Medical Professionals Learn Lifesaving Tips from Mobile Fire-Rescue

Jul 31st, 2007

Every day, hazardous materials are transported by train or truck in and through Mobile, as well as all over the country and the number of these shipments is growing. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, 15,796 hazardous material incidents occurred nationwide. Of those, approximately 50-60 were in Mobile.

Whether from chemical spills or acts of terrorism, the threat of hazmat exposures to people is at an all-time high, according to experts. Medical personnel need specialized knowledge of toxic substances to be able to rapidly assess hazmat patients, recognize the symptoms of particular toxic substances and immediately give specific antidotes.

The Mobile Fire-Rescue Department in cooperation with the Alabama Department of Public Health Emergency Preparedness, Mobile County Emergency Management Agency (MCEMA), with the assistance of West Alabama Emergency Medical Services is offering the Advanced HAZMAT Life Support (AHLS)TM course to train Alabama emergency medical professionals how to provide expert medical care for victims of hazmat incidents and toxic terrorism, July 31st- August 2nd. This is the first time this course has been offered in Alabama. The class is being taught at the Springhill Medical Wallace Auditorium. In attendance are local Physicians, Nurses and Paramedics from all over the State of Alabama.

The two-day AHLS provider course covers topics such as decontamination, rapid assessment of hazmat-exposed patients, antidotes and drug therapy, and the establishment of hazmat-response systems in the community.

AHLS not only enables healthcare professionals to better protect our community, but also protect our first responders and emergency staff. AHLS provides the training needed to be more prepared should tragedy occur.

AHLS was developed at The Arizona Emergency Medical Research Center (AEMRC), a Center of Excellence at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, in collaboration with the American Academy of Clinical Toxicology. More than 6,000 emergency medicine professionals are AHLS verified providers serving their local communities. At the commencement of this course 60 new verified providers will be serving Alabama.

AHLS Headquarters Contacts, Jo Marie Gellerman, (520) 626-7219 or Beth Tucker, (520) 626-5540.