ENNIS - Madison County voters approved a new ambulance district in the May 3rd special election. Since then, Madison Valley and Ruby Valley Medical centers have been forming partnerships with training and a real-life simulation.
Madison Valley Medical Center hosted a two-day simulation training this past weekend for EMTs across the county.
“(This will) Bolster not only employees but training equipment but to be able to provide a better service for the county,” says EMS Director and Manager for Madison Valley Medical Center, James McBernie.
The need for this new district came about as a growing need was identified for both communities to team up.
“To do some training and education. Recruitment and retention of EMTs in rural areas has been really difficult,” says CEO of Madison Valley Medical Center, Allen Rohrback.
The levy is intended to raise around $465,000 over 4 years to support ambulance services at both Madison and Ruby Valley Medical Centers.
Now, in case of an emergency where both teams are needed, both will be able to work together.
“They have never worked with each other. So with this type of training, they got to work with each other, not knowing each other,” says McBernie.
Rob Beshure, an EMT with Madison Valley Medical Center, says going through the training helped when a real call comes in.
“It felt very real, the level of adrenaline and fear felt like a real call,” says Beshure.
The training was meant to simulate a 9-year-old child getting struck by a truck, who sustained head injuries. Beshure and two other EMTs worked together to help the patient as if they were on their way to the hospital.
“Pediatric patients are the most uncomfortable, they are the scariest patients that we have, it's great to be able to practice that in a no-consequence environment,” says Beshure.
He says that being able to expand their network is reassuring.
“It's the people that are around me to know that help is coming, and to know that they have all done this training is a big deal,” says Beshure.
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