It’s hard to believe that we are already almost in fall season. Like you, we’ve been busy at SMS, and have a few updates to share with you.
But first…an introduction.
There are many new faces reading this newsletter, so we wanted to give a quick “here’s who we are” intro.
We at Specialized Medical Standards develop and distribute medical guidelines, training programs and quality education for medical first responders. We also proudly host and support the Prolonged Field Care Collective and the Prolonged Field Care podcast.
Our flagship course is called Austere Emergency Care, and we work with partner training companies, such as Ragged Edge Solutions, CoROM, ANR, and the Norwegian RS Sea Rescue Academy, to provide the training to interested participants.
Have you ever heard the term, Prolonged Field Care? Prolonged Field Care (or “PFC” for short) is described as a situation in which a critical patient needs to be managed in a remote setting (i.e. your “worst day”).
About the Austere Emergency Course
The Austere Emergency Care (or “AEC”) course was designed as a PFC training for both military and civilian medics. In fact, it was written and created by the world’s leading experts in U.S. Military Special Operations Forces prolonged field care medicine.
The AEC training prepares pre-hospital providers – both military and civilian – to provide timely and efficient care to serious and critical casualties in austere conditions (situations without robust medical supervision or support).
Participants learn how to utilize the tools, medicine, and resources on hand to deliver the medical attention needed to save a life when immediate hospital access is not available.
Keep reading for scheduled courses available through our Training Partners.
It was great to see many of you at the Special Operations Medical Association 2024 Conference in May.
If you were there and stopped by our booth or took our Instructor Training Course, thank you!
Course Updates
As of September 1, 2024, 800+ participants have gone through the Austere Emergency Care training and over 31,640 continuing education credits have been awarded. Some participants have also earned Wilderness Medical Society Fellowship in the Academy of Wilderness Medicine (FAWM) credit hours.
Soon there will be a new Austere Emergency Care handbook! We’ve been working on this project for over a year, and are excited to finally publish it. Sections include: Mnemonics, Communications, Monitoring, Resuscitate, Airway, Pain Control and Sedation, Surgical Interventions, Nursing, and more.
A special thanks to the Colorado Springs Health Foundation for awarding us a recent grant. These funds will help us to enhance the online coursework portion of the Austere Emergency Care course, as well as explore other options for EMS online education.
“AEC is the next logical progression for those who have a solid foundation in TCCC and/or Wilderness Medicine. It’s the ALS complement to a WEMT course, and I would strongly encourage *anyone* with a desire to do ‘good medicine in bad places’ to take advantage of your first opportunity to get into a seat for this class.”
– Participant
Have you tried our PFC coffee yet?
This partnership with Lobo Coffee Company helps fund efforts to provide the Medics on the ground with the most up to date knowledge, techniques and ideas in our field. With every purchase of a bag of coffee, a portion is donated to the Prolonged Field Care Collective.
Upcoming Courses:
- September 14 – 17 in Queensland, Australia
- Hosted by Ragged Edge Solutions
- November 4 – November 7 in Las Vegas, Nevada
- Hosted by Ragged Edge Solutions
- December 2 – 5 in Horton, Norway
- Hosted by Norwegian Society for Sea Rescue – Academy
- December 9– 12 in Colorado Springs, Colorado
- Hosted by ANR
- February 6– 9 in Gunnison, Colorado
- Hosted by ANR
- March 17 – 20 in Gunnison, Colorado
- Hosted by ANR
We’d like to hear your stories!
Have you been through an AEC course? Do you have a story about how this training has helped you in your work?
Please send it to us!
Your stories help us to spread the word about the importance of the training and help save lives! Please submit any stories to emma@austerecare.org. We’ll feature these anecdotes on our blog.
Check out some of them here!
Sincerely,
Sean Keenan
“We all hope for the best but prepare for the worst. An epic location, experienced instructors and a great group of people made a week of learning and challenging scenarios fly by. Highly recommend it!”
– Participant