Thousands of emergency workers expected in downtown Fort Worth this week

No, there’s not a disaster movie being filmed at the Fort Worth Convention Center.
And that’s not a major swine flu outbreak in Sundance Square. Those emergency vehicles likely lining the streets of downtown are here for the Texas Emergency Medical Service conference at the convention center.

More than 2,500 emergency workers — many of them driving their work vehicles — will attend workshops (practicing intubation on pig tracheas), checking out the latest equipment (including four tricked-up helicopters) and learning new rescue techniques (rappelling at the Fort Worth Fire Department Training Center).

The conference runs today through Wednesday.

Though lunch will be provided for attendees, downtown restaurants may see hordes of emergency medical technicians, paramedics, ER doctors, trauma nurses and firefighters.

Be safe out there.
By Nathaniel Jones and Lee Williams in The Fort Worth Star-Telegram