The students were introduced to one of the lead paramedics, who then educated the students about all the working parts and professions that work together to save the critically injured and/or ill.
The students traveled to each part of the facility. Starting with the maintenance hangar of the Medflight helicopters and jets. Students saw how aircraft were taken apart and worked on by the amazing mechanics who used their skills to keep the teams safe in the sky.
The student's next stop was on the airmack where the Medflight jets and helicopters were preparing to travel to Bangor Maine to help save a young life.
The students were allowed to sit in the helicopter and learn about all the medical equipment and the crews that responded to each Medflight call. At a minimum, each flight will consist of 1 nurse, 1 parametric, and a pilot to fly the helicopter. Depending on the call and the distance, a jet and multiple team members will be used.
After learning about the Medflight equipment we went over to see the state-of-the-art Critical Care Ambulance and the students were able to explore inside and learn about the incubators that are used for sick babies and how they are heated at all times to 98 degrees in order to keep a very sick baby alive.
Our next stop was the 911 Dispatch control room which had multiple call centers with very specific maps and schedules, so every team knew where they needed to be and how fast. The dispatchers took the time to explain how important that the communication is accurate because every call is a critical life or death call that you must relay and get right!
Our last stop was the simulation lab, where they have mannequins that are programmed by the computer programmer to do everything a human can do. The mannequins are programmed to have any type of medical issue from a heart attack to a severed limb, which allows the paramedics and nurses to train daily.
Oh Yes! We cannot forget the flight simulation lab which allows the pilots to train for all types of travel and weather conditions.
When the students came back to school they wrote a reflection on their learning experience and many of the students had no idea that such a facility existed. The students also learned that Robert Kraft's hanger was right next door to the Medflight and Gieselle Brady used to fly her husband Tom Brady in by helicopter to some of the Patriot games.