Local EMTs take part in training

On June 6-7, 24 local EMTs and EMT students from Lower Columbia College took part in a county wide Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS) Training in Cathlamet.

Pushing through high temperatures during the weekend, all participants drilled in various scenarios including: drowning, burns, electrocution, fall from 25 ft., pedestrian vs motor vehicle, gunshot wound and roll-over motor vehicle accident. Among other skills, participants practiced scene safety, patient care and extrication.

Several community members volunteered to be patients for the different scenarios and were moulaged by EMT Sunni Thoreson with wounds in order to make their injuries more realistic.

Sunday's training concluded with one of those volunteers being "Hot Loaded" into a Life Flight helicopter and circling the landing zone.

All of Cathlamet, Skamokawa and Grays River EMTs volunteer their time to train in order to provide Emergency Medical Services to their communities. Anyone interested in volunteering for Cathlamet Fire Department for EMS, Fire Fighter or participating as a patient for training drills may pick up an application at the new Town Office, 375 2nd Street or go to http://www.cathlametfd.com/.