TacMed Develops Advanced Canine Trauma Simulator for First Responder Training
The difference between being a bystander and an effective immediate responder during an emergency where life-threatening canine injuries are present can be made through healthcare simulation training and experience. Hands-on medical simulation training with a hyper-realistic simulator provides Operational Canine First Responders, Military Working Dog (MWD) handlers, veterinarians, and veterinary technicians with the opportunity to practice proper life-saving treatment protocols, develop positive muscle memory, and encounter the realistic stress that first responders must overcome to succeed in emergencies. Specifically, this article details how TacMed Simulation’s K9 Diesel, an advanced canine medical trainer, is expanding learners’ ability to treat canines injured in the field through healthcare simulation.
The Hyper-Realistic Simulator Advantage: Today, the reality is that law enforcement, firefighters, and EMS first responders all encounter canines on a daily basis, yet they rarely see live canine trauma until the moment they must save a life. Access to live canine trauma training can be expensive and hard to organize. This is why a high-fidelity simulator, like K9 Diesel, is critical to allowing learners to practice treatments and perform invasive procedures. This includes decompressing a Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus (GDV) or stopping arterial bleeding at any time, from anywhere.
Ultimately, the K9 Diesel simulator was designed to mimic canine anatomy, which differs significantly from human anatomy. Through realism and repetition, this K9 simulator helps build both the skills and confidence required to succeed under pressure and save a life, and to allow responders to learn how to modify treatments and apply equipment that is unique to canine trauma. K0 Diesel’s durable design additionally allows for training in any weather condition or environment and can be transported to ensure the most authentic training experience for real-world emergency preparedness.
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With over 28 different features and medical intervention sites, K9 Diesel is built with industry-leading manufacturing processes and cutting-edge miniaturized technologies. This allows the medical simulation product to act as the most advanced canine medical trainer available. The simulator comes with canine vocalization capabilities, hyper-realistic airway anatomy, quick-connect interchangeable limbs plumbed with sensors and fluid lines, along with an autonomous response to treatment, all representing a quantum leap in animatronic-based high fidelity trauma simulators.
“Our use of renting K9 Diesel was so successful that we’ve since purchased K9 Hero and still continue to rent K9 Diesel when needed,” said Jo-Anne Brenner, Executive Director and Founder of K9 MEDIC.
Watch HealthySimulation.com’s interview with TacMed Solutions regarding the K9 Simulator at the International Meeting for Simulation in Healthcare (IMSH) 2022.
Additional K9 Diesel features:
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- Hidden wounds
- Injured, suturable paws
- Realistic mouth and teeth
- Injured tongue (replaceable with normal tongue)
- Injured/non-injured/fractured limb interchangeability
- Realistic bleeding (able to be stopped with a tourniquet or pressure)
Multi-facet training by Strategic Operations, Inc. for first responders using K9 Diesel: In January 2022, 28 first responders experienced working with K9 Diesel for the first time by attending a multi-facet training course held by Strategic Operations, Inc. in San Diego, California. The responders encompassed local police departments, bomb squads, narcotics, and fire rescue, and all were able to learn how to accurately identify and treat common canine trauma injuries they may see in the field.
In the past, each first responder’s unit has practiced their responsive skills with live working dogs for training events. However, with K9 Diesel learners are able to go through multiple treatment application repetitions. This was to maximize their muscle memory in case they are faced with a life-threatening emergency on the job.
TacMed Simulation (formerly TraumaFX Solutions) leveraged a time-tested human patient manikin manufacturing experience to create unprecedented features. These include a simulated canine Gastric Volvulus (bloat) decompressible with an off-the-shelf needle, adjustable pulse and breathing rate, a surgically realistic airway, and infusible interosseous and intravenous sites. Like TacMed human simulators, K9 Diesel provides the instructor and learner with objective performance feedback necessary to predict readiness. The product’s clinical features support training beyond first responders to meet higher-level veterinary medicine requirements.
“For our customers, training is a key factor in survivability, and we are thrilled to be able to make best-in-class simulators more widely available to better prepare others when faced with dangerous or life-threatening situations,” said Will Wennberg, CEO of TacMed Solutions.
In 2018, the National Training and Simulation Association (NTSA) presented TacMed Simulation and USSOCOM SOF AT&L with the Modeling & Simulation Acquisition Team Award for their collaborative development of K9 Diesel.
More About TacMed Simulation
TacMed Simulation, an integral part of TacMed Solutions (TacMed), provides state-of-the-art training solutions with high-fidelity manikins to support improving survivability in response to crisis situations in the prehospital realm. Designed to offer first responders and military medics the most realistic medical training experience, the life-like simulators provide users with the autonomous response to field treatment, creating an immersive training environment. The training experience provides the confidence and expertise to effectively work under stressful conditions.
Each TacMed Simulation product is handcrafted in the USA and is designed from the ground up for ruggedness and durability with careful consideration of materials and manufacturing processes to create products that last. Learn more about the complete TacMed Solutions portfolio at tacmedsolutions.com.
Learn More About the TacMed Simulation K9 Diesel
Lance Baily, BA, EMT-B, is the Founder & CEO of HealthySimulation.com, which he started while serving as the Director of the Nevada System of Higher Education’s Clinical Simulation Center of Las Vegas back in 2010. Lance is also the Founder and acting Advisor to the Board of SimGHOSTS.org, the world’s only non-profit organization dedicated to supporting professionals operating healthcare simulation technologies. His co-edited Book: “Comprehensive Healthcare Simulation: Operations, Technology, and Innovative Practice” is cited as a key source for professional certification in the industry. Lance’s background also includes serving as a Simulation Technology Specialist for the LA Community College District, EMS fire fighting, Hollywood movie production, rescue diving, and global travel. He and his wife Abigail Baily, PhD live in Las Vegas, Nevada with their two amazing daughters.
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