Joined-up working: Paramedic students join road traffic collision training exercise

University of Northampton students joined forces with Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service for a training exercise designed to strengthen joint emergency response skills during Road Safety Week.

The exercise, a simulated road traffic collision (RTC) between two cars, took place at Mereway Fire Station and provided the crews and 20 Paramedic Science students with a realistic environment to test and practice their skills alongside emergency service colleagues that they would encounter in a real-life accident.

Firefighters from Mereway and The Mounts used their training to safely secure and stabilise the vehicles before using equipment and tools to remove the doors and roof of one of the cars. This created safe access for the students to reach and treat the ‘casualties’.

Played by the Northamptonshire Emergency Services Cadets, the ‘casualties’ acted out injuries and reactions to the incident, adding authenticity and realism, giving the students practical experience in a safe environment.

The exercise showed the importance of teamwork between first-responder partners that is essential at real emergency incidents, ensuring that people who have found themselves needing help can be taken care of safely and efficiently.

Crew Manager Christian Martin from Mereway Fire Station organised the exercise. He said: “Holding joint exercises in a realistic environment ensures that when we face real emergencies, our crews and our emergency services partners are prepared to work seamlessly together to make sure we keep members of the public safe.

“The scenario gave us the opportunity to refine and put our skills into practice and it was a pleasure to host the students and have them join us in this exercise. I hope it gave them the confidence to be able to tackle real-life incidents in their future careers.”

Ethan Kilby, a third-year student who took part in the exercise, said: “As a student paramedic, taking part in the RTC training day really helped me understand more about how different services work together. Having the Fire service and highways present made the scenario feel much more realistic, and it highlighted how important good communication is between everyone on scene.

“Talking with the crews about what they needed from us and practicing how we would deal with several patients at once, really boosted my confidence. It gave me a clearer idea of how much each service supports one another to keep people safe. Overall, it was a genuinely valuable experience.”

Fellow final year student Lily Woodhead adds: “The RTC simulation was such a fun and memorable day. It was incredibly valuable to practice these skills in such an authentic environment, which allowed me to experience the real pressures and complexities of an RTC.

“The opportunity to collaborate with the fire service was hugely beneficial and has given me greater confidence in managing these challenging incidents.”

Find out more about the Paramedic Science (BSc) degree at UON.