Dustdevil

Here is a glimpse into the plot by the IAFC to dominate EMS. And it is working. Too well. The IAFC/IAFF have made themselves the de-facto spokesmen and representatives of EMS as a whole, and the powers that be accept them as such. So who is representing the interests of real EMS providers and systems? Nobody that I can see. Read this document very carefully. Take a look at how the IAFC is taking the bull by the horns and wrestling control of our industry. And who can blame them? We certainly have not been doing it for ourselves. Our industry is ripe for the picking, and theirs is dying. They'd be crazy not to take advantage of that. But if you have half a brain, you will see from this document the dangers that their interests present to the profession. Read and be afraid. Very afraid. Then discuss. 2009 Accomplishments Top achievements in 2009 and a list of events, meetings & initiatives involving EMS Section representation on behalf of the IAFC and fire service based EMS * The EMS Section played a strong role on Capitol Hill to reinstate the EMS personnel notification provisions of the 1991 Ryan White Act; Defending Public Safety Helicopter use by opposing regulation that would limit the use of FAA Part 91 helicopters; Public Safety Officer Benefit program advancements; Medicare/Medicaid Ambulance Fee Schedule funding; and FIRE and SAFER Grant funding for prehospital 9-1-1 emergency medical patient care; among others. * The EMS Section and its Medicare/Medicaid Committee wrote a letter to the Centers for Medicare Services (CMS) requesting it extend the deadline of CMS change request #6372 so software vendors can modify the existing electronic billing systems for municipal emergency services to reflect the new CMS date of service for ambulance services. * IAFC - through the EMS Section - joined with the IAFF in a letter to House and Senate Appropriations Committee leaders calling for increased pandemic influenza funding for the EMS community in the Fiscal Year 2009 Supplemental. The letter highlighted specific funding for necessary medical equipment and personnel training needs, priority status for medical countermeasures and the need to ensure local public-health agencies coordinate with local fire and EMS services. * The EMS Section's Emerging Disease Committee worked in the opening months of 2009 to monitor the spread of H1N1 flu and develop the IAFC educational website, www.iafc.org/flu. The site serves as a source for fire and emergency service chief officers to understand H1N1 flu and access various guidance documents and resources being generated for public health and safety officials. The IAFC's EMS Section has maintained its Emerging Disease Committee following work in 2005-2006 on Avian Influenza. * The EMS Section's Emerging Disease Committee compiled a best-practice document in response to inquiries on administering influenza vaccines for fire/EMS personnel. The document answers questions about the vaccines, provides background information on requirements and explains their importance. * The IAFC - with the effort and funding by the EMS Section - became a sponsoring agency for the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions (CoAEMSP). Chiefs David Becker, Ret., and Paul Berlin now serve as directors on the CoAEMSP Board and Chief Becker serves as the Commissioner from the IAFC to the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). The IAFC is the first fire representative to CoAEMSP, which is the major accrediting body for EMS educational programs. * The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1901 Technical Committee on Ambulances formally met to develop ambulance construction safety standards. Chief Gary Morris, Ret., was named and funded by the EMS and SHS Sections to this effort. The Group is now formally titled the NFPA 1917 Committee and will work in 2010 to develop the important standards. * The EMS Section worked with the Massimo Corporation and Dr. Bryan Bledsoe on development and distribution of, Rehabilitation and Medical Monitoring; A guide for Best Practices, an Introduction to NFPA 1584 (2008 Standards), and related on-line educational tools. * The EMS Section worked with the Volunteer & Combination Officers Section (VCOS) on development and distribution of the Orange Ribbon Report, which serves as a toolkit for volunteer departments transitioning into EMS response. The report considers the role and benefits to patient care in pre-hospital 911 EMS deployment response; costs involved in adding EMS to departments; communications; funding avenues and cost-recovery systems; legal requirements; human resources considerations; and quality-management systems. * The EMS Section participated in the November BARDA Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Medical Countermeasures End-User Roundtable Meeting, which focused on emergency response capabilities post-event. * The annual Heart Safe Community Awards - sponsored by the EMS Section and Physio-Control - were presented at Fire-Rescue Med 2009 in Las Vegas for the Heart Safe Community PAD Program Large and Small Community Awards and the STEMI Awareness Community Program Award. * The EMS Section continued its work with US Fire Administration and National Fire Academy staff to