2021 Trauma Symposium
**A link to the live presentation will be sent for each day to the email address you registered with**
**Learn more about our speakers below**
Monday September 13, 2021 @ 12pm
Topic:
Active Shooter – Lessons Learned from the Henry Pratt Co. (Aurora, IL) Incident
Presenter:
Mark Matkovich and David McCabe
Aurora Fire Department
Tuesday September 14, 2021 @ 12pm
Topic:
Kinematics: Latin for ‘Hold My Beer and Watch This!’
Presenter:
Tom Bradtke, EMT-P, CCEMT-P, FP-C
Flight Paramedic with Flight For Life
Wednesday September 15, 2021 @ 12pm
Topic:
Evaluation of Traumatic Injuries in Children for Abuse
Presenter:
Dr Mary Jones, MD, MJ, MPH
Director of Child Advocacy at Loyola University Medical Center
Thursday September 16, 2021 @ 12pm
Topic:
Trauma Related Grief: Nurses, Fire and Police Experiences
Presenter:
James Nylander (Pastor)
Learn more about our speakers below:
Mark Matkovich
Assistant Chief Mark Matkovich began his fire and EMS career with Western Springs in 1991, then worked for Pleasantview and Oakbrook Terrace before joining the Aurora Fire Department (AFD) in 1996. Mark worked as a firefighter/paramedic, lieutenant, and captain before being promoted to EMS1, which is the shift EMS battalion chief position. In 2020, Mark was promoted to Assistant Chief of Support Services. In this role, he is responsible for the department’s nine stations and fleet of over 40 vehicles, as well as all computer and radio equipment. Mark has also been a member of the department’s water rescue team since 2000 and led one shift’s team prior to being promoted to battalion chief.
When the Rescue Task Force (RTF) program started in Aurora, Mark held the position as Training Coordinator for the AFD. He worked tirelessly with counterparts from the Aurora Police Department, as well as the Naperville Police and Fire departments to train approximately 2,500 personnel from Aurora, Naperville, and other area police and fire departments.
On February 15, 2019, Mark was working in the role of EMS1, and was the second vehicle to arrive on scene, just after Battalion Two. He was assigned Rescue Task Force Branch, and working with the Aurora Police Department, oversaw 15 RTF teams ready to enter the Henry Pratt facility during the Active Assailant event.
David McCabe
David McCabe has been the deputy chief of the Aurora Fire Department (AFD) since 2020. After the department hired him in 1997, he worked in the roles of firefighter/paramedic, lieutenant, and captain. He was promoted to battalion chief in 2014, and assigned to the role of Training Director. In 2018, David was made an assistant chief and worked in the Support Services position. Juvenile firesetters, child passenger safety team, and hazardous materials are all roles in which he has served the department.
Along with the prior EMS Division Chief, David created the Rescue Task Force program for the AFD, and instructed many RTF training sessions. He also led the team that wrote the AFD’s RTF policy.
When the Henry Pratt event occurred, David’s role as Support Services chief was at the 911 center, coordinating resources for Active Assailant as well as to cover the rest of the city.
David has a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Northern Illinois University. He also is a Chief Fire Officer through the Office of the State Fire Marshal, and in 2021 completed the Executive Fire Officer program through the Nation Fire Academy.
The McCabes enjoy spending weekends at their camper. David has also been a high school basketball official for 32 years.
Mary Jones MD, MJ, MPH
An Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics and is the Director of Child Advocacy at Loyola University Medical Center. Dr. Jones holds a Master of Jurisprudence degree in Child Advocacy Law and is Board Certified in Pediatrics and Child Abuse Pediatrics. She is a Fellow in the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Child Abuse and Neglect. Dr. Jones provides consultative service to the Emergency Department, Inpatient and Outpatient suspected child abuse and neglect cases. She regularly provides child abuse education to medical students, pediatric residents, faculty and allied medical providers, including development of a child abuse curriculum for Child Advocacy at Loyola University of Chicago. She developed a standardized child abuse and neglect screening tool used with inpatient and outpatient pediatric patients, and regularly interfaces with the Department of Children and Family Services and law enforcement as an expert in the field of general pediatrics and child abuse pediatrics.
Thomas Bradtke, NREMT-P, FP-C
Thomas has 33 years of experience in the fire service as well as 26 years of experience as a Flight Paramedic. He recently retired from the Naperville Fire Department after 27 years of service there. Thomas functioned as an EMS Instructor and Preceptor while on the department. He also served as an adjunct EMS (Paramedic) Instructor for multiple EMS Systems within Regions 8, 9, and 10.
Current certifications held:
Nationally Registered Paramedic (NREMT-P)
Licensed Critical Care Paramedic in IL and WI
Certified Flight Paramedic (FP-C)
Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS)
Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)
Transport Professional Advanced Trauma Course (TPATC)
Advanced Concepts of O.B. Transport (O.B. STAT)
Neonatal Resuscitation Practitioner (NRP)
James Nylander
James has been in the people helping arena for over 25 years. He has served as the lead chaplain for the Bensenville Police Department through Nationwide Chaplain Services for the last six years. He has also been the lead pastor for Grace Lutheran Church in Bensenville for the last eleven years. Five years ago, James implemented a grief and loss program to help individuals successfully navigate the tumultuous impact of dealing with loss.
His passion for helping others began while he was in seminary pursuing a Master’s degree in Divinity and interned as a chaplain at a level II trauma hospital. Later, educated with a Master’s degree in Marriage & Family Therapy, he began working with highly traumatized children and adolescents in both acute in-patient and therapeutic foster care settings. James holds five earned degrees in multiple disciplines. As a speaker, James engages his audiences utilizing observation, insight, humor, and practical applications. When James is not pastoring or doing chaplain related work, he operates his own life-coaching business specializing in working with individuals, marriages, and families in distress as well as assisting others with career development goals.