The four-day course was held in March at the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office and at nearby simulation grounds. Personnel underwent training and simulations for unique, dangerous situations that have become more frequent, such as SWAT calls, search-and-rescue calls, dive rescue calls, and wildfires.
The NERHCC grant covered half the cost of the course, with the remainder coming from the UCHealth EMS operational budget. UCHealth EMS hosted the course and invited teams from Larimer County Sheriff’s Office, Fort Collins Police Services, and other regional partners to attend.
“The grant funding was a huge help in making this course possible,” said Shannon Wicker, UCHealth EMS emergency preparedness program manager. “The training is vital to help us be more prepared to respond to a wider variety of emergencies that are atypical of our day-to-day operations. Usually these calls are high stress and require special tactical skills, such as integration with law enforcement response and integration with wildland fire teams, dive teams, and search and rescue teams in remote and rugged terrain. The TEMS team is designed to support the responders on scene in the case of injury and also to help any victims who need medical care.”
Through the generosity of the NERHCC, the foundation is pleased to help support our emergency responders in their goal to promote, develop, and enhance the cross-jurisdictional coordination of health care incident preparedness, response, and recovery. Ultimately, it is our northern Colorado community that benefits from this invaluable collaboration and investment in the safety and well-being of our residents.
