Techline Technologies, Inc. was born out of MPS, Inc., an applied polymers research laboratory supporting the Department of Defense. Reincorporated in 2001, Techline supported Operation Iraqi Freedom and the Global War on Terror by providing specialized material research and products.
In 2006, the U. S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM), awarded Techline the severe trauma simulation development contract. The purpose was to develop realistic wound simulations for combat medicine training.
The goal of the development effort was to produce realistic, rugged wound simulations that could be quickly donned and doffed. It was important to provide as much realism as possible to recreate the psychological obstacles that faced the rescuer.
Using existing relationships within the Special Ops community, Techline’s research-based approach led to simulations “developed with the operators, for the operators.” Each Techline device replicated an actual injury suggested by combat medics, and was reviewed by a Navy Corpsman and a Chief Pathologist for accuracy.
At the conclusion of the development effort, Techline commercialized a set of Wearable Wound Simulations® that is now known as the WW3-000 Deluxe Wound Kit. This launched the Techline Trauma product line.
Through the years, Techline Technologies, Inc. has pushed the industry to create more realistic simulations, and has been granted over 10 patents due to the company’s innovative thinking and design. Techline expanded its line of products to include the Wounds in a Box®, the Bleeding Control Task Trainer, and self-adhesive wounds. Although often imitated in appearance, the durability and ruggedness of Techline Trauma products are unmatched.
Wearable Wound Simulations®
Research into trauma simulations at Camp Johnson, Ft. Bragg, and Ft. Campbell revealed deficiencies in the existing technology, which was limited to makeup and low-fidelity wound replicas. The initial set-up for a training session required hours of preparation, and each scenario resulted in damaged makeup. The wounds were not realistic, had low-quality fasteners, and provided no ability to perform the medical interventions.
Techline’s development team attacked these problems in a multidisciplinary approach. The team included a Navy Corpsman, Pathologist, Polymer Chemist, Engineers, and Artists. Every wound was designed for clinical accuracy, appearance, functionality, and durability. The result was the first Wearable Wound Simulations® kit, now found in every branch of the military.
The Wearable Wounds Simulations® are made of reinforced silicone and have features such as packable cavities, impaled objects, or bleeding that can be treated. Every device is researched, designed, handcrafted, inspected, packed and shipped from Techline’s Willow Grove, PA facility.
Stick-EZ Self-adhesive wounds
Customers expressed the need for wounds that could quickly change a scenario and augment training. This led to the development of our self-adhesive line of wounds. These Stick-EZ were made to be reusable, and adhere to both actors and manikins.
Unique to Techline’s self-adhesive wounds, these products are reinforced with a fabric to extend their usable life. The adhesive surface can be washed with soap and water to remove dirt and debris, allowing for multiple uses.
Part Task Trainers
The Techline Trauma® products include a line of part task trainers that are ideal for the classroom environment and scenario use. These devices were created as lower cost solutions for training specific skills used in pre-hospital care. The first of the line were the Wounds in a Box®. These compact trainers allow students to practice wound packing.
Additional in a Box™ trainers were created to train nasal airways, intraosseous access, IVs, cricothyrotomies, and intermuscular injections. One of the most popular task trainers is the Bleeding Control lower torso (PTT-B80). This device reacts to tourniquets, junctional tourniquets, abdominal-aortic pressure, and wound packing.
All of the bleeding control task trainers are compatible with Techline Blood Supply Pumps (WW3-BRP) and Skedco® Hydrasim® electronic bleeding simulators.
Manikins
Techline’s realistic and rugged wound simulations led to the joint development effort of the TOMManikin ® with North American Rescue® Simulations (formerly ITTS, Inc.). The TOMManikin® is widely known as the toughest advanced trauma manikin on the market.
The TOMManikin® Series is designed for use in classroom settings, trauma lanes, and field training scenarios. The system allows for interchangeable appendages that present a variety of wound patterns such as gunshots, blasts, and burns. The system provides full-mission profiles for combat, disaster re-creations, and mass casualty events.
Constructed of silicone and welded steel, TOMManikin® weighs more than 160 pounds, and has extremities that can withstand up to 6,000 pounds of pressure. These rugged, remote-controlled simulators are the ideal choice for confined space, building collapse, care under fire, and entrapment training scenarios. Intervention capabilities on all manikins include tourniquet application, airway management (basic to advanced), needle decompression, chest tube, IV/IO, and wound packing.
Training
Years of supporting military and civilian first responders’ training built a reputation of professionalism and a network of instructors. In 2015, Techline hosted its first training class through the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT).
Techline has the unique ability to provide clients a fully operational training site at any location. This includes environmental controllers, patient and classroom simulations, medical and support equipment, and top-tier instructors. Techline holds one of the few “mobile” site codes within the NAEMT, and can support multiple simultaneous classes throughout the continental United States.