Tag: EMS

Kidder County (ND) Ambulance Service Hit Hard By COVID19 December 2020

Kidder County Ambulance Service, like their sister agencies in bigger departments, have been on the frontline in the fight against COVID19.

The Kidder County Ambulance Service takes care of a more rural part of the state, serving six communities — and they say it’s bad. It’s not just big city medical facilities facing capacity issues.

In an interview MonaThompson, EMS Director for Kidder County Ambulance, said, “Come fall time where we started to see this really big increase in calls, it’s kind of gotten a little bit overwhelming.”

During the last two weeks, they have seen an influx of calls and say it’s beginning to take a mental and physical toll on their staff.

“The one thing I did tell them, just a few days ago, if they become overwhelmed, they just need to let me know and I’ll take them off of the call shift. We’ll have someone else cover their shift because I’m beginning to see that,” said Thompson.

The ambulance service is also responding to more calls that aren’t COVID19 related.

“They’ll put off their medical condition or putting off getting help in a timely fashion. So some of these patients are much more sick than what I’ve seen in the past. And unfortunately, I’ve seen also an increase in the death rate amongst our community members. That is really taking its toll,” Thompson continued.

Staff has been running non-stop responding to calls and some calls can take up to four hours before they’re done.

“Usually we’ll, in most out cases, we will go to Bismarck to transport our patients. But they’ve been at max capacity on a couple of different occasions so we had to take patients to Fargo and Jamestown too,” said Thompson.

Thompson says she has also responded to plenty of COVID19 calls that are young adults suffering with serious symptoms.

COVID19 has become more dangerous for responders than 9-11 both medically and politically. Secondary to COVID19 budget shortages several municipalities are considering laying off the very front line responders helping with COVID19 now including FDNY EMS.

This was a preventable tragedy though. Per our Foundation Board Member, Christopher Suprun, COVID19 did not have to be this bad. He wrote an article in March for Rolling Stone detailing his concerns that this would stretch our surge capacity nationally and would be Katrina like.

Kidder County Ambulance Service

Kidder County EMS is a licensed Basic Life Support (BLS) Service with enhanced skills and Advanced Life Support capabilities. They serve the area around Steele, North Dakota.

Kathryn Morales December 8, 2020 No Comments

Categories: EMS

Tags: COVID19 Disaster EMS

FDNY Says No To COVID19 Vaccine

A recent internal Fire Department of New York (FDNY) survey revealed that more than half of the department’s firefighters says no to COVID19 vaccine when it becomes available.

In the past three days, the Uniformed Firefighters Association polled 2,053 members, and around 55 percent of them said they wouldn’t get vaccinated for the virus, Andy Ansbro, the union president, told local New York media. Those polled make up around a quarter of the the union’s 8,200 active members.

No To COVID19 Vaccine

Last month, an FDNY memo stated the department would not mandate firefighters and EMS workers take the COVID vaccine. As of Friday, the FDNY had more than 130 positive cases, with at least six firehouses having three or more cases, a department source told the Post.

In a statement late last month, the International Association of Fire Fighters pushed for firefighters and other first responders to be at the front of the line for the COVID19 vaccine.

A Centers for Disease Control advisory panel, however, recommended last week that health care workers and long-term care facility workers and residents be placed in the 1a priority group for the vaccine.

No To COVID19 Vaccine

Ansbro said that many FDNY firefighters in their 30s and 40s aren’t as threatened by COVID-19, especially if they’ve already battled the virus. He added that he would be getting vaccinated.

“A lot of them probably feel they are not in a risk category, they are younger, stronger, they may have already had it and gotten through it, and feel it’s not their problem,” Ansbro told the Post. “They are more familiar with the coronavirus than they are with the vaccine.”

Skepticism about the vaccine also runs high among FDNY EMS members.

“A few are anxious to get it, but there have been a few dozen (online) responses saying, ‘Thanks, but no thanks,’ ” Oren Barzilay, president of the Uniformed EMTs, Paramedics and Fire Inspectors union, told the Post. “They were thankful it was not mandatory, because they don’t want to be looked at as test subjects.”

Barzilay added that he would be waiting to see about what independent studies reveal concerning possible side effects before taking the vaccine.

