Local Emergency Personnel Take Part in GEMSA Trauma Procedures Lab

Members of Hart County EMS were part of a group of about 150 emergency workers who recently attended one of two sessions of Georgia Trauma Skills Procedure Labs hosted by Habersham County.

The classes at the Habersham County Ruby Fulbright Aquatic Center in Clarkesville were made possible by State of Georgia funding provided through the Georgia Trauma Care Network Commission.

“It’s excellent training,” said Habersham County Emergency Services Director
/ Chief Jeff Adams. “It’s paid for through the Georgia Trauma Commission.
They receive the funding through Super Speeder fees, and they disburse the
money out to GEMSA and to the EMS and also to the hospitals for trauma
care.”

Those who completed the training sessions received four hours of continuing education units.

Rotating stations offered 30 minutes of hands-on experience with cadavers to first responders, EMTs, paramedics, and other care professionals.

Instructors brought a combined 380 years of experience to the training.

Adams said the training is valuable not only for Habersham County but to the surrounding area as well and offers a perspective not offered by reading or watching a video.

“This is a trauma skills lab and we’ve got 150 students going through all day
today, practicing different skills that they use with trauma patients,” Adams
said. “Each lab runs about $45,000 to $50,000 by the time you get the
necessary supplies and equipment together to put the lab on and get the
instructors here. It’s pretty costly.”

Georgia collects $3 million per month in Super Speeder fines, with 20% of that going to GEMSA for the education of responders.

In addition to Hart County EMS personnel attending, Habersham spokesman Rob Moore Henry County, City of Winder, White County, and others throughout the region as well as from out of state attended the training.