Firefighters, Medics Boost Rescue Skills at Fla. Water Park

Nov. 12--TEMPLE TERRACE -- In a reversal of roles Wednesday, firefighters were the ones getting doused with water as they conducted a rescue simulation at Adventure Island.

Thirteen teams from fire departments across Florida traveled to the water park this week to compete in an Advanced Life Support event hosted by the Temple Terrace Fire Department. The scenario at the Splash Attack attraction -- complete with multiple slides, water jets and a 1,000-gallon bucket of water that dumps out on the playground every seven minutes -- was one of six tests the competitors faced during the two-day contest.

"We stress out the paramedics," said Temple Terrace fire chief Keith Chapman. "We really make them think and use their skills."

Each three-member team had 12 minutes to evacuate children from the Splash Attack, assess their condition and treat them on the scene.

One child pretended to have a broken wrist and two others pretended to have a heart condition. Another child, a mother with a baby and the park director acted as distractions, following the team members around, panicking and asking them what was going on.

A little more than halfway through the simulation, the paramedicsdiscovered another "patient" in a nearby bathroom who was suffering from complications related to diabetes.

Each team was scored on speed and accuracy in diagnosing and treating the patients, Chapman said. The first, second and third place winners will be announced Thursday night after the teams finish the other tests.

These will include different simulations at Busch Gardens, in a residential pool and at a fake homeless shelter.

"It's just very good training," Chapman said. "It's hard to reproduce training with this many resources in your own small little department."

This is the seventh year the fire department has hosted the competition and the second year it has been held at Adventure Island, Chapman said. The park, located next to Busch Gardens, closed to the public in October for the winter and will reopen in the spring.

Firefighters from all over the state -- including Orlando, Miramar and Miami Dade -- wanted to come and compete at the area's amusement parks, Chapman said. This year, he even had to turn teams away.

"Our competition in Temple Terrace has kind of created a name for itself," he said.

Busch Gardens always strives to be a good community partner, said spokesman Travis Claytor. In the past, the parks have played host to police K-9 and SWAT trainings.

"We have some very unique settings that we can present a lot of different scenarios with," Claytor said.

And competing at Adventure Island, Chapman said, makes the competition more fun.

Firefighters in general are competitive people, Chapman said. Although his own department didn't participate in this week's competition, it does send teams to similar contests throughout the year.

It's a fun way to get to know other Florida paramedics and figure out the teams' strengths and weaknesses, he said. But most importantly, the safety competitions are a good way to get practical experience in different environments.

"I think it's important for the community to know that we take training seriously," Chapman said. "And when they call 911, they'll get experienced professionals coming out to treat them."

Ebehrman@Tampatrib.com

(813)259-7691

Twitter: @LizBehrmanTBO

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