Winterfest 2011... Regional Emergency Medical Workers Train in Talbot County by Talbot County Emergency Services (DES) on Monday, February 14, 2011 at 12:52pm

This year marked the 14th Annual Winterfest EMS Conference which was held in Tilghman Island on January 27-30. The annual four day conference is a coordinated effort between University of Maryland, Shore Health Systems, Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS), Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) and Talbot County Department of Emergency Services.

The conference began on Friday with over 200 participants. The first portion included a twelve hour skills refresher course for Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT). The second portion included a Pediatric Emergency Assessment, Recognition and Stabilization (PEARS) course which focuses on emergency care for critically ill children. Clay Stamp, Talbot County Emergency Services Director stated, “We glad to be able to host this annually recognized statewide training opportunity in Talbot County, and are thankful to all those who work diligently each year to make it happen.”

The main conference on Saturday started with two lectures on ambulance safety and spinal trauma. The key note speaker was Robert Bass, MD, FACEP the Executive Director for MIEMSS. Afterwards, students had the opportunity to attend various educational sessions pertaining to: anatomical structures of organs, emergency child birth, caring for the elderly, self care techniques, maritime trauma, evidence-based data, situational awareness and airway management skills. Captain Judy Micheliche of Talbot County Emergency Services discussed the importance of the courses by saying “These sessions supplied the provider’s with useful information as well as hands on experience in the different fields.”

The conference concluded on Sunday with an additional four lectures on a variety of topics including; combat casualty care, American Heart guidelines, Maryland protocols and stroke management. Captain Micheliche stated, “Training opportunities such as this provide the cornerstone of our ability to provide the best care for our patients.”

Winterfest is one of the few conferences held in Maryland which provides the opportunity for doctors, nurses, paramedics, EMT’s and firefighters to obtain the continuing education credits required to maintain their certifications. Further information regarding Winterfest can be obtained through email at Winterfest.ems@hotmail.com.