Got to get better at posting regularly.

I am going to have to get better at posting on a regular basis. I promise to try.

On May 5, 2012 I attended a class in Memphis, TN. It covered MCI, ICS and we also had a cadaver lab. This day was sponsored by ATERF ( Arkansas Trauma Education and Research Foundation) and held at the MERI facility in Memphis. It was a blast.

We started the day with a lecture about MCI and ICS and talked a lot about triage. This lasted about 1 1/2 hours and was not as boring as you would imagine.

There was about 75 people in attendance. Most were EMS but there were a few nurses also. This class was geared for pre-hospital primarily. It was nice to see some nurses and be able to share some ideas and information. We were divided into six groups and this determined our schedule for the rest of the day. My group was assigned to the cadaver lab prior to lunch. We had three fresh cadavers that were not embalmed. I would like to thank the families that allowed their loved ones to help us learn life saving techniques.

One was dissected to allow us to view and learn airway and thorax injuries and treatment. It was amazing to see the actual anatomy, not just pictures. Actually seeing the real organs and how they feel and fit inside the body.

Another body was dissected to allow us to observe and inspect the anatomy of the neck, torso and abdomen. We could inspect the heart and lungs. We could also see how an inflated stomach can affect the diaphragm and breathing. You could trace the great vessels to and from the heart and up into the neck. It brought to life all that you learn and see in pictures.

The third body was used to practice venous access and interosseous access. We mainly go to use the Easy IO on all the various locations you would use to gain access on a live person. This hands on training would be beneficial to all training levels and experience.

The afternoon allowed us to enter a mock up MCI of an IED that exploded in an office. We had to enter and triage then package and remove all our patients to a treatment area. Then we had to provide treatment to all injuries. We did this as a team. One thing the instructors did for us was to ensure that no team members knew each other. They tried to simulate how it would be to bring several agencies together for a major incident.

At the end of the day we came together to recap all that we learned. It was a day well spent learning and also meeting new people.

Thanks to all the instructors that helped us that day. Also thanks to the vendors that bought our breakfast and lunch.

Oh and Friday night I did get a chance to see Beale Street for the first time. One cool outdoor party. Didn't stay to late as I had class the next day.

All in all I had a great time and learned many new things and refreshed others. I look forward to more classes offered through ATERF. Visit their site at www.aterf.org.