Pictured (left to right): Shari McDonald, Vice President, Patient Care Services, Mercy Hospital, CJ Urlaub, Catholic Health Senior Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, Integration & Care Delivery- Niagara County, and President of Mount St. Mary’s Hospital, and Emily Rowles, Catholic Health lead EMS Liaison. (Courtesy photo)
Fully equipped emergency vehicle provides field training to area first responders.
At a time when educating, supporting, and empowering area first responders is crucial, Catholic Health is lead-ing the way with the area’s first Mobile Simulation Unit. The fully equipped medical emergency vehicle is an innovative and collaborative effort between the health system and regional Emergency Medical Service (EMS) agencies. Catholic Health’s Mobile Simulation Unit will travel throughout Western New York, providing hands-on field training and demonstrations for EMS personnel and fire companies.
“You can pretty much simulate any kind of emergency situation in this fully functioning ambulance,” said CJ Urlaub, Catholic Health Senior Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, Integration & Care Delivery- Niagara County, and President of Mount St. Mary’s Hospital. “Being in the back of our mobile simulation unit is totally different than being in a classroom, so this real-world training will help support the ongoing development of our first responders. ”
Local EMS partners commended Catholic Health on its collaborative approach, which will increase EMS skillsets and improve the quality of emergency medical care across the region. “Getting out there to the first responders, working together, we’re all going to benefit from it,” said Gregory Gill, Deputy Commissioner, Erie County Emergency Medical Services Division.
Catholic Health purchased the working ambulance from Lewiston 1 Fire Company, who was upgrading their equipment, paving the way for the Mobile Simulation Unit to come to fruition. “This truck represents Catholic Health’s dedicated stance on training and community outreach,” said Matt Grainge, EMS Captain & Past President of the fire company.
Emily Rowles, Catholic Health Lead EMS Liaison described the health system’s goal for the Mobile Simulation Unit, “By offering state of the art education and training, we only stand to improve patient care, and in turn, improve our patient outcomes.”