integrate EMS into the mission and deliverables coming from those two organizations. The EMS Section represents the IAFC on the National Fire Academy EMS Education Agenda Advisory group. * The EMS Section continued its work with IAFC National Programs on a US Fire Administration grant for a Fire Service and EMS Medical Directors handbook. The EMS Section met with Bill Troup of USFA in June, 2009, on the project and is now part of the development team. * The EMS Section worked with the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) on jointly released position papers on the role and importance of fire service based EMS. The two also worked in conjunction to create a new video on fire service based EMS to properly articulate and highlight its beneficial role in America's communities. * The EMS Section continues its involvement in the NHTSA EMS Workforce Data Definitions Project. The Section named Chief Roxy Barnes to represent the IAFC on the project's expert panel, which initially met in April 2009 and has subsequently worked in June and July on the definitions. Of note, Chief Barnes was the first person named under the new IAFC Liaison Appointment Agreement. * The EMS Section wrote the IAFC's comments to the Federal Communication Commission's November 12 request seeking information on the Health Care Delivery Elements of National Broadband Plan (NBP Public Notice #17). The IAFC comments highlight the roles and needs of the emergency medical responder * The EMS Section produced 7 podcasts for section member and public distribution. Topics included how Hollywood portrays EMS, including the newly released television show Trauma; the June 2009 Metrorail crash in Washington, D.C.; EMS quality improvement programs; the NFPA 1584 Rehabilitation Standards; the National EMS Education Agenda for the Future status; and the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for EMS Professions (CoAEMSP) on and how accreditation of paramedic education programs will shape licensing in the future for all paramedics. * The EMS Section sent a letter to chairman of NBC Television, asking for either cancellation or modification of its show, "Trauma" due to the inappropriate portrayal of paramedics on the show. * The EMS Section was involved with 3 seminar and pre-conference courses at Fire Rescue International, 2009, in Dallas, TX. These included: Chief- Do You Know About This? Current and Emerging EMS Topics for the Fire Chief; Untapped Revenue Sources for Fire-based EMS; Mentoring in Memphis: A Case Study for Developing Firefighter/Paramedic Recruits. * The February 2009 edition of EMS Insider profiled the section and highlighted its purpose and focus on issues important to the entire EMS community. The article also noted the work of the IAFC Economic Challenge Task Force. The group, chaired by EMS Section Treasurer Chief Rob Brown, released Weathering the Economic Storm: Fiscal Challenges in Fire and Emergency Medical Services as guidance for departments facing economic change in 2009. * Successful Fire Rescue Med 2009 Conference with over 600 in attendance and strong educational programs and panel discussions covering various issues faced by EMS systems. The show floor saw over 55 vendors exhibiting the newest technology and services in pre-hospital emergency response and patient care. FRM attendees also enjoyed informative keynote addresses by John McManus, Director for US Army Center of Pre-Deployment Medicine; Bryan Bledsoe, Professor, Emergency Medicine at the University of Nevada School of Medicine; and forensic scientist Dr. Henry Lee, Chief Emeritus, Connecticut State Police. * The 2009 James O. Page EMS Achievement Award was presented to Mark Lockhart, fire chief of the Maryland Heights Fire Protection District, Missouri in recognition of a 25 plus year impact at the local, state and national organization level on issues important to the future of fire service based EMS. * The EMS Section's Meritorious Service Award was created in 2009 to acknowledge work of merit in the 2008/2009 year. The 3 award winners were: outgoing IAFC President Chief Larry Grorud for his work on EMS within the IAFC; former U.S. Fire Administrator Chief Greg Cade for his efforts in making EMS as one of the missions of USFA and NFA; and EMS Coordinator Mike McEvoy for his unwavering and influential help in many EMS Section activities, including keeping the membership updated on H1N1. * EMS Section Treasurer, Chief Rob Brown, was named to the Journal of Emergency Medical Services (JEMS) Editorial Board; and to the EMS Today Program Planning Committee. The IAFC EMS Section also hosted a roundtable discussion at EMS Today 2009 on emerging issues in fire service based EMS. * Elections for the EMS Section Executive Board positions of chair and treasurer were up for election in 2009 and On 6 March 2009 when nominations closed, two candidates had announced their intentions to run: Chief Gary Ludwig for Section Chair and Chief Robert Brown for Section Treasurer. Both were installed for 2009-2010 at Fire Rescue-Med. * The section continued its outreach to members via the EMS Section Facebook Group; Google Newsgroup; monthly e-blast; the 3 EMS Chief Advisor newsletters; and in securing the new EMS Section website address, www.iafcems.org

