Nurses, EMTs paramedics’ annual conference in February

HARLAN — Nurses, EMTs, and paramedics are invited to attend the yearly EMS conference in Harlan Feb. 10-12 at the Therkildsen Center.
    Attendees will take classes on trauma, burns, strokes, heart attacks, carbon monoxide emergencies, PTSD, shock and respiratory distress. They will also take a class on drugs out on the streets and how to combat them in the field.
    Jordon Sanders, EMS Service Director for Shelby County, said he hopes close to 100 people attend. Last year’s conference brought 64.
    “It’s good to bring EMS providers together from different areas,” he said. “They can give different perspectives and different ideas. Networking is always important.”
    Sanders said the medical personnel gain continuing education credits for attending.
    “We bring instructors in from around the state,” he said. “The conference brings people from outside Shelby County to town, it generates a little money between supporting local restaurants and grocery stores, and some people from O’Brien and other counties will stay in hotels.”
    Ahead of the conference is a free heart savers CPR class for up to 25 people on Feb. 9.
    “The more people we have out there on the streets that know CPR can make a huge difference if someone goes down in front of them,” Sanders said.
    “High-quality CPR is what will make or break that patient most of the time,” Sanders added.
    Sanders said EMS is at a critical point in the country.
    “There are not enough EMS providers anywhere. We have 47 EMS providers in Shelby County with an average age of 51,” he said. “That leaves one EMS provider for every 236 residents.”
    Sanders said the conference is important.
    “It’s good to bring EMS providers together from different areas, with different perspectives and different ideas. Networking is always important.”
    To register or ask any questions about the conference, contact Jordon Sanders at jsanders@shco.org or 712-579-1038.