By Bill Wyatt
Martinsville Bulletin
HENRY COUNTY, Va. 鈥� AirLife Virginia partnered with the Henry County Department of Public Safety last week to provide advanced critical care training to pre-hospital emergency providers from across the region.
This training program was held over the weekend at the Henry County Department of Public Safety Training Center.
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The two-day program, held Jan. 9鈥�10 at the Henry County Department of Public Safety Training Center, offered complimentary instruction in basic and advanced life support, as well as critical care medicine. The training combined classroom instruction with hands-on, high-fidelity simulations that mirror real-world emergency situations.
Participants included providers from multiple emergency response disciplines. Training topics ranged from advanced airway management and ventilator use to complex scenario-based simulations and helicopter landing zone procedures. Continuing education credits were provided at no cost to attendees.
Deputy Director of Henry County Public Safety Suzie Helbert said the partnership strengthens both skills and relationships within the local emergency services system.
鈥淎irLife Virginia is a vital partner in Henry County鈥檚 career and volunteer emergency services system,鈥� Helbert said. 鈥淭heir training is top-tier, and the relationships built during these weekends strengthen our entire emergency response network.鈥�
AirLife Virginia is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems, a national standard for air medical safety, clinical care, and training. The organization is equipped to provide intensive care unit-level treatment during transport, including the administration of blood products in flight and at emergency scenes.
Organizers emphasized that coordinated training between ground and air medical providers can improve outcomes long before patients arrive at a hospital.
鈥淭hese types of training are critical, not just for the clinicians who attend, but for the communities we serve,鈥� said Gary Ayers, a flight paramedic and base outreach coordinator with AirLife Virginia. 鈥淲hen pre-hospital providers train together and understand each other鈥檚 roles, patients benefit from faster, safer, and more effective care.鈥�
AirLife Virginia and the Henry County Department of Public Safety said they plan to continue collaborating on educational opportunities to strengthen emergency preparedness and response throughout the community.
AirLife Virginia is part of Air Methods, a national air medical service provider that delivers care to more than 100,000 patients annually.
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