pmcimagazine.com
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TRAINING:
DARK ANGEL MEDICAL
At PMCI we are always interested in looking at unique training courses and programmes that will
let serving personnel or those leaving the military hone certain areas of their skill-set and enhance
their CV. Recently I was lucky enough to speak to Ross from Dark Angel Medical in the USA to find
out what they’re all about.
A
s we’ve stated many times before medical skills
are very close to our heart at PMCI and we’re
always honoured to meet like-minded people
who offer training in relation to what can be vital
yet perishable skills. In our minds correct and
thorough first aid/medical training should be
high on the list of “must have skills”, but unless
that training is carried out in a simulated “stress
situation” even the best taught can lose the plot.
It’s all very well being able to deal with a
casualty situation in a quiet environment, and many will lose it
a bit even then, especially if it’s s serious trauma injury that they
come up against. It takes professionalism and nerve to quickly
assess a situation in a hostile environment and deal with it
effectively, and that only comes through thorough and regular
training with expert practitioners.
Regular readers of PMCI may recall the slightly “tongue in
cheek” section, “Head to Head” that appeared in earlier issues;
Richard, a UK based contractor contributed to that and it was
through him that I discovered Dark Angel Medical in the USA.
Dark Angel Medical not only provide some top of the line First
Aid Kits and Packages, but also deliver the training to go with
them. Ross is their Primary Medical Trainer and served “in
country” with Richard as team medic; he very kindly agreed to
answer my questions and this is what he had to tell me.
PMCI: So Ross, in your own words please tell me what
led to the setup of Dark Angel Medical, and who are the key
people involved?
The owner of Dark Angel Medical, Kerry Davis saw a need
for medicine and medically trained people within the firearms
industry; the old adage is that if one knows how to make holes
they should also know how to plug them! Kerry’s vision was
to equip as many shooters as possible with the knowledge
and skills to save a life, potentially their own, should the very
worst happen. Medicine and medical skills had traditionally
only been left to “professionals” and completely disregarded by
the general populace and Kerry, along with his wife Lynn have
worked tirelessly to change that perception.
PMCI: When and where did Dark Angel Medical start
running courses?
Kerry has been taking care of people more than half of his
adult life. He joined the USAF in 1991 and served until 2007
with jobs consisting of ER Medic, Flight Medic and Officer
Training School Instructor. He was able to attend U.S. Army
Airborne School at Ft. Benning, GA due to his job description
while stationed as a flight medic at Pope Field in Ft. Bragg, NC.
He worked as a civilian paramedic while he was completing
his course of study as an RN and worked as a critical care and
emergency room RN for over 10 years. He is an avid shooter and
has instructed with Magpul Dynamics and is currently a part-