posted June 11, 2024

EL PASO, IL, June 11, 2024 – Air Methods, the nation’s leading air medical service provider, announced today that El Paso Emergency Squad has selected Air Methods Ascend’s online and in-person programs to provide additional training for its first responders.

Located 30 miles east of Peoria, the El Paso Emergency Squad has been proudly serving those in need since 1977 and provides emergency services to the El Paso Fire Protection District, which includes the communities of El Paso, Kappa, and Panola. They also provide critical care transfers for multiple hospitals in Central Illinois.

The El Paso Emergency Squad consists of 40 full and part-time employees, including EMTs, paramedics, flight paramedics, ER nurses and flight nurses.

“Education has always played a vital role in the success of El Paso Emergency Squad,” said El Paso Emergency Squad Chief Jeannie Mekley. “Ascend’s online and in-person programs will equip our teams with state-of-the art education to help ensure we are providing the safest and most effective care to patients.”

Among the training that El Paso Emergency Squad will receive is a three-day Critical Care Readiness course with access to Ascend’s innovative simulation labs and interactive cadaver labs. They will also receive training in airway management and ventilator management, which will be taught by the same world-class instructors that train Air Methods clinicians, who boast a 94% first-time intubation success rate.

Clinicians will also engage in virtual reality training through Ascend’s latest partnership with SimX. This collaboration offers lifelike medical emergencies, through realistic virtual scenarios, allowing clinicians to enhance their decision-making skills and refine their ability to provide optimal patient care in high-pressure situations.

“We are excited to partner with El Paso Emergency Squad and offer both our online and in-person training programs to their EMTs and medics,” said Dr. Stephanie Queen, Air Methods’ senior vice president of clinical services. “Our programs will provide them with the latest clinical techniques and practices to provide the best possible care for their patients.”

Ascend’s innovative online education programs are designed to help critical care clinicians, as well as emergency medical responders, advance their training, help improve emergent patient outcomes, and meet their continuing education needs. Courses meet certification requirements for the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN), Commission on Accreditation for Pre-Hospital Continuing Education (CAPCE), and International Board of Specialty Certifications (IBSC).

These clinical education programs offer world-class educators, state-of-the-art tools, and cutting-edge technologies that enable pre-hospital and critical care clinicians to build their knowledge, operate at the top of their licensure, and fulfill continuing education requirements. Courses include advanced manikin-based simulation and virtual reality training that mirror real-world patient care scenarios, building life-saving skills and confidence.

Learn more about the Ascend education program here.