Media Release

ALACHUA COUNTY, FL - The Emergency Medicine Learning & Resource Center  (EMLRC)'s Mobile Simulation Lab is spending this week with Alachua County Fire/Rescue under a contract with Florida's Department of Health to bring simulation education to EMS agencies throughout the State of Florida. The education focuses on WMD and chemical/biological scenarios using high tech patient simulators.  Examples of scenarios covered are: Pandemic Influenzas, Anthrax, Hemorrhagic Fever, Plague, Ricin, Smallpox, Blister Agents, Nerve Agents, Cyanide, Pulmonary Agents, Burns and Blast Injuries, and Chemical Suicide to name a few. 

The Mobile Simulation Lab has been parked this week, Tuesday August 23- Friday, August 26, 2011, at 5900 NW 13^th Street in Gainesville.  EMLRC Clinical Programs Coordinator Eric Dotten is conducting education sessions.  EMS crews rotate through the simulation lab to "treat" Human Patient Simulators (high tech manikins) as they would a real patient. 
 
The "SimLab" is a one of a kind, 45-foot motor coach complete with a full ambulance bay and emergency department area to bring unlimited real life scenarios to students.  This type of simulation education can provide individuals, as well as teams, with immediate feedback on their skills, whether they practice in a remote rural health care setting or in Florida's more populated urban areas.  The Mobile Simulation Lab is an important tool that is providing Life Saving Education throughout the state of Florida, for first responders such as EMTs, paramedics, firefighters, emergency physicians, nurses, and others.  

More information about the SimLab can be found at www.emlrc.org.  For more information, contact Alachua County Fire/Rescue Assistant Chief/Operations Harry Collins at 352-384-3132.