“Children are not simply small adults,” Clermont Fire Training Captain Sean Sacco said. “They are totally different and require very specific handling and treatment in all medical situations, especially after a traumatic incident.”

The training scenario began under cloudy skies with the staging of two crashed vehicles – one on its roof – with two children and one adult trapped inside. Broken glass and twisted metal scattered the ground.

First responders from Groveland Fire Department, Lake County Fire and Rescue, Emergency Medical Services, Clermont Police Department, South Lake Hospital, Clermont Parks & Recreation Department and Air Care 2 joined Clermont Fire Department in the drill.

Each team had a specific duty and specialized process for accomplishing their mission starting with securing the crashed vehicles, cutting away the metal to release the victims then stabilizing and transporting them.  

Arnold Palmer Hospital emergency physicians, nurses and support staff were on-site to watch, learn and better understand some of the common conditions and circumstances field responders must overcome when beginning a rescue and recovery operation.

Once the victims were removed from the wreckage, they were transported to a mock trauma room where their care continued.

At the end of the drill, everyone shared feedback on what went well and what could have gone better, as well as an appreciation for what each of the others do and how it impacts the outcome for the patient.

“The communication was so incredibly good – we all learned things today,” Sacco said.  “This was a tremendous day in the lives of everyone who is called to work in emergency medicine.”

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