Sim-Game based Training System for Scene and Patient Management Following Blast Injury from Explosives Including Improvised Explosive Device (IED)

Use of explosives as weapons is not confined to the battlefield. Improvised explosive devices (IEDs) are increasingly being used by insurgents and terrorists worldwide against civilian targets because they are inexpensive, made from easily obtained materials, and wreak devastating havoc on the human body. During a bomb attack on civilian populations, all manner of responders, civilian and military, may be called upon, therefore all healthcare providers must be ready and able to effectively manage both scene and patient. To help provide this level of readiness, SimQuest has laid the preliminary groundwork for a simulation-based game that will accomplish the following objectives: (1) to train civilian and military prehospital care providers in the decisionmaking sequences needed for effective scene and patient management following an explosive blast, and (2) to provide enough repetition/practice to pre-train providers to proficiency in requisite treatment strategies. The goal is to augment existing combat medic tactical combat casualty care (TCCC) training using sim-game technologies to further improve the process of knowledge acquisition and decisionmaking for optimum performance following an explosive blast event. SimQuest will also integrate TCCC expertise with civilian training components, thus enhancing tactical EMS response to explosion-related, often mass casualty, incidents.