials say it is essential that first responders, including EMS providers, get regular, ongoing education about new techniques and protocols for providing treatment in the field. “Upstate is providing us a valuable opportunity to receive high quality training for all our EMS providers, including individuals working in public safety, nursing, fire and police,” said Brian Dahl, director of emergency medical services for Cayuga County Emergency Management. “It‘s important for everyone to come together and receive this training.”

Mercy Flight was available for the photo shoot. Photo by Susan Keeter.

Cayuga County has about 360 individuals working as EMS providers. Some are paid, and many are volunteers, who live in rural areas that make up most of the county‘s 720 square miles. That‘s challenging geography in which to provide programming to EMS providers, where many would have to travel significant distances to receive such training, officials say.

Thus Upstate and Cayuga County officials worked on a plan to bring programming to Cayuga County. “Presenting a comprehensive EMS training program where first responders live is essential to ensuring all who arrive first on the scene of an accident, have the most advanced training possible,” said Doug Sandbrook, Upstate‘s EMS liaison and director of its paramedic program.

Upstate says it will consider additional educational programming in other outlying communities and is examining the use of provide some training through teleconferencing.

“As the region‘s only academic medical center, we are responding to the needs of the region to ensure that individuals throughout Central New York have the very best in care when first responders arrive on the scene,” said Derek Cooney, MD, director of Upstate‘s Fellowship Program for EMS and Disaster Medicine.

Upstate University Hospital is the area‘s only Level 1 trauma center and provides certification and continuing medical education program to more than 700 EMS professionals annually.