Nebraska–the Czech Republic of the Great Plains–was the scene of another victorious near-sweep by Flagler County’s firefighters and paramedics, who seem to have left most competitors in the prairie’s dust. The teams are returning to Flagler today.
Flagler’s paramedics took first, third and fourth place in the Advanced Life Support competition at the 5th Annual Creighton University EMS Competition Nov. 18-19, and another team took second place in the Basic Life Support Category. A total of 21 teams competed, 11 of them in the ALS category. Flagler sent three teams of three members each for the ALS competition, and one team for the BLS competition.
Winning has become an expectation for Flagler’s paramedics, who returned from a world competition in the Czech Republic in May champions for the second time in three years. The year before, they returned with second-place honors.
Last year in Omaha, Flagler’s EMS Team A took away second place in the Advanced Life Support competition (won by a Boca Raton team that has also won often in a competition hosted annually by Flagler), and no honors in the Basic Life Support category.
This year, all teams in the ALS competition had to compete in one scenario, a bar fight with seven patients. The teams had 11 minutes to assess and treat the patients at the scene. Some of the patients had head injuries or seizures associated with low-blood sugar, and one of the patients had overdosed on bath salts—the new, inexpensive way to get high.
“That’s how these competitions benefit the competitors because they’re faced with kind of ripped from the headlines incidents,” Brian Gilbert, a Flagler County firefighter who spoke of the competition in his capacity as a union spokesman, said.
All costs of the competition, including travel, were borne by the firefighters themselves, who took personal leaves or vacation time and swapped shifts to make the trip to Omaha, Neb.
First place – Flagler team A
Dennis Kline
Mike Pius
Cody King
Second place – local 3080
From Margate and Sunrise Florida
Third place – Flagler Team B
Jon Moscowitz
Jason Forte
Kyle Lockwood
Forth place – Flagler C
Bill Kerek
Armando Castaneda
James Cosgrove
Second place BLS – Flagler BLS
Nathan Burhans
Justin Stone
Peter Johnston
Roy Longo says
Congratulations for another great showing. There are a lot of new faces on the team and it looks like you all are off to a fantastic start. I may be mistaken but Lockwood looks a bit rough. Long night?
PJ says
Congratulations to all the teams. This is another reson to live here in our beautiful part of Florida. Thanks again Team Flagler!!!!!!!!!
Jerry Crowley says
Thank you Flagler Firefighters.
Firebadge1 (ret.) says
The abilities of all the firefighters and paramedics are a constant reminder to me of the PERFECTION that a TEAM can accomplish. I am very proud to be living in a city knowing that we have such a well trained and well respected Fire fighting force. Congratulations!! …..and please, keep that Q siren cranked. It is still the most exciting sound to me………..
Yann says
Yes, congratulations to the four Flagler County teams. Hey Roy, Kyle does look like he has been through the ringer on the other hand Bill looks like he’s ready to kick somebody’s ass. LOL
On another note nice tuque Kline, for those of you who haven’t heard of tuque it’s a warm knitted usually pointed stocking cap otherwise hat. A tuque (Canadian English: /tuːk/) – variously known as a knit hat or stocking cap among other names – is a knitted cap, originally of wool though now often of synthetic fibers, that is designed to provide warmth in winter. Most tuques are tapered; they sometimes have ear flaps, and may be topped with a pom-pom (this style of tuque is sometimes referred to as a bobble hat, boggan or sherpa). ok ok, too much info…………..
Kip Durocher says
It makes me proud to be a resident of Flagler County. You are a fine representation of the county and your profession. Congratulations.