Oct 11, 2018   SOURCE: BusinessWire

Armor NOW Develops Educational Resources for First Responders

First responders, faced with ever-increasing dangers during everyday job duties, have new resources from the Armor NOW (www.armornow.com) education and outreach program to help them prepare for unexpected threats rather than just situations expected to happen during so-called routine calls.

Among the new resources is a free educational course, “Body Armor and the Changing Landscape of Public Safety.” This CAPCE-accredited online resource available via the EMS1 Academy enables first responders to earn one hour of accredited Continuing Education upon completion. First responders may visit www.armornow.com/en/resources/academy.html to access the course portal.

Also, three turnkey simulation training scenarios are available for download and utilization by leaders and others responsible for training first responder agencies. The scenarios were developed by experienced paramedic agency training professionals and are complete with equipment and setting requirements and instructions for facilitators, training staff, and participants. Each scenario is based on threats encountered by first responders in real world calls. Links to download the simulation training resources are as follows:

“By providing these resources, we demonstrate our support for first responders in a highly-meaningful way that helps them develop awareness of emerging threats faced on the job, understanding of available solutions, and maintain their employment certification,” said Marcelo van de Kamp, Global Business Director, Life Protection, for Armor NOW program sponsor DSM Dyneema.

Additionally, the Armor NOW website offers first responders the opportunity to share their stories www.armornow.com/en/share.html, or those of their agencies, as related to access to necessary equipment. Many first responder organizations recognize the need for advanced equipment, such as body armor to protect from ballistics threats, but are unable to secure funding for critical protection. The Armor NOW program plans to develop a catalog of such information to share with government officials and other concerned parties, to amplify the issue and improve access to the equipment first responder organizations need.

“There is a real need to help first responders such as paramedics, EMT’s and fire rescue personnel understand what could happen on the job vs. what usually does happen,” said Greg Chapman, Director of The Center for Prehospital Medicine, Carolinas Medical Center and Advisory Board Member, Armor NOW. “Training to help crews become more aware makes those crews safer. The Armor NOW effort is making this a priority and providing relevant resources.”

About Armor NOW

Armor NOW is an educational campaign aimed at building awareness around the emerging threats first responders face on the job, providing educational tools and resources to help EMTs, paramedics, fire rescue personnel, and law enforcement officers protect themselves as they protect our communities. Beyond education and training on topics such as armor and other lifesaving gear, Armor NOW is a program developed to connect the first responder community, facilitate active discussions about emerging threats, and serve an advocacy role to help get protective gear into the hands of those who need it most. For more information, visit www.armornow.com.