Gamer uses virtual training to save lives
Player of America's Army used in-games techniques in a rescue
situation.
By Ben Silverman
Think playing video games is little more than a great way to waste
time? Then you haven't met Paxton Galvanek. Last November, the
twenty-eight year-old helped rescue two victims from an overturned
SUV on the shoulder of a North Carolina interstate. As the first
one on the scene, Galvanek safely removed both individuals from the
smoking vehicle and properly assessed and treated their wounds,
which included bruises, scrapes, head trauma and the loss of two
fingers.
His medical background? None - other than what he's learned playing
as a medic in the computer game America's Army.
The first-person shooter is developed and distributed by the U.S.
Army. Though part of its mission is to promote its military
namesake, America's Army is a fully-featured game that takes
players through a virtual representation of real-life soldiering,
from basic training to the field of battle. To play as a medic
class, players must sit through extensive medical training
tutorials based on real-life classes.
Lucky for the two survivors that Paxton Galvanek didn't zone out
during the training, as the gamer credits this experience with
teaching him how to handle himself in an emergency situation.
"In the case of this accident, I evaluated the situation and placed
priority on the driver of the car who had missing fingers," he
said. "I then recalled that in section two of the medic training, I
learned about controlled bleeding. I noticed that the wounded man
had severe bleeding that he could not control. I used a towel as a
dressing and asked the man to hold the towel on his wound and to
raise his hand above his head to lessen the blood flow which
allowed me to evaluate his other injuries which included a cut on
his head."
By the time help arrived in the form of -- ironically enough -- an
Army soldier, the individuals were in stable condition and awaiting
the paramedics.
Galvanek's decisions were lauded by game project director Colonel
Casey Wardynski. "Because of the training he received in America's
Army's virtual classroom, Mr. Galvanek had mastered the basics of
first aid and had the confidence to take appropriate action when
others might do nothing. He took the initiative to assess the
situation, prioritize actions and apply the correct procedures...
Paxton is a true hero."
According to the developers of America's Army, this is the second
time one of their users has reportedly applied techniques learned
in the game to real-life emergency situations. You can find more
information about the game at www.americasarmy.com.
http://us.i1.yimg.com/videogames.yahoo.com/feature/gamer-uses-virtual-training-to-save-lives/1181064
