COFEMS Trains at Fairfax Advanced Surgical Technology and Education Center (ASTEC)
By: Orange County Communications
At the end of last month (May 19 - 25), we celebrated the 50th Anniversary of EMS Week. First proclaimed in 1974 by President Gerald Ford, this year ’ s EMS Week theme was “ Honoring our past. Forging our future. ” Since its establishment in 1998, County of Orange Fire & EMS (COFEMS) has fostered an environment of innovation and excellence. Their award - winning initiatives and programs have blazed new trails in the field, especially for a county of our size. Just a few recent examples include: the Whole Blood Project which allows the carrying and use of blood in the field when responding to emergencies, the launch of their drone program and the expansion of its capabilities, and the Firefighter/EMT Education & Workforce Partnership Initiative which helps prepare local high school students for careers in emergency response. Patient care is always at the forefront of COFEMS ’ activities. It is the foundation from which all the aforementioned innovative programs developed, and encouraging positive outcomes is the ultimate goal of those efforts. With that in mind, several COFEMS personnel made the trip this spring to Inova Fairfax Medical Campus to refine their skills using the tools and expertise available at the campus ’ Advanced Surgical Technology and Education Center (ASTEC). According to the ASTEC webpage, it “ is the most technologically advanced surgery simulation facility in the region. The center provides surgeons, surgical residents and surgical teams unsurpassed real - time surgical training and education to improve skills, allow Dr. Asher Brand teaches COFEMS personnel advanced airway techniques.
for observation and evaluation, and provide teambuilding opportunities to benefit patient care and safety. ” It is one of only 96 American College of Surgeons Accredited Education Institutes (ACS - AEI) world - wide. As a key contributor in the continuum of care, COFEMS staff are very interested in surgical perspectives as it can better inform the way they care for patients who may require surgery. In fact, one of most impactful characteristics of the facility is the way it bridges medical disciplines. “[ This facility] brings everyone together to train. It helps create a better understanding of what everyone else does, ” said Nathan Mort, County of Orange Fire & EMS Chief. “ It promotes better outcomes, ” he added.
Fire & EMS Lieutenant Jaime Colvin and Paramedic Samir “ Mike ” Stetler Talk with Larry Walker, Director of Perioperative Analytics at ASTEC.
While there, the COFEMS team did much more than
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