SimMan saves lives, has creepy brethren

Sometimes, half a torso just doesn’t cut it.

Sure, you can practice your basic CPR on some clammy fake skin, a diaphragm and a spring.

But when an Everett paramedic is saving someone’s life in the heat of the moment, he needs practice on the real deal. Or at least something awfully close.

I spent Friday afternoon hanging out with some Everett firefighters and paramedics, checking out their SimMan, the focus of a feature that ran in Tuesday’s paper.

The SimMan and the SimBaby are pretty neat – lots of bells and whistles. Their maintenance costs caught the attention of Everett reporter Debra Smith back in October.

A quick lookaround on the company’s website yields some strange results.

Yes, all of these things probably serve a vital role training first responders. But some of them are also downright creepy, like the replacement baby faces you see to the right. You can check out the other fake body parts here.

There’s even a small pox module set and a birthing simulator.

Enjoy.