Preparing for the worst

Reservists from six provinces receive medical training at Queen Charlotte Armoury in P.E.I.

Reservists from across Eastern Canada joined forces in Charlottetown on March 25-26 for emergency medical training.

Hosted by Halifax’s 33rd Field Ambulance, the training exercise took place for the ninth straight year at the Queen Charlotte Armuory.

Capt. Rebecca Doiron of the 33rd said the weekend would include training similar to what nurses receive for civilian injuries, plus the kind of casualties found in conflict zones.

Coming from P.E.I., New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec and Ontario, the trainees started the morning with paramedicine instructors at Holland College. Later, they practised those skills in “live fire” scenarios with real weapons shooting blanks.

Another station was set up outside the armory for an SEV — special equipment vehicle — which was set up as a mobile medical unit for performing emergency resuscitation.