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Lee County Emergency Medical Services holds first Driving Simulation Courses
Feb 28, 2008 Please come to Room 113, Building B, Gresham Hall for interview and photo with Art Garcia and students between 9 and 11 a.m. Art's cell is 335-1617 Lee County FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE #08-004DPS DATE: February 27, 2008 TIME: 17:09 CONTACT: Diane Holm, Public Information Officer (239) 335-1639 CELL (239) 357-3540 Lee County Emergency Medical Services holds first Driving Simulation Courses, BEGINS MAJOR SAVINGS Ft. Myers, FL-Cost savings of more than $100,000 a year begins this week for Lee County Emergency Medical Services as employees begin their first hands-on training courses with a new driving simulator. The training begins at 9 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 28 in Building B (Gresham Hall) of the Edison College Public Safety Institute. Learning to race a 5-ton ambulance through busy city streets while maintaining safety and comfort for a critically ill patient with the simulator is expected to save taxpayers money in fuel, man-hours lost to injuries, ambulance crash repairs, overtime pay and litigation expenses. It's anticipated to reduce the annual preventable ambulance crash figure of 35 by 50 percent. The simulator replicates the driving compartment of a typical ambulance and includes approximately 150 road scenarios and driving hazards from heavy traffic and street signals to road hazards and treacherous weather systems. The system features two 65" high resolution rear projection monitors display forward views and two 42" latest technology plasma wide-screen displays provide realistic side views. Two modern, remote controlled mirror views complete the realistic visual display. A reaction monitoring system allows instructors to compare and measure students' driver reaction skills against nationally accepted standards. Lee County EMS acquired the driver training simulation system to provide a high quality standardized training program for new and experienced emergency vehicle drivers. Through a partnership with Edison College, the Doron Driving Simulation System was installed at the EMS simulation lab at Edison's Lee Campus in October. Lee County EMS received two grants from the Florida Bureau of Emergency Medical Service for the purchase of two ambulance driving simulators. Lee County EMS currently employs 254 paramedics and EMTs and responded to more than 70,000 emergency calls for service in 2007. For more information, contact Diane Holm at (239) 335-1639.
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