| Student
stages EMT drill for senior project
The day started out like a chilly, overcast spring day, but by noon it would be a flurry of action and noise at Prairie High school in 
Cottonwood, Idaho. Joseph Jones, a senior at Prairie High was finishing
up his senior project for graduation. Joseph had decided the year before
that he wanted to do his project on emergency services. What had
given him the idea to do a Simulated Car accident stemmed from a Mass Casualty
Drill he had participated in during the spring before and all the trainings
that he had helped with his mom, as she has been an EMT for 10 years.
Joseph started by making contact with Cody Funke to be his Mentor though out the project. Cody assisted him by explaining to him what he would need to do and who to contact. Joseph decided that he was going to donate one of his cars for demolition, got friends and his sister to volunteer to participate as car accident victims, and do make up. With the help of Cody they contacted the Cottonwood Fire and Police departments, St. Mary’s Hospital EMS, and Idaho County Dispatch to see if they were interested in this event. As time grew closer for his project, Joseph, with the help of his Uncle Jon Forsman and Cousin Russell Finnell, removed all the windows from the automobile and did body damage to make it look as if it had been damaged in an accident. On the day of the Simulation, the vehicle was moved to the lower parking lot of the Prairie High school. The players, Zachary Reutuer, Pixie Jones, Anna Kaschmitter, and Julia Whemhoff, all gathered to get their make-up done by Julia Whemhoff and then stage for the dispatch. At approximately 12:00 the St. Mary’s Hospital Ambulance was dispatched to a one car accident. Once the Ambulance arrived on scene, the Cottonwood Fire Department was dispatched for extraction and assist. Prior to the Fire Dept. arriving, Cottonwood Police arrived on scene. During the time EMS was on scene they were assessing patients and planning for extraction. Once Fire was on hand they started the extraction process so that EMS could remove patients from the car. With the assistance of Cottonwood Fire and Cottonwood Police the patients was removed from the car and loaded in the Ambulance for transport. After the Simulation ended a review was done so that Joseph could hear everyone’s point of view on his project. Cottonwood Fire, Cottonwood Police Department and St. Mary’s Ambulance were able to use the SIM to further their training and to experience working in close proximity together. The players learned what it may take to safely remove a patient from a car accident. With the completion of his senior project and senior year, Joseph plans on attending LCSC’s Criminal Justice Program. Joseph Jones would like to thank all that assisted in making this project a success, especially the Cottonwood Fire Department, Cottonwood Police, St. Mary’s Ambulance, Idaho County Dispatch, Cody Funke, and Jessica Meyers. 
Justin Jones, a senior at Prairie High School, had a simulated car accident staged as his senior project. He got the idea from helping with a mass casualty drill. |
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