West Chester -- Ryan Burke, EMS coordinator and Emergency Management Chair at West Chester Medical Center, recently completed Homeland Security training at the Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) in Anniston, Alabama, which is operated by the United States Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The CDP is the only federally-chartered weapons of mass destruction (WMD) training facility in the nation.
"I have been to the CDP multiple times," says Burke, a trained paramedic and firefighter who previously served in the fire and EMS departments at Central Joint Fire/EMS District (Batavia), Pierce Township, and Bethel Tate. "These courses at the CDP provide the greatest training anywhere in the world for their respective disciplines, including first-class instructors, fantastic facilities and top-of-the-line equipment."
Responders attending CDP training are selected from the nation's 11 million emergency responders. The advanced hands-on training enables responders to effectively prevent, respond to, and recover from real-world incidents involving acts of terrorism and other hazardous materials. Training at the CDP ensures that responders gain critical skills and confidence to be better prepared to effectively respond to local incidents or potential WMD incidents.
Courses like the ones at the CDP, as well as those offered locally through agencies such as the Ohio Department of Health, not only provide education and skills, but facilitate communication and information-sharing opportunities among first responders and first receivers.
"Many of the ideas that I bring back to share with the hospitals don't just come from the instructors but from others in my position in hospitals, fire and EMS departments, and police departments across the nation," says Burke. "Every trip to the CDP I am sure to come back to West Chester Medical Center with new knowledge to share, a process to review, ideas for new equipment to use and a sense that what I am bringing to the table not only strengthens WCMC, but also our West Chester community, the state of Ohio and the nation as a whole"
The CPD provides federally-funded, interdisciplinary training for emergency responders from across the United States and U.S. Territories for ten responder disciplines: Emergency Management, Emergency Medical Service, Fire Service, Governmental Administrative, Hazardous Materials, Healthcare, Law Enforcement, Public Health, Public Safety Communications, and Public Works. Healthcare and Public Health training is conducted at the CDP's Noble Training Facility, the nation's only hospital facility dedicated to training hospital and healthcare professionals in disaster preparedness and response.
FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror. Additional information about CDP training programs can be found at http://cdp.dhs.gov.
West Chester Medical Center is a new 160-bed hospital in West Chester, Ohio, providing the latest technology delivered in a healing environment. Conveniently located and easily accessible, services include a full-service emergency department, and inpatient and outpatient diagnostic and treatment services. For more information about West Chester Medical Center, go to www.westchestermedcenter.com.
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