AUSTIN / TRAVIS COUNTY EMS SPECIAL OPERATIONS PARAMEDICS WIN TOP HONORS IN STATEWIDE RESCUE COMPETITION

Austin, Texas -- Austin / Travis County EMS Rescue Paramedics placed first in
the Advanced Division of the Wilderness Rescue Competition at Garner State

Park held this past weekend. They also won the coveted “high point” trophy for

overall highest cumulative score of all competing teams. The Irving Fire

Department Rescue Team placed second, and members of the Austin Fire

Department Technical Rescue Team (TRT) placed third – honorable mention.


The Texas Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) sponsors the

grueling annual three-day competition. Public Safety organizations from

throughout Texas compete in a series of challenging mountain / wilderness

scenarios with actual patients designed to test the effectiveness and efficiency of

each team’s rescue preparedness, teamwork abilities, incident command

management, scene safety, emergency medical skills and on/off scene

communications.


The competitions involve three progressively more difficult rescue evolutions.

The first tier involves a slope evacuation of an injured patient. The second tier is

a vertical cliff face evacuation. The third tier involves rescuing a victim from a

deep cave or crevice and then evacuating the rescued patient down a steep

mountainside. Teams are graded by experienced rescue instructors and

specialist from throughout Texas. Five rescue teams competed against each

other this year.


Austin / Travis County EMS Special Operations paramedics staff four specially

designated rescue ambulances located strategically throughout the

Austin / Travis County area, and the STARFlight helicopter to provide joint

rescue assistance with local fire-rescue agencies. Their specialized rescue

training includes swift water, high-angle, confined space, helicopter, hazardous

materials, and bio-terrorism.


For more information contact Warren Hassinger, Public Information Officer,

Austin / Travis County Emergency Medical Services at (512) 469-2060.