Firefighters from Station 3 were at the Multnomah Athletic Club on Wednesday, August 25^th to participate in a practice drill with gymnastics coaches and staff on what to do if a gymnast suffers a head, neck, or spinal cord injury prior to the arrival of emergency responders. 

Using the foam pit area of the gym that gymnasts vault into, and with staff volunteers acting as the patient, firefighters demonstrated how these types of injuries require that patients be stabilized carefully by trained medical personnel to potentially prevent further injury.

For example, if an injured gymnast were to land face down in the foam pit, Lieutenant Aimee showed staff how to carefully move foam blocks away from the patient’s breathing space in the moments following an incident and prior to the arrival emergency responders. 

Using various scenarios, coaches and staff practiced their responses and firefighters drilled on how they would stabilize and eventually move the patient out of the foam pit using a backboard.

This was a great partnership opportunity because it enabled club staff to practice what they should do and not do for a patient before firefighters arrive, and allowed firefighters to practice responding to this type of emergency.

  Portland Fire & Rescue We Respond: Always Ready, Always There

  August 26, 2010