I’ve had the opportunity to use the FEBBS HydraSim during practical training exercises for both patrol officers and SWAT operators. The reaction and feedback from both groups has been the same…an unparalleled sense of purpose and urgency to someone (not a mannequin) who is actively bleeding in front of them never before experienced with other training aids. The HydraSim, paired with the right role player, can create the most realistic training experiences restricted only by your imagination. The HydraSim performs exactly as described. Plenty of battery life with a fully charged battery for multiple runs. A full refill tank provides enough volume to easily do 4-5 runs or more depending on how much the role player bleeds. Each remotely controlled arterial and venous line has individually adjustable flow and can be easily routed to a desired location with flexible vinyl tubing. The HydraSim starts leaking simulated blood at about 60bpm then increases over a short period of time to a max bpm of about 200 which simulates the body compensating for the blood loss. It becomes clear very quickly upon use how much thought went into this system and how realistically and reliably it performs. The only drawback I’ve come across is just related to some preventative maintenance. Not difficult, but just not what you feel like doing at the end of a long training day. Kinda like wiping down the ski boat and pulling the drain plug on the ramp after a day of skiing on the lake…A necessary evil to keep it running properly and looking nice. I bleed all lines of the HydraSim with water at the end of a training day until they run clear. Adds maybe another 15-20 minutes to a training day, but ensures the HydraSim continues to run reliably. Lynn King at Skedco is fantastic to work with and always available to help answer questions. All in all, the HydraSim is a stellar product with amazing product support all geared towards saving lives.
