HANDS-ON EMERGENCY TRAINING NOW COMES IN A TRAILER

HANDS-ON EMERGENCY TRAINING NOW COMES IN A TRAILER

You’re on the couch with family watching your favorite television drama when suddenly it’s interrupted by an emergency message. A devastating storm is headed your way and you need to prepare.

That’s exactly the kind of scenario you’ll encounter if you’re brave enough to step into Intermountain’s Fire and Emergency Preparedness Trailer managed by the Safety and Security team at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center.

What looks like a large enclosed ATV carrier, the Fire and Emergency Preparedness Trailer is actually a fully-functional mobile training facility for fires, earthquakes and severe storms. The hospital obtained a federal grant last year to purchase the trailer with the objective of sharing it with communities throughout the state. Since that time, the Safety and Security team has trained thousands of people for emergency situations. In June alone, nearly 1,200 people went through the training — and all at no cost to them.
“The Fire and Emergency Preparedness Trailer training is a free service our department has decided to provide to the community,” said Jack Price, safety and tech coordinator.

The trailer can be taken anywhere in the state and can accommodate up to 10 or 12 people at a time. The training takes about 15 minutes and is very interactive. “A static display doesn’t have much impact. If you do an interactive, hands-on simulation, it grabs more of a spot in your brain. You retain it. It’s entertaining while educational,” said Price.

The trailer has traveled from north Ogden to St. George so far and has helped train scout, youth, church and medical groups. Training is open to any group of 25 or more in the community that would like the emergency training. Price said the trailer is frequently booked weeks in advance.
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