| This week's Monday Night Drill was a "Search, Rescue & V.E.I.S." drill for our Firefighters and a "Trauma Emergencies & Burns" drill for our EMTs.
The Firefighter portion of the evening focused on search and rescue operations, including the firefighting technique known as V.E.I.S. (Vent, Enter, Isolate, and Search). Vista Firefighters practiced venting a second-story window using a 24-foot ladder, entering the room after it was vented, isolating the space by controlling the door to limit fire and smoke spread, and conducting a rapid search to locate a victim. Members also reviewed search and rescue techniques used to locate and remove trapped occupants during structure fires. The V.E.I.S. technique is a critical method for firefighters to perform coordinated rescues during emergencies, particularly when rapid victim removal is necessary. These skills help prepare our members to safely and effectively search for and rescue occupants in challenging fire conditions.
The EMS portion of the evening focused on trauma emergencies and burn management. Vista EMS personnel reviewed trauma and burn care protocols in accordance with New York State guidelines while practicing key emergency medical skills. Topics included bleeding and shock management, blunt force trauma, crush injuries, head, neck, back, spinal trauma, multi-system trauma, and burn assessment and treatment. Members participated in hands-on stations where they practiced maintaining spinal precautions, immobilizing spinal and extremity injuries, managing burns and amputations, and performing proper suctioning techniques using both manual and mechanical suction units to maintain airway patency in compromised patients. EMTs also reviewed burn classification, estimating burn surface area using the Rule of Nines, and managing airway involvement, cooling measures, and pain control. This drill reinforced the importance of these foundational skills, many of which are routinely utilized in emergency patient care and are essential to providing high-quality treatment in the field.
Through realistic hands-on training and scenario-based evolutions, both our Firefighters and EMTs continue to strengthen the skills necessary to safely and effectively serve the residents and visitors of our community.
For more information on how to become a member, call (914)-533-2727, email us at Info@VistaFD.org, visit https://www.vistafd.org/content/become/, or apply online here: https://www.vistafd.org/apply. |
