Paramedics from the Howard County Ambulance Service, Officers from the Nashville Police Department and Mineral Springs School Resource Officer recently attended an eight hour Active Shooter
Class in Jacksonville hosted by the Arkansas Ambulance Association and Arkansas Trauma Education Research Foundation. “Included in the class was a cadaver lab allowing paramedics to practice
the skills needed to treat patients that are wounded in an active shooter incident,” John Gray, owner of HCAS, explained. “Attendees had classroom lecture and skills stations in the morning sessions
and in the afternoon they took the information learned and participated in an active shooter scenario using manikins and live actors. As more and more active shooter incidents happen across the
US we are learning that EMS cannot continue to operate as we have in the past, where we stand back and wait for the scene to be secured before entering. Many patients die in the few minutes
after an active shooter incident from blood loss or airway problems. This training will allow EMS to enter into the scene with Law Enforcement and provide immediate life saving interventions and
removal of patients from the incident. It was an excellent opportunity allowing us to train with our local law enforcement in a real life scenario, enabling us to understand each others roles in an active
shooter incident and be better prepared should such an invent ever happen here. HCAS is committed to providing the best care possible to the citizens we serve and to be prepared for anything
that can possibly happen. Funding for the class was provided by a grant from the Arkansas Trauma System.”
Those attending the class: Chris Janes, paramedic; Forrest Stricklin, paramedic; Brian Girard, paramedic; Gary Hardin, paramedic; Ryan Brown, EMT; Brandon Smith (pictured above), Mineral
Springs School resource officer; Ty Basilere, Nashville Police Department and Greg Parker, Nashville Police Department.
