Saving lives with creative art. I create life-like medical moulage (realistic injury simulation effects) for realistic simulation training for emergency responders.
I’m the daughter of a former police officer, and have grown up around first responders and military members. I was born 4 months premature, and faced many challenges in my first few years of life. I defied the odds and the doctors’ grim predictions, and function well and lead a completely normal life.
Since June 2007, I’ve used my knowledge of cultures, religions, and languages (Spanish, Arabic, and American Sign Language), my personal experiences, and my skills in moulage, to assist police, military, EMS, and CERT civilian responders in their training. My characters and scenarios teach them how to handle a variety of different emergency scenarios, illnesses and injuries, and cultural and language challenges. This broadens their understanding and prepares them for any number of situations that they will face.
In order for the training to be effective, it needs to be as detailed and realistic as possible. You can only do so much with a plastic rescue dummy wearing a tag that says, "Gunshot wound to chest." It's much more effective for responders to be confronted with a realistic-looking wound, and have to figure out how to handle the blood, gore, and serious injury. Unfortunately, it’s often difficult for emergency response groups and military training personnel to have access to quality moulage/FX supplies and artists who know how to use them. This is why trained and knowledgeable personnel like me, and projects like mine, are so important.
You can see pictures of my work in my
Flickr album HERE.------
What I Need
The economy hasn’t been kind to my family. After multiple job losses, my parents and I narrowly avoided losing our house to foreclosure in December 2013. We are doing better now, but are still working hard to get back on our feet.
I’ve been hired to provide training support and moulage makeup for several exercises around the US in 2015. This will be a great learning experience, as well as a much-needed paycheck!
The moulage requirements for these exercises mean that I need to buy some new supplies, ones that I can’t work without. Depending on the exercise scenario and the conditions that we are working in, there are specific requirements (waterproof, able to last for several hours, etc) and specific materials that we need to use.
I’m “between a rock and a hard place” – without these supplies, I won’t be able to work, which means I won’t get a paycheck. But I don’t have enough money to buy them.
Most of the groups that I work with don't have any moulage materials or anyone trained in how to use them, which is why they rely on me. Any materials that I use, I have to purchase myself. I work with so many different groups - asking all of them to provide materials for me for all the exercises simply isn't practical!
The total cost of the supplies that I need to purchase is $1,200. This will be a one-time supply purchase; the moulage pieces that will be made from these supplies are re-usable.
Liquid material to make wound pieces – $170.00
Set of 20 prosthetic molds - what you pour the material into to sculpt/shape the different pieces - $460.00
Gelling agent to solidify the pieces - $20.00
Used to solidify the pieces more quickly (within an hour). Otherwise, each individual piece takes 8 HOURS OR MORE to solidify before it can be pulled out of the mold.
Fruit/jerky dehydrator to dry and set pieces so they can be used - $50.00
Used to completely dry the pieces after they've solidified and been taken out of the mold. The pieces can't be used until they're completely dry, and larger pieces take DAYS to fully dry without a dehydrator.
Alcohol activated makeup palette to properly color the pieces - $28.00
Paint, fake blood, and other finishing products to properly color and finish the pieces for use – $165.00
Shipping costs – $150.00
Fees (IndieGoGo, PayPal) - $160.00
TOTAL: $1,205
Any additional funds raised beyond this amount will go to purchase additional supplies and props (such as appropriate clothes (plain clothes, uniforms, outfits for cultural/religious scenarios, etc), prop medication bottles, etc) for more scenario realism.
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The Impact
Most of the exercises with local responders, here in my home town, have been as an unpaid volunteer. I do it because I love it; it is my way to give back to the responders who have done so much for me. That was my starting point, and it’s opened the door for several other wonderful opportunities. I’ve gotten to work with the US military, and several agencies that provide training for responders around the US and the world.
Having these supplies will open up MANY more opportunities for me to participate in exercises, here in my community and in other states (and other countries). The requirements for larger, longer exercises are different than the requirements for shorter, smaller exercises. Having these materials would allow me to do whatever they need, so I would be able to participate in more opportunities when they came along.
More exercise opportunities for me means more training courses being conducted, which means more people being trained in important skills.
Civilians: The CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) program trains civilians in disaster preparedness, search & rescue, and emergency first aid, so they can help their family, neighbors, and community members in a disaster.
Medical and military: Professional responders (police and medical personnel) and US military members receive training in emergency medical care, humanitarian aid, disaster response, conflict resolution, cultural awareness, and foreign languages. This will allow them to help people in their communities, across the United States, and in other countries around the world.
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Ways You Can Help
Please, will you help me reach my goal? Every little bit helps - $1, $10, $20, $50, $100 - it all adds up. Every single penny is GREATLY appreciated, and means more to me than I can ever explain!
Even if you aren't able to contribute financially, you can help by getting the word out! Share the link to this campaign on your Facebook, Twitter, and other social media. More shares means more people seeing this!
Whether you contribute by donating to the project, by sharing and promoting it, or both - it all is greatly appreciated! THANK YOU!
