Eglin Airmen attend 2015 EMT Rodeo

  • Published
  • By Samuel King Jr.
  • Team Eglin Public Affairs
CANNON AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  More than 20 teams of emergency medical technicians from 22 installations across the Air Force convened here Sept. 17-18 for the 2015 EMT Rodeo.

During the rodeo's eighth consecutive year, testers required all contenders to execute their lifesaving mission with greater pressure, stricter guidelines and more austere conditions than ever before. Featuring 19 categories of competition, each team was evaluated on their demonstration of accurate techniques and effective implementation.

For past rodeos, each installation was required to provide funding in order to send their representative team to compete. This year offered an opportunity for bases previously unable to compete due to funding restrictions.  This year however, the Air Force Medical Operations Agency fully funded the rodeo allowing many more competitors to attend.

A team of five Airmen from Eglin Air Force Base's 96th Medical Group attended the training.  This was the first rodeo an Eglin team has attended.

"The purpose is for us to learn as much as we could during the training/competition so we could bring back new skills and knowledge to improve our fellow EMTs," said Senior Airman Kayle Carr, 96th MDG.

One of the unique competitions the Eglin Airmen encountered was the Commando Challenge; a vigorous, interactive, scenario-based obstacle course, in which competitors were tested on multiple skills.

"The Commando Challenge was phenomenal," said Carr. "Not only is it great for camaraderie, but it was an opportunity for us to increase our skills as well."

The two days of competition were filled with medical scenarios around Cannon. The exercises consisted of burn victims, animal attacks, stab wounds, motor vehicle accidents, peds patients: drowning, chocking and respiratory distress. 

Second day simulated a down range deployment environment: gunshot wounds, IED explosions. Accompanied a SF team and responded to them being injured. Treated the wounds, low crawled and carried them during a timed event.

Carr said the Airmen were given the opportunity to build camaraderie with the other medical professionals stationed around the world and at their home station. 

"When competing and improving your skills out there, you walk away a better medic," said Carr. It's the best training experience I've ever been a part of."

(The 27th Special Operations Wing Public Affairs helped with this article.)