Disaster Life Support Courses

National Disaster Life Support courses are one-day (BDLS) and two-day (ADLS) courses offered free of charge to all Utah prehospital and hospital providers. Class size is limited, so register early.

Please register at the UTRAIN web site at www.utah.train.org.

If you have any questions please call or email:
Dru Fry RN
Trauma Educator
Utah Dept. of Health, Bureau of EMS
Office: 801-273-6677
Mobile: 801-450-6960
drufry@utah.gov

Basic Disaster Life Support (BDLS)

No upcoming courses are scheduled at this time.

BDLS is targeted to multiple disciplines including: emergency medical service (EMS) personnel, hazardous materials personnel, public health personnel, and health care providers. By teaching multiple disciplines simultaneously, a commonality of approach and language will develop, improving the care and coordination of response in WMD disaster and public health emergencies.

The instructor-led presentation of BDLS is a day long course approved for 7.5 hrs of category 1 PRA by the American Medical Association. The curricula includes: overview and disaster paradigm; natural and manmade disasters; traumatic and explosive events; nuclear and radiological weapon attacks; biological events; chemical events; the public health system and the psychosocial aspects of disasters.

Certification in BDLS requires full course completion and achievement of a passing score on the competency exam. To maintain these credentials, renewal training is required every three years.

BDLS is the didactic component of the national disaster life support training. The BDLS curriculum is developed with an all-hazards approach (recognition and management) to disaster response. Individual chapters remain cohesive by the incorporation of a unifying algorithm called the DISASTER Paradigm. Also, the concepts of MASS Triage. Those completing the BDLS didactic course can then participate in ADLS.

Advanced Disaster Life Support (ADLS)

No upcoming courses are scheduled at this time.

ADLS is an advanced practicum of the principles introduced in Basic Disaster Life Support (BDLS). ADLS includes lectures on the following: MASS Triage in detail; community and hospital disaster planning; media and communications during disasters; mass fatality management.

In addition small group interactive sessions allow students to work through a series of difficult questions of disaster management in a table top format.

Day 2 of ADLS the "hands on" day of training. 4 skills stations reinforce the previous days learning. These skills stations are as follows:

• MASS Triage - This challenging station allows the students to practice the concepts of the disaster paradigm with an emphasis on patient triage. Simulated disaster victims must be triaged and treated correctly while attempting to manage a chaotic scene and request appropriate resources.
• PPE and Decontamination - This station teaches important concepts about the use of personal protective equipment and decontamination technique. Students are given the opportunity to wear PPE and participate in a simulated decontamination while attempting to render medical care.
• Disaster Skills - This station teaching important information about vital skills necessary for medical disaster management. Students are taught vital information on the Stategic National Stockpile, and proper Mark-I kit use. Students are also allowed to practice Small pox immunization.
• Human Patient Simulator - Recognition of victims of a chemical and biological disaster is paramount. This station is designed to reinforce the detection and proper treatment of conditions that may occur during disasters that we do not normally treat. Treatment of chemical, biological, and traumatic patients is covered. The use of these high fidelity simulators allows the student to see, hear and feel information that would normally be provided by an instructor allow for a more realistic experience than normal manikins would allow.
• BDLS certified individuals are eligible to take the ADLS course. The instructor-led presentation of ADLS is a sixteen credit hour course; eight hours of classroom lectures and eight hours of hands-on practicum exercises. To maintain these credentials, renewal training is required every three years.

Questions? Contact Dru Fry at drufry@utah.gov or 801-273-6677.