AFD Paramedics & APS Students Participate in Disaster Drills

On Jan. 15, 2015, Albuquerque Fire Department Paramedic students and APS High School students teamed up to participate in two mock MCI (multi-casualty incidents) to practice and test their skills. EMT and Cosmetology students from APS Career Enrichment Center will be joining AFD Paramedics in the all-day training.

The students must respond to, treat, and transport a high number of patients with varying degrees of injury. Approximately twenty cosmetology students from CEC will put makeup and props on patients to show cuts, abrasions, burns and penetrating injuries.

EMT’s and paramedic students will be taking turns as patients and first responders in the scenarios which will help the paramedic students with the completion of the certification program requirements.

The AFD Paramedic students are currently in the second half of the program, which focuses on rapid assessment, critical thinking, problem solving, and use of correct clinical identification and treatment. The MCI drill provides a realistic environment to challenge the students’ knowledge and serves as a useful evaluation tool for the instructors. In the morning, a

simulated small plane crash will occur outside on the Albuquerque Fire Department Drill Field and twenty patients will require treatment and transport. In the afternoon, a simulated indoor explosion will occur inside one of AFD’s classrooms which will also involve twenty patients.

The mock exercises happened at the Albuquerque Fire Academy located at 11500 Sunset Gardens SW.

Exercise Images