One veteran FDNY member told the Post that the resistance toward the vaccine is a source of frustration.

“The 55 percent doesn’t surprise me. They’re called the Bravest, not the Smartest,” the FDNY member said about members saying “no to COVID19 vaccine.

“It’s saving their lives, and the lives of their co-workers, families, friends, and the people they take care of. They respond to live-threatening medical emergencies. The last thing you want is a family member in dire straits being worked on by an unvaccinated firefighter.”

STAFF December 7, 2020 3 Comments

Categories: FDNY EMS

Tags: COVID19 EMS FDNY FDNY EMS

IAFF Says Firefighters First In Line For COVID19 Vaccine

The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) says firefighters first in line for COVID19 vaccine and is urging Governors to give firefighters and emergency medical personnel “the highest priority” when vaccine for COVID19 is released.

“The level of risk to responders has never been greater than it is today,” the organization stated in a letter to the National Governors Association.

According to the IAFF, more than 30,000 career firefighters have had known on-duty COVID-19 exposures, which has led to more than 17,000 of them needing to quarantine or isolate. Nearly 150 career firefighters also have been hospitalized because of the virus, and at least 19 firefighters have died from coronavirus.

“All this, despite PPE use and rigorous decontamination procedures, makes vaccinating fire fighters and emergency medical personnel all the more urgent,” the IAFF wrote. “The virus not only places the lives and health of responders at risk, it also poses a risk to the larger community as well as to fire fighters responding to emergencies in homes, businesses and elsewhere before they may be aware of an infection.”

The IAFF went on to state that vaccinated first responders will allow them to continue serving their communities during the pandemic. Not giving firefighters and emergency workers priority for the vaccine could create challenges for municipalities across the country.

“Absent adequate vaccination, responders will continue to be subject to lengthy quarantines when they are exposed to COVID-19 positive individuals, imposing significant costs on local governments as they backfill positions or operate understaffed, increasing response times and negatively impacting public safety,” the letter stated.

Currently, 132 firefighters and emergency medical workers are quarantined, and 188 personnel had been diagnosed with the virus since July 1, according to the International Association of Fire Chiefs.

Firefighters First In Line For COVID19 Vaccine

The virus is also taking its toll on responder ranks. Some in the profession argue to maintain public safety responders must be given the peace of mind knowing they are protected.

STAFF November 25, 2020 1 Comment

Categories: Fire EMS

Tags: COVID19 Disaster EMS IAFF

24% Pay Raise Not Enough

A 24% pay raise isn’t enough to keep South Carolina responders coming to work in Aiken, South Carolina.

Aiken County Council has authorized County Administrator Clay Killian and his staff to “pay what the market demands” to fill vacancies on the emergency medical services department’s staff, council chairman Gary Bunker told the Aiken Standard recently.

24% Pay Raise Not Enough For EMS Responders

Even though salaries for such EMS employees have been increased by 24% since the summer of 2019, there continues to be a problem in finding workers to fill those positions.

Retention of employees also has remained difficult.

“We are in a bit of an emergency situation right now, and we need to pay what the market pays,” said Bunker, who is Aiken County Council’s chairman. “We are not going to be bureaucratically tied to getting the people we need to work for Aiken County.”

During the 2019-2020 fiscal year, which ended June 30, the EMS department had a budget of $6,582,821, but expenditures totaled only $5,619,019. And costs have remained under budgeted amounts during the current fiscal year.

“If they’re ‘underrunning’ because they don’t fill positions and we need to increase pay, then so be it,” Bunker said. “We’ve got the money to do it. I don’t want it to just sit there. It doesn’t do any good.”

In mid-August, Aiken County Council unanimously approved a resolution that included a plan to help resolve some of the struggling EMS department’s issues. A week prior, there were 18 vacancies.

During a work session before County Council’s Oct. 20 meeting, there were 19 unfilled positions, according to a report presented by Killian.

24% Pay Raise Not Enough: ‘A Serious Problem’

Aiken County Council member Phil Napier called the EMS department’s state of affairs “unacceptable” during the work session preceding County Council’s Oct. 20 meeting.

He represents District 6, which includes Graniteville.

