First responders at Leland Olds Station participate in hands-on, lifelike medical training

When the tones sound at Leland Olds Station, a group of nine employees from all areas of the plant grab their gear and run toward the emergency.

These individuals – from custodians, to mechanics, to engineers, and almost everything in between make up the plant’s first response team – a group that serves as the first line of response when medical emergencies arise at the plant.

In order for the team to be effective, its members need the proper training. “They take their first response duties very seriously,” says Matt Middlemas, safety coordinator at Leland Olds Station. “They want as much training as possible so whenever they are needed, no matter the situation, they’re ready to rock.”

On May 27, the team participated in training facilitated by SIM-ND, a mobile medical education system that uses high-fidelity human patient simulators for hands-on training. During the training, the team responded to a simulated car accident, where one “driver” was experiencing low blood sugar (which led to the accident) and the other, a pregnant woman, went into labor and delivered her child.

“The training was very life-like and in depth, and they all dove right into the scenario with no hesitation,” Middlemas says. “Afterwards we held a debriefing, which triggered some personal stories of similar situations they’ve experienced in their personal lives. The training was really engaging and the team members said they got a lot out of it.” Watch the video below to hear comments from members of the first response team about the training.  

Each of Basin Electric’s facilities has some type of first response team to respond to injuries and medical situations. At Leland Olds Station, the team has responded to multiple medical events including seizures, employees suddenly collapsing, and has even saved the lives of a truck driver and a contractor, each of whom experienced heart issues while at the plant.