Come on, Richard! Let's have it! I missed the episode tonight, and it won't be online to watch til tomorrow.

Wow, are you serious? I have never heard of any agency doing that, ever. Absolutely insane.

Et tu Brute'?

Prejudice is different from intolerance.

I wish I had a dollar for ever driver I've worked with who automatically switched the back-up alarm off everytime s/he shifted into reverse as a matter of habit. Not to mention all those who jam a piece of folded paper or a toothpick into the switch to keep it turned off permanently. Personally, I'd fire any driver I caught doing that even one time.

http://www.ems1.com/ambulances-emergency-vehicles/articles/805173-Drunk-driver-drags-Calif-medic-along-road/ April 08, 2010 'Drunk driver' drags Calif. medic along road EMS personnel spoke to driver through window; dragged as he rapidly accelerated KERO.com BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — The Bakersfield Police Department said a man has been arrested on drunken driving charges after he hit and dragged an ambulance driver before returning home. Around 5 a.m. on Thursday, officers of the BPD responded to the 2300 block of Chester Avenue regarding a collision. The investigation revealed that an on-duty Hall Ambulance crew located a white GMC Sierra pick up facing the wrong direction on Chester Avenue with the driver slumped over at the wheel. The ambulance crew attempted to contact the driver, John Edward Gombos, 21, because they feared he was having some type of medical condition. The crew observed that Gombos appeared to be under the influence of an alcoholic beverage and called for police. As one member of the ambulance crew was speaking to Gombos at his driver’s window, Gombos rapidly accelerated in an attempt to flee, Sgt. Mary DeGeare said. The ambulance driver, a 49-year-old woman, feared she was going to be run over by Gombos vehicle, so she grabbed onto the window frame and was dragged until she fell from the vehicle striking her head on the roadway, DeGeare said. Gombos fled to his home where he was located and subsequently arrested on charges of DUI causing injury and hit and run causing injury. The ambulance driver was transported to an area hospital suffering from a head injury. I can't figure out how he drove the ambulance and leaned into the drunk's car at the same time. Regardless, scene safety FAIL!

http://www.ems1.com/ems-management/articles/804609-Former-Pa-EMTs-lawsuit-claims-sexual-harassment/ April 07, 2010 Former Pa. EMT's lawsuit claims sexual harassment Man quit after 17 years of service claiming female supervisor sexually harassed him The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review PITTSBURGH, Pa. — A former emergency medical technician for Tri Community South Emergency Medical Services claims in a federal civil rights lawsuit filed yesterday that he quit in June 2008 after 17 years on the job because a female supervisor grabbed him in the crotch and otherwise sexually harassed him. James Gmiter of Bethel Park states in the suit that ambulance service officials ignored his complaints and refused to let him meet with the municipal managers. Tri Community South EMS is jointly owned and operated by Bethel Park, South Park and Upper St. Clair. Gmiter is seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages against Tri Community South and the supervisor. A spokesperson for the organization couldn't be reached for comment.

http://www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_14834430?nclick_check=1 April 08, 2010 St. Paul / Death claim settled for $175K City to pay family of woman hit by ambulance By Emily Gurnon egurnon@pioneerpress.com The St. Paul City Council is set to approve today a $175,000 settlement with the family of a woman killed when an ambulance ran over her. The victim, Margaret Kuehn, 79, was standing in the alley behind her home in the 1600 block of James Avenue on June 20 when an ambulance responded to a car accident. An elderly driver had crashed through a privacy fence in the Walgreens parking lot, crossed over a retaining wall and landed in the adjacent alley. The ambulance backed up and hit Kuehn, who possibly had gone into the alley to see what was going on. The ambulance driver, Thomas Murakami, was not charged with a crime. But an attorney for Kuehn's family, Patrick O'Neill, said in a written claim to the city on July 23 that Murakami "willfully disregarded St. Paul Fire Department written standard operating procedure by driving in reverse without hand guidance by one of his crew members or a police officer." "The duty further required Mr. Murakami to maintain a proper lookout, anticipate the presence of others, and take all necessary precautions to avoid an accident," O'Neill wrote. Neither O'Neill nor Kuehn's daughter, Lisa Cline, returned messages seeking comment late Tuesday. State law limited the city's financial responsibility in the death to $400,000. City council president Kathy Lantry said the family and the city arrived at the $175,000 figure by considering several factors, including what a jury might decide and the costs of a trial. "I think the desire of the family was to have some closure here, and certainly for the city also," Lantry said. Setting an amount is difficult, she said. "What's the value of a person's life? It makes my stomach ache. There's no good that comes from any of this." Kuehn was a longtime resident of the Macalester-Groveland/Highland Park area. She was remembered at her funeral at Holy Spirit Catholic Church as a doting grandmother and a familiar face in the neighborhood, where she regularly walked her dog, Ashley. Several St. Paul firefighters attended the service. Emily Gurnon can be reached at 651-228-5522.

Hmmm... I wonder why this one was fired. Between Martin and St Lucie Counties, they're going to have to build a new prison just for firemonkeys. http://www.ems1.com/ambulances-emergency-vehicles/articles/804678-Ex-firefighter-twin-brother-arrested-in-Fla-ambulance-burglaries/ April 07, 2010 Ex-firefighter, twin brother arrested in Fla. ambulance burglaries Authorities say brothers admitted to injecting drugs stolen from ambulances By Carolyn Scