Americus, GA – 123 Emergency First Responders, including 22 Phoebe Sumter hospital staff members, attended a three-day Helicopter Landing Safety training that was held at Phoebe Sumter Medical Center.
“This was a great training session for not only our staff but other first responders as well, because there are definitely times when we have to use this service for people in our community,” said Krista Barfield, RN, Phoebe Sumter Emergency Department Nurse Manager. “In addition to landing at the hospital, sometimes the Air Evac crew has to land in other areas of the community (sometimes on dirt roads!), so it was important that local first responders got the proper training so they will respond accordingly in those situations.”
The training was done by AIR EVAC LIFETEAM pilots and crew members, and consisted of a classroom session and a demonstration session at Phoebe Sumter’s Helipad located at the rear of the hospital near the Emergency Department. A helicopter landed at the helipad and the Lifeteam crew gave directions on clearing a landing site as well as how to approach the helicopter after it has landed. Those attending included local Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), Americus & Sumter County Fire Department personnel as well as Americus & Sumter County Sheriff Department personnel, and Phoebe Sumter ER nurses and other personnel from the hospital.