Members of the North Flight EMS team in Wexford County are helping area schools prepare for a day they hope will never come.
North Flight EMS Manager of Ground Support Aaron Sogge, EMT-P, IC, and other members of North Flight’s Manton base recently spent time with teachers and staff at Manton Schools training them on traumatic bleeding control, the use of AEDs, and use of allergy auto-injectors.
They also have a planned stop at Mesick Area Schools to help prepare staff.
“This is our second year doing it at Manton and last year staff engagement was very positive, so they asked us to come back,” Sogge said. “Three or four of us go and I give a 45-minute lecture and then we break into groups and do hands-on training.”
Superintendent Len Morrow said Sogge and the North Flight crew members do a great job.
“You always have to be prepared for an emergency and we want to provide our teachers and staff with as much information as possible,” he said. “His training provides information for a shooting situation which we hope never happens or a playground puncture wound. We want teachers and staff to be able to deal with a situation until certified people show up.”
With the increase in shooting situations and other emergency response needs, Sogge said it was important to him to be proactive and contact county school districts to offer the training.
“It takes time for ambulances to get on the scene,” he said.
In addition to walking staff through the use of an AED during suspected heart attack situations, crews bring bleeding control kits and mannequin legs that allow participants to practice applying tourniquets and gauze to stop bleeding.
Morrow said he appreciates having North Flight in the Manton community and their willingness to train staff as well as support sporting events throughout the year. “They are more than happy to work with the schools and be present in case we need them,” he said. “It’s really nice for the community to have them here.”
The schools receive bleeding control kits that consist of a tourniquet, bandaging material, quick clot, a sharpie, gloves, and scissors that were donated by Northwest Regional Medical Control Authority/Munson Regional EMS Education. Sogge said he hopes to eventually expand his training program to all Wexford County schools in the future.
Learn more about North Flight EMS.