Duo return from EMS conference
Local paramedics who attended the EMS World Expo say they have benefited from their experiences.
THE EMS World Expo, which recently concluded in Las Vegas, held a number conferences covering a host of topics affecting EMTs and paramedics as well as showcased the very latest innovative technology. In some cases, they were technological firsts.
The expo also played host to the first paramedics from South Africa and indeed the African continent. The conference, which is recognised as North America’s largest EMS trade show, saw paramedics from 42 countries around the world converge on the sprawling desert city.
Durban North residents and Crisis Medical paramedics, Henry Landman and Neil Powell, recently returned from the five-day expo with a wealth of knowledge and a better understanding of the emergency services world.
“It was definitely an eye opener and we knew what we were in for in terms of what was being offered, but the sheer magnitude of the conference, we didn’t expect. We had a number of educational sessions led by top industry experts and we were shown state-of-the-art technology, products and service innovators, which was fantastic,” Neil Powell explained. “It was extremely beneficial and there were so many gadgets I wanted to bring back.”
Landman said South Africa also earned praise for the high levels of professionalism and the service delivery it offered patients.
“One thing that was a hotly debated subject was the use of spine boards. Many paramedics across the world have done away with them. The plastic is hard and doesn’t offer great support for people with spinal injuries. The spine is curved, so using a spine board may end up doing more damage,” Landman said.
Both men agreed one piece of technology they would like to bring back to South Africa is the mobile MRI machine.
“The machine is normally used to examine almost any part of the body, including the brain and spinal cord, breasts and the heart and blood vessels. Having one here in Durban, let alone South Africa, would be a first but it could improve the chances of survival, especially to detect people at risk of having strokes,” Powell concluded.
