source http://us.i1.yimg.com/videogames.yahoo. … es/1181064article wrote:
A video game player used medic training he learned in a game to save a life.
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.
Dang, beat me to it by 5 minutes! lol
So if i carry shock paddles around i can save lives to?!
awesome this is the kind of thing that video games should be noted for
(AA is kickass, i learned from the Medic training,too)
(AA is kickass, i learned from the Medic training,too)
that's so dumb. who doesn't know to control heavy bleeding?
i mean about the whole video game thing. it's cool he saved them or whatever.
i mean about the whole video game thing. it's cool he saved them or whatever.
Last edited by ig (2008-01-18 19:54:48)
lol, I just minimized the game when I did medic training then got the answers to the tests from GameFAQs
Yes... Yes you can...NeXuS4909 wrote:
So if i carry shock paddles around i can save lives to?!
Me too. Felt bad for cheating though.HurricaИe wrote:
lol, I just minimized the game when I did medic training then got the answers to the tests from GameFAQs
That's just cool, I hope stories like this get people like Jack Thompson to shut up.
I saw a wounded person once, so I smashed them in the face with a med kit. They lived. Thank you BF2!
I am a tad skeptical, but 110% agree that Thompson keeps his mouth shut.
"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."
Why the overuse of "evaluate"?
I commend the guy on his cool-head in the situation, but it could be a publicity stunt for the game. Someone else has already saved someone's life with the game? Biiig coincidence IMHO.
"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."
Why the overuse of "evaluate"?
I commend the guy on his cool-head in the situation, but it could be a publicity stunt for the game. Someone else has already saved someone's life with the game? Biiig coincidence IMHO.
Last edited by Cyrax-Sektor (2008-01-18 21:32:28)
HurricaИe wrote:
lol, I just minimized the game when I did medic training then got the answers to the tests from GameFAQs
I had an old account where I did the training the "legit" way. I figured why the hell do it agianPspRpg-7 wrote:
Me too. Felt bad for cheating though.HurricaИe wrote:
lol, I just minimized the game when I did medic training then got the answers to the tests from GameFAQs
Holy crap, America's Army is free?? Why does nobody tell me shit like this. Excuse me I have some downloading to do.
Are you serious? That game looks killer, but I thought you had to buy it!GGF0RCE wrote:
Holy crap, America's Army is free?? Why does nobody tell me shit like this. Excuse me I have some downloading to do.
*dies trying to find a link*
Brilliant way to get more into the Army!
Last edited by Cyrax-Sektor (2008-01-18 21:50:04)
The only things that bother me about this story is 1) It happened "Last November" and just hit the "NEWs" and 2) The guy was bleeding from a couple of lost fingers... Yes, those are going to bleed, but I don't think the average person is going to bleed out from that particular wound, so where exactly was the life saving?
Makes it look more like a publicity stunt and less like a news story when you factor those 2 things in...
Makes it look more like a publicity stunt and less like a news story when you factor those 2 things in...
I minimized that. I hate health related topics.
The actual game doesn't require you retaining any knowledge from those "classes" though. Dude blown in half? Hold "e" for a length of time = patched up.
true, but in order to be the medic class do you not have to do the medic training? which requires like 30 minutes in a virtual class room watching slides of how to do real medic stuff, then take a test and pass it.DrunkFace wrote:
never played AA?DesertFox- wrote:
The actual game doesn't require you retaining any knowledge from those "classes" though. Dude blown in half? Hold "e" for a length of time = patched up.
lol, this is hilarious
I did the exact same thing with my mom in costa rica, in the middle of the jungle in some mansion thingy we rented, about 5 hours out of Liberia, which is still a piece of crap anyway... So my mom slips with a wine glass in her hand, it slices her hand open, gushing blood everywhere, and the closest hospital (which was probably a piece of crap imo) was a dirt road's hours away... So basically I used shock treatment training + control bleeding procedures (pressure, hand above the heart) to keep her alive (apparently an artery or some main blood vessel was sliced)... actually :\
So this guy took her to some shack thing and gave her stitches in the hand... and when we returned to the U.S the doctors were appalled at the "butchered jungle stitches"
but AA is right on, I bet you stuff like this happens all the time and you just dont hear about it - like my story
so mad props to that retarded med training!
I did the exact same thing with my mom in costa rica, in the middle of the jungle in some mansion thingy we rented, about 5 hours out of Liberia, which is still a piece of crap anyway... So my mom slips with a wine glass in her hand, it slices her hand open, gushing blood everywhere, and the closest hospital (which was probably a piece of crap imo) was a dirt road's hours away... So basically I used shock treatment training + control bleeding procedures (pressure, hand above the heart) to keep her alive (apparently an artery or some main blood vessel was sliced)... actually :\
So this guy took her to some shack thing and gave her stitches in the hand... and when we returned to the U.S the doctors were appalled at the "butchered jungle stitches"
but AA is right on, I bet you stuff like this happens all the time and you just dont hear about it - like my story
so mad props to that retarded med training!
I haven't done the medic training yet.
Which is a shame because I've been playing for over 2 years on and off (mostly off).
I wonder if I can claim credit for kneecapping a bank robber because I played hitman...
Which is a shame because I've been playing for over 2 years on and off (mostly off).
I wonder if I can claim credit for kneecapping a bank robber because I played hitman...
roflcopters... man i pissed myself.. well nearly when i read thisiNeedUrFace4Soup wrote:
I saw a wounded person once, so I smashed them in the face with a med kit. They lived. Thank you BF2!
That's cool videogames helped that guy and those passengers out, but the military is going to have a hay day with this
I never played AA.HurricaИe wrote:
lol, I just minimized the game when I did medic training then got the answers to the tests from GameFAQs
Are all the questions based on real life emergency care?
you've gotta be kidding me
i took that test in AA!!!!!!!!!!!
yeah, its all real. its a test on what he tells you. thats pretty amazing imo!
i took that test in AA!!!!!!!!!!!
yeah, its all real. its a test on what he tells you. thats pretty amazing imo!