Summit First Aid SquadPress Clipping |
This Is Only a Drill.... (appeared in the Summit Independent 5/13/98)
The continual effort to be prepared to handle a variety of emergencies brought members of the Summit Volunteer First Aid Squad to a wooded hillside on Oak Ridge Avenue last Wednesday night. The area, commonly known as "elephant’s grave" was the site of a training exercise sponsored by the squad to practice skills in search & rescue as well as patient handling techniques in rough terrain. Participants in the exercise met at the Squad’s headquarters for a review of search & rescue techniques taught by Eric Martin, Chief of Team Tech-Central Jersey Technical Rescue team. After the class, the crews moved up to Oak Ridge Ave, where volunteer "victims" had been carefully hidden in the brush covered hillside. The scenario simulated an accident involving 2 cyclists who collided and fell down the hill. The first challenge was to locate the victims in the dark wooded area. After assigning rescuers to 4 search teams, Training Lieutenant Alex Balish led the group into the woods. Once each victim was located, teams were assigned to treat, stabilize and transport their patients through the woods and up the hill to an awaiting ambulance.
The Emergency Medical Technicians from the Summit Squad were joined by 2 members of the Summit Fire Department, a paramedic from Overlook Hospital and members of the Millburn-Short Hills and West Orange First Aid Squads who also participated in the drill. Area residents were notified of the event before hand. At one point, a group of about 20 people gathered to watch the exercise.
As Summer approaches and people become more involved in outdoor recreation, the likelihood of such an accident rises. May is national Bicycle Safety Month. The Summit First Aid Squad urges all those who enjoy cycling to practice safety at all times. Although the law only requires helmet for those 14 and under, the First Aid Squad recommends that all riders wear a helmet and obey all traffic laws while riding.
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