First responders train at Milwaukee Police Academy



MILWAUKEE -- Police and emergency responders from across the nation will spend the weekend in Milwaukee, learning from one another at the Milwaukee Police Academy. It's part of the annual Wisconsin EMS Association Convention, and Thursday, it was all about emergency responders arriving at a crime scene.

Thursday's simulation involved a loud, dark bar, where a man appeared to be passed out on the ground from too much to drink. However, EMTs discover it's not alcohol poisoning, but rather, the customer overdosed on heroin. Milwaukee Police Officer Steve Krejci taught paramedics and EMTs the proper steps for responding to this situation. "We want them to know, first and foremost, their safety comes first. Then, they treat the patient and take care of the medical aspect of the patient," Krejci said.

Another important tip is not getting in the way of evidence found at the scene. "Do you leave it there, or do they collect it and give it to us, or are they allowed to take photographs of it? What are they going to do with the evidence now that they know the crime has occurred?" Krejci said.

The bar scene is just one training simulation this weekend at the Milwaukee Police Academy. Another simulation station teaches emergency responders how to defend themselves. "There's a huge number of nurses and EMS providers that are actually assaulted by their patients," Milwaukee Police Officer Chad Stiles said.

In this simulation, they learn when and how to strike, in case medical calls get dangerous. "It's important for them to know things that would be indicators of an attack, as far as distance, or a thousand-yard stare, or pre-attack posture,"Stiles said.

It's these scenarios, along with many others this weekend, that help police and emergency responders think about the bigger picture. "How I can make other agencies' jobs easier, and ultimately contribute to a bigger goal of making an entire situation come out the right way," Dustin Weber with the Waunakee area EMS said.

The remaining convention sessions will be held through the weekend at the Frontier Airlines Center. Nearly 2,500 people are expected to attend.