R.I. Medical Reserve Corps launches institute to prepare for the worst

TRAINING DAY: Chris Hiener, simulation specialist for the Rhode Island Medical Reserve Corps’ Training, Innovation and Leadership Institute, is shown working in the institute’s Extended Reality lab space with a high-fidelity medical simulation canine mannequin. 
PBN PHOTO/
PAUL J. SPETRINI
TRAINING DAY: Chris Hiener, simulation specialist for the Rhode Island Medical Reserve Corps’ Training, Innovation and Leadership Institute, is shown working in the institute’s Extended Reality lab space with a high-fidelity medical simulation canine mannequin. 
PBN PHOTO/
PAUL J. SPETRINI

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EDUCATION/CAREER TRAINING: Rhode Island Medical Reserve Corps


DEDICATED TO IMPROVING the health and safety of communities across the state, the Rhode Island Medical Reserve Corps created the Training, Innovation and Leadership Institute to help train volunteers and support community efforts to prepare for emergencies and natural disasters.

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The West Warwick-based organization built a new 5,000-square-foot training facility equipped with the latest technology, including laser projectors, wind simulators, touch-active walls, artificial intelligence-enhanced mannequins and a wet lab with imitation blood for hemorrhage control training. The organization’s goal for the new facility is to provide public safety education to the community.

“We strive to empower our participants with the training and resources they need to respond quickly and effectively to the needs of citizens in their local areas. Our ultimate goal is to save lives, enhance patient outcomes and promote resilience by engaging and mobilizing the power of community,” RIMRC Executive Director Brooke Lawrence said.

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The institute’s centerpiece is a 270-degree, 4D-immersive learning lab and classroom. It is equipped with six 4K laser projectors, multisensory capabilities with more than 500 scents, wind simulators and a space to train for lifelike emergency scenarios.

The facility, Lawrence says, could revolutionize simulation-based education and training for emergency medical services, law enforcement and front-line health care workers throughout the state, and provide an example for the rest of the country.

The organization also plans to offer a series of harm-reduction programs to better understand health and safety. Among the free to low-cost classes are CPR, hemorrhage control, first-on-the-scene scenarios and Narcan administration training.

RIMRC has also embraced micro-learning strategies with a video and podcast studio at the new facility. It allows for creating and disseminating additional training content and resources.

“We hope to cultivate synergy in communities by having basic lifesaving trainings for our communities and using our state-of-the-art, world-class technology-based simulation center for public safety personnel and front-line health care workers,” Lawrence said.

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