The Master Bates Inn was the playing ground earlier this week for Hathian’s own fire department, as well as a few visiting firefighters and EMTs from Dead End, which is located in northern Michigan.
The mock based scenario was acted out and derived from Juggs Gage, paramedic with FDH, and his brother John Gage, EMT with FDH. From what it appeared there was a man who had fallen from his chair in the motel room from an overdose. It was indeed a very explicit scene with staged actors who worked for the FDH.
“Things are not always what they appear to be. Sometimes you have to think outside the box and take in your surroundings,” stated Juggs on the scene of the mock scenario.
Probies, as new hires are called in the FDH world, were taken to the scene after a preplanned 911 call was made. They are tested on their knowledge and skill the moment they get on the radio. Juggs and John Gage set up a scenario where the caller told dispatch a known drug user was down and unconscious at the inn, that caller being Cherie Listern, Lieutenant with the FDH, playing a maid for the inn.
“There were many things that could and did go wrong. A medic shouldn’t have tunnel vision and rush right in there, there are hazards they need to watch out for. Talk to the people who made the call and most importantly always check for what could be the cause if the patient can’t talk to you,” Juggs Gage stated.
There were a number of things that were scattered in the room, from rusty nails, syringes and sharp metal objects around the patient probies had to clear away. It was a game of clue the probies had to play if they decided to take that route. The patient played by FDH Paramedic Cal Fox, didn’t have such a good day.
“The probie ended up killing him. They also injured themselves by just high tailing it in the room and not taking in their surroundings.” the Gage brothers laughed now after the tension had left the room, but it goes to show that they are at least trying to train the new hires. Though what made this whole scenario a twist that had Dead End EMTs travel to Hathian?
“It wasn’t a drug overdose. The patient was in diabetic shock which can come off looking exactly like and OD. All the probie had to do was check the blood sugar, or look over the syringe on the floor to see it has some insulin in it, or even look in the patient’s bag. The clues were there. No one took the opportunity to use them.” It would seem the Gage brothers added an interesting twist to this scenario. This will be the third scenario Juggs Gage and his brother have planned and there will be many more.
FDH sends a special thank you to Dead End fire department for joining them on this training and to Master Bates Inn Manager, Marissa Hambrook, for giving FDH permission to use the inn for the scenario.
