The Hot Springs Convention Center is hosting the Arkansas EMT Association's annual EMS conference this week, beginning today through Sunday.
AEMTA is a nonprofit association dedicated to providing educational events to further EMS in the state of Arkansas. The conference was held in Little Rock up until the year 2000 when it was moved to Hot Springs.
Approximately 600 people from across the state will attend this year's conference, said Jennifer Davis, conference chair, which is up from last year's attendance number of about 530.
"Both hotels are booked up," Davis added. "We have The Hotel Hot Springs, we've got Embassy, and I think we actually had a few that had to go down to the Arlington because the other two were booked up."
The conference is open to first responders, EMTs, paramedics, and other emergency service employees and offers them an opportunity to further their education, attend workshops and classes, test their knowledge and skills, browse trade show goods and network with fellow EMS professionals.
This year, the conference will follow the theme "It's a Soul Thing." Davis said a different theme is applied to the conference each year. Last year's theme was "Not All Heroes Wear Capes."
Davis said close to 40 nationally known EMS speakers from in and out of the state of Arkansas will attend the conference to speak on different pre-hospital medical and trauma topics.
In addition to workshops and classes, conference attendees were able to register for competitions in the following categories: First Responder, EMT, Fire/EMS, Industrial, Paramedic, Air Medical, EMS Challenge, and the Valsalva Bowl.
"We have multiple competitions, and then we have like a trivia-type competition that they can compete in. The trivia competition is held inside and the other competitions are all going to be outside. They're doing actual live scenario situations that they have to work through and get judged on," Davis said.
A cooling station will be available for those competing outside.
First-, second- and third-place winners from each competition are awarded at the banquet held on Saturday evening.
The 2017 AEMTA Trade Show will be held at various hours each day of the conference where registered attendees can browse goods and services from hundreds of vendors including Arkansas Blood Institute, ADEM Federal Surplus, Baptist Health Med Flight, Fisher Sportswear, Fresh Mountain Soaps, Garland County Health Department, Heavenly Insoles, Leatherworks, LifeNet, Inc., Mystics Hollow Bath, Body & Home, and QuaMed, Inc.
The Personal Market Place at the trade show has been expanded this year to include candles, scents, soaps, jewelry, leather work, health and fitness, makeup, accessories, personal safety, unique items and home improvement services.
Local on 08/03/2017