I'm training in an MCI drill. What should I bring?
Posted by SciFiMedic@reddit | preppers | View on Reddit | 13 comments
I have wilderness first aid training, and am a CNA. I'm proficient in most anything an EMT could do. The exercise lasts three days, and we're instructed to pack half our bag with clothes, and the other half with whatever medical supplies we think best will treat upwards of 400 people after a tornado. What should I pack in the other half of the bag?
VXMerlinXV@reddit
Where are you doing disaster relief that you’re brining your own medical supplies?
SciFiMedic@reddit (OP)
I don’t want to say where exactly, BUT it’s part of the training. They will provide some supplies, but we don’t know when during the exercise or how much. (The event organizers do, but not us.) We’re also not guaranteed 3 full meals a day- it’s planned and controlled depletion of resources to help us learn how to ration and feed our team of 8 (I’ll meet them when we show up day 1) with what we have- same idea with medical supplies.
VXMerlinXV@reddit
To answer your actual question, I would really weigh (no pun intended) one use consumables vs reusable equipment. The numbers alone are hard to math. If you're part of an 8 man team that can coordinate with another 8 man team caring for 400, that's 25 patients per provider at best. Unless it's some wonky scenario, half of them will be physiologically well, so that's 12.5 genuinely ill and injured per person. Assuming you're not a Green Beret medic carrying everything you've ever owned in a modified ALICE, I'm saying a max 80L ruck, and we cut that in half for sustainment gear. So 40L to treat 12.5 people in a resource limited environment during an exercise at a BLS level. You're going to need atleast one or two solid blankets or a shelter depending on climate and scenario, you're going to need a way to irrigate wounds and a method of cleaning water to further irrigate wounds. You're going to need a set of vital sign and assessment gear. You're going to need a way to meaningfully track treatment of a dozen patients. You could need ORS at a significant volume. You're going to need some way to move a patient or two that can not ambulate, which means a tarp litter or two. That all just ate the vast majority of your available space. I know there are vac-packed bandages available, and for training you could make your own with a press and seal. I would look at some bulk gauze roll, I would carry some Coban as opposed to only ACE, it's self adhesive and you can use little snips to bandage instead of entire rolls, plus it provides compression. For this scenario I would, in all seriousness, carry decent shears and use parts of the patient's own clothing for bandage material.
VXMerlinXV@reddit
There shouldn’t be any reason you’re not willing to share further details, even if you’re helping liberate Pineland, there wouldn’t be a problem saying that here, it’s a publicly recognized exercise. Who runs the program?
GreyBeardsStan@reddit
The fact that you think a CNA and an EMT are remotely similar was the FIRST red flag. Bringing your own supplies to treat 400 people after a tornado is just laughable. Try 400 lollipops, maybe!
This has to be some out of touch militia thing, lmao.
craydow@reddit
Antifa socialist training. They know if they fuck up their "dictator" will come in and save em.
AppleTechStar@reddit
I’m pretty sure you can’t do “pretty much everything an EMT can do”. This statement shows that you don’t have sufficient training or knowledge yet in the field you are engaging. You don’t know what you don’t know. Look up a cognitive bias called Dunning-Kruger Effect. It’s great you’re asking questions and desiring to learn, just always stay grounded and aware of your limitations and where you are at in your journey. EMTs in my state administer nebulized medication and administer glucagon, aspirin, and draw up epinephrine for anaphylaxis.
This sounds like an interesting event you will be participating in. I’m confused though about the bringing your own medical supplies part though. I’ve never heard of an MCI exercise like that. I’m an emergency services provider for just shy of 30yrs - paramedic for the past 15 working for a hospital based system doing 911 and interfacility.
Andy-7638@reddit
For a tornado, you would obviously have lots of flying debris and collapsed steuctures, maybe even some flooding. I would say prepare for lots of soft tissue injuries, bleeding control, and possible eye injuries. As well as head injuries and fractures/ sprains. Also be prepped to deal with no utilities.
SciFiMedic@reddit (OP)
I totally forgot about eye injuries. Good advice, thank you!
AussieBrucey@reddit
Yeah I don't remember wiping ass in my medic cert. You're a CNA, work within your scope or get the training to do another role safely and professionally.
SciFiMedic@reddit (OP)
I’m also a wilderness first responder that’s why I was accepted. Additionally, I’m a community member willing to learn, one of the only things they look for in applications to the most basic level. You can be an engineering student with no healthcare experience and participate in some version of the scenario- that’s how big and diverse it is. I have my own packing list, and am looking for a second opinion. Admittedly, I’m currently spending more time defending myself on Reddit rather than actually packing.
That-Attention2037@reddit
Uh… you’re not treating anywhere close to 400 people out of half a backpack. What kind of training agency is putting this on? Be wary of crackpot instructors. I’ve seen many flunked out EMTs and medics go on to start their own “training company” after they flush out of every nearby agency.
SciFiMedic@reddit (OP)
It’s legit. I’ll be on a team of 8 people, and some unknown quantity/variety of supplies will be provided by the event. If we run out, we have to ration with another team and their event-provided resources. It’s part of the challenge. I’ve volunteered as a role-player in this event for many years, it is well organized. Many, many different organizations come and train, including the national guard.