“My thing is that I just want the service provided to the taxpayers in Aiken County (to be available) in every corner of the county,” he said later when asked to comment further. “Both stations in my district are closed, so why shouldn’t I be upset? Someone who lives in Monetta (or Graniteville) is just as important as someone who lives in Aiken or North Augusta.”

Napier believes Aiken County needs to be using private ambulance services more than it is now — even after expanding that network — to fill the EMS gaps.

He also thinks there are other important issues besides pay that the county needs to seriously consider.

“I really believe the problem (mainly) is that young people aren’t going into that profession anymore,” Napier said. “I think that some of the problem (in the EMS department) is management. I’ve been told that by some of the people who have left.”

Aiken County Council Vice Chairman Andrew Siders also expressed concern during an interview following County Council’s Oct. 20 meeting.

He represents District 7, which includes parts of Aiken.

“We have to look long and hard at every aspect (of the EMS situation),” he said. “One of the most important things we can do as a county is to provide EMS to the people. If the problem still exists after a certain amount of time, then we are not doing enough.

“A lot of people say it’s a pay issue, but some people say it’s a management issue,” he continued, “so I want to give management a chance to fix this. I don’t know what a good timetable would be, but it can’t be too long because this is such a serious problem. It’s so important that it has to be fixed. We have no choice but to get this right.”

Chris DeLoach is in charge of the EMS department in Aiken County.

Asked by the Aiken Standard to respond to Siders and Napier’s comments about a possible management issue, Killian replied in an email sent Monday.

“We are constantly looking at ways to improve our entire organization, not just one department, but believe we have the tools and resources needed now to better address the staffing shortages we see happening in EMS organizations throughout the state and country,” Killian wrote. “It is our No. 1 priority at the moment.”

In other cities management appears to be ready to cut positions and earlier this summer Aiken EMS was called out by a local state senator.

STAFF October 28, 2020 No Comments

Categories: EMS

Tags: EMS Rural EMS

American Heart Association Updated Standards

The American Heart Association today announced their new guidelines for CPR and emergency cardiovascular care with an emphasis on the recovery phase following cardiac arrest. The recovery phase continues long after hospitalization and is now included as a key link in the Chain of Survival, a widely adopted series of critical actions that work to maximize the chance of someone surviving cardiac arrest, according to the “2020 American Heart Association Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Emergency Cardiovascular Care,” published today in the Association’s flagship journal, Circulation.

Cardiac arrest – when the heart suddenly stops beating – results in death 90% of the time in the United States when it happens outside of the hospital setting (which is most of the time). The Association’s 2020 Guidelines provide an extensive review of evidence-based new and updated recommendations for CPR and emergency cardiovascular care training and response.

The new, sixth link in the cardiac arrest chain of survival addresses recovery. It highlights the need for treatment, surveillance and rehabilitation for cardiac arrest survivors and their caregivers.

New American Heart Association Recommendations

Recommendations that are critically important to this concept include:

structured assessment for anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress and fatigue for cardiac arrest survivors and their caregivers;
rehabilitation assessment and treatment for physical, neurologic, cardiopulmonary and cognitive impairments before discharge from the hospital; and
comprehensive, multidisciplinary discharge planning for cardiac arrest survivors and their caregivers, including medical and rehabilitative treatment recommendations and return to activity/work expectations.

“The 2020 Guidelines represent a synthesis of important science that guides how resuscitation is provided for critically ill patients,” said Raina Merchant, M.D., M.S.H.P., FAHA, chair of the American Heart Association Emergency Cardiovascular Care Committee and associate professor of emergency medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. “As the science evolves over time, it’s important that we review it and make recommendations about how providers can deliver high-quality care that reflects the most updated and state-of-the-art information.”

The guidelines offer suggestions for increasing lay rescuer CPR rates, noting that currently less than 40% of non-hospitalized adults experiencing cardiac arrest receive layperson-initiated CPR before the arrival of emergency medical services. Some of the new or updated suggestions include the following:

Raise awareness of the need for lay persons to initiate CPR for presumed cardiac arrest, underscoring that the risk of harm to the patient is low.
Use mobile phone technology to increase the rate of bystander CPR and automated external defibrillator (AED) use. Emergency dispatch systems could alert willing bystanders via mobile phone technology apps to nearby events that may require CPR or an AED.
Bystander CPR training should target specific socioeconomic, racial, and ethnic populations who have historically exhibited lower rates of bystander CPR. CPR training should address gender-related barriers to improve bystander CPR rates for women.

Overall, the 2020 Guidelines outline 491 recommendations specific to adult, pediatric and neonatal life support, resuscitation education science and systems of care. In addition to the updated and new written guidance, all of the algorithms were updated to reflect the latest science and several major changes were also made to improve the visual training and performance aids. Some noteworthy updates incorporating updated or new algorithms and graphics include new CPR steps:

New data on respiratory rates during CPR in children are now available. The American Heart Association recommended CPR steps for pediatrics is one breath every 2 – 3 seconds (20 – 30 breaths per minute). Prior recommendations were based upon information extrapolated from adult data.
A new chain of survival created for in-hospital cardiac arrest in infants, children and adolescents.
A new algorithm and updated recommendations on resuscitation during pregnancy focuses on the best outcomes for both the mother and baby.
Addressing the increase in respiratory and cardiac arrests due to opioid overdoses, two new opioid-associated emergency algorithms for lay rescuers and for trained responders.

The guidelines were last updated in 2015, at which point the process of the five-year update transitioned to an online format using a continuous evidence evaluation process rather than periodic reviews to increase the potential for more immediate transitions and updates. The 2020 Guidelines document reflects alignment with the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) and associated ILCOR member councils. The writing group notes there is limited data in some areas of resuscitation research and a need for expanded study initiatives and funding opportunities. It also lists knowledge gaps within each section of the guidelines.

“High-quality CPR steps can make the difference between who lives and who dies from cardiac arrest and dedicated funding and efforts are needed to ensure that everyone who needs high-quality CPR receives it,” said Merchant.

For the first time ever, the latest resuscitation science will be reflected in new high-quality CPR programs that release simultaneously, bringing science to life in the form of a new digital resuscitation portfolio. The programs are rooted in the True Adaptive™ learning design that delivers personalized instruction tailored to individual needs and knowledge levels. Developed in collaboration with Area9 Lyceum, a global leader in adaptive learning, the new digital solutions are delivered by RQI Partners, a partnership between and service provider for the Association and Laerdal Medical.

“In this time of physical distancing, resuscitation education and training delivery must evolve,” said Clive Patrickson, Ph.D. and RQI Partners’ chief executive officer. “The American Heart Association digital resuscitation portfolio uniquely and efficiently delivers safe and effective CPR quality improvement and leads healthcare organizations on an immediate journey to high-quality and verified CPR competence to maximize lifesaving outcomes. The time for digital is now.”

The guidelines were developed by the writing group on behalf of the Adult Basic and Advanced Life Support Writing Group, The Pediatric Basic and Advanced Life Support Writing Group, the Neonatal Life Support Writing Group, the Resuscitation Education Science Writing Group and the Systems of Care Writing Group.

Never Forget 9-11 Foundation provides multiple American Heart Association course offerings designed to make you a critical part in the success of your resuscitation team.

STAFF October 21, 2020 No Comments

Categories: EMS

Tags: American Heart Association COVID19 EMS

Sacramento Fire Ambulance Involved In Midtown Crash

A Sacramento City Fire Department ambulance was involved in a crash in Midtown Sacramento late Monday morning.

The crash happened near 28th and Q streets.

Details of the crash cause are unclear currently, but the ambulance and at least one other vehicle were involved despite reports that the ambulance does not have damage to it.

Authorities say the ambulance was not transporting any patients at the time of the crash.

Sacramento Police Department officials noted no one was hurt in the crash. There have been a large number of EMS agency motor vehicle accidents over the past few weeks.

Sacramento Fire Department

The Sacramento Fire Department is a full-service fire department, with the responsibility of responding to and mitigating incidents involving fires, medical emergencies, hazardous materials, technical and water rescues. The Department also provides a full range of support and/or administrative services including fire prevention and investigation, logistics, training, fiscal, human resources and information technology. The organization chart represents the current structure of the department.

The Department operates 24 fire stations from which it deploys 24 engine companies, nine truck companies, 15 ALS ambulances, a rescue company, three swift water rescue teams, and two hazmat response teams. Suppression companies are staffed with four personnel consisting of a Captain, an Engineer, and two Firefighters.

Department personnel respond to approximately 80,000 calls each year and provide service to approximately 480,000 residents and over 20,000 businesses located in the City of Sacramento. The Department also is contracted by Fire Protection District’s: Pacific/Fruitridge and Natomas, to provide fire protection service to an additional 50,000 residents. The contracted areas add approximately 46 square miles to the City’s incorporated area for a total of 146 square miles served by the Department.

In addition, the Department maintains automatic aid agreements with all of its neighboring agencies, supporting a boundary drop system. The Department also participates in the State mutual aid response system which provides Type I and Type III engine companies upon request of the California Emergency Management Agency (CALEMA). In support of Federal initiatives, the Department regularly provides overhead personnel for Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) Incident Management Teams (IMT) and is the sponsoring agency of FEMA Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) Task Force Seven (Task Force 7).

STAFF October 14, 2020 No Comments

Categories: EMS

Tags: Accident EMS

Paramedic Edward Augustus Blake Accused of Being Serial Rapist

Oregon paramedic Edward Augustus Blake is accused drugging and raping multiple women. He has now been charged with federal crimes for allegedly obtaining controlled substances illegally through his EMS position.

Edward Augustus Blake, 44, a Eugene Springfield Fire Department medic, was charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, morphine, ketamine and midazolam after allegedly picking up 343 vials of the drugs from a pharmacy and never entering them into his ambulance’s inventory, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the District of Oregon.

“Instead, Blake used the drugs to sexually assault at least three local women,” the press release stated.

Blake was charged last year with first-degree rape, sodomy, strangulation, causing another person to ingest a controlled substance, and unlawful delivery of a controlled substance in Lane County Circuit Court. He is in state custody pending trial on those charges.

Blake is expected to make his first appearance in federal court in the coming weeks. Department of Justice investigators are seeking the public’s help identifying potential additional victims in the case and have asked anyone with information to contact the FBI or submit an online tip.

Edward Augustus Blake Charges

Officials say one woman told investigators Blake told her he was a Eugene Springfield firefighter and sent her photos of medical supplies and medications he claimed to have taken from an ambulance. The woman said she went to a motel with Blake, was choked unconscious and regained consciousness to find an IV in her arm. Blake is accused of drugging the woman with fentanyl and sexually assaulting her while she was unconscious.

Another woman told investigators she obtained controlled substances from Blake and was hospitalized multiple times, and that Blake would come into her hospital room and administer drugs to her through an IV.

“She recalled Blake telling her to sell the drugs, but warned her not to let anyone keep the vials, because they could be traced back to him,” the U.S. Attorney’s statement read.

Follow Never Forget 9-11 Foundation news for updates to this and other public safety stories.

STAFF October 1, 2020 1 Comment

Categories: EMS

Tags: Drug Use EMS

EMS Southwest Accused of Firing Employee Over Pregnancy

EMS Southwest is accused of firing a Greene County woman because she was pregnant.

Bayley Colvin, of Rice’s Landing, said in the federal lawsuit she began her job with the emergency medical service in Waynesburg in September 2019. A little less than two months later, she informed one of the EMS directors she was pregnant.

According to the lawsuit, the director told her “there was no problem,” and she could continue her work throughout her pregnancy and noted she’d be restricted from heavy lifting. She was also granted all requested days off for her prenatal appointments, she said.

Colvin alleged that at one point, she needed to unexpectedly reschedule an appointment. The assistant director of dispatch told Colvin “it’s not our fault that you’re pregnant,” according to the lawsuit, and noted that no more accommodations would be made.

Representatives of EMS Southwest could not immediately be reached for comment.

The lawsuit further contends Colvin began experiencing severe morning sickness and on more than one occasion had to pull over on her way to work to vomit. She said this made her a few minutes later several times, and the assistant director told her the tardiness was “unacceptable,” the lawsuit said.

Colvin said she was told that other pregnant employees were never late because of morning sickness, according to the lawsuit. She said was written up rather than given the option to stay late to make up the missed time.

In December, Colvin said she took two days off for a tooth extraction, time off that was approved, according to the lawsuit. Two days after she returned, however, she was told that because of budget cuts, her position was being eliminated.

According to the lawsuit, Colvin was told that “certain circumstances” were looked at in deciding which employee to terminate, plus she’d been the most recent hire. The lawsuit contends Colvin was hired at the same time two others were hired and another employee was still going through the certification process.

The lawsuit alleges violations of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act and is asking for a jury trial and an unspecified amount in damages.

About EMS Southwest

EMS Southwest, Inc. was established in 1994 as a private, paid ambulance service for Greene County, Pennsylvania.

They provide 24 hour emergency and non-emergency ambulance transportation to the patients of Greene and Fayette counties. Their pre-hospital registered nurses, paramedics, and emergency medical technicians (EMTs) treat ill and injured patients with professionalism, proficiency, and courtesy. EMS Southwest, Inc. has been recognized their program of detection and treatment of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), more commonly known as heart attack. They work in close partnership with Southwest Regional Medical Center for medical direction and command.

STAFF October 1, 2020 No Comments

Categories: EMS

Tags: EMS Lawsuit

Helping Hands Not Helpful

IDPH Issues Cease and Desist to Helping Hands Activity Program

The Helping Hands Activity Volunteer Program was issued a warning by the Iowa Department of Public Health. The warning went to a man who has allegedly been posing as an EMS provider after the man was seen on television explaining how he treated people after a storm.

Health officials said Eric Hansen is not currently a certified EMS provider and that his organization, the Helping Hands Activity Volunteer Program, is not an authorized EMS program, per local news.

The health department sent a cease and desist letter to Hansen saying he could face felony charges if he continues to identify himself as an EMT. Hansen was interviewed by local news station KCRG-TV9 after a derecho storm in August, and was seen wearing an EMT name tag while saying he and his organization had been checking people’s vitals and sending people to the hospital.

Helping Hands Not Helpful Per IDPH

Iowa law allows organizations that are not authorized EMS programs to provide on-site emergency medical care as long as members do not identify themselves as certified EMS providers. The Gazette reported that Hansen’s certification was revoked in 2016, also for false identification, according to state records. Helping Hands Activity Program is not a state authorized program.

Hansen told local news that he didn’t realize his name tag said “EMT” and that he had since changed it, and that his intention was to provide lower-level care after the storm to take some of the burden off of ambulance services.

STAFF September 30, 2020 No Comments

Categories: EMS

Tags: Disaster EMS

Firefighter Is Charged In Assault Case

Andrew Cruikshank, a Virginia firefighter is charged with assault after an altercation with a patient in the back of an ambulance, according to Fairfax County Fire Rescue Department officials.

Fairfax County Firefighter Andrew Cruikshank, who has been with the department for two years, was charged with misdemeanor assault and placed on administrative leave after a police body-worn camera captured the September 14 incident, according to a fire department statement. The fire department has launched an internal investigation.

“This action goes against the values we hold at the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department,” Fairfax County Fire Chief John Butler said in a statement. “We respect our role in the community and strive to build and maintain public trust. We remain dedicated to the safety and wellbeing of our community and will continue to ensure that our members are held to the highest standards of the profession.”

The patient was in Fairfax County Police ustody while being transported to the hospital. The Fairfax County Police Department investigated the incident and released the body camera footage.

According to The Washington Post, the video appears to show a firefighter throw a swab on the patient after the patient threatened to kill him, and then appears to show the patient spitting on the firefighter and the firefighter striking him. A union official said in a statement that the firefighter was assaulted by the patient and that the video and fire department’s statement do not “portray a true picture of what actually happened,” according to the Post.

Andrew Cruikshank: Firefighter Is Charged

Andrew Cruikshank had been assigned to Fox Mill Station 31 A Shift prior to the suspension.

The incident happened just days before a Georgia police officer was sentenced for murdering an off duty paramedic.

STAFF September 30, 2020 No Comments

Categories: EMS

Tags: Assault EMS Fairfax County Fire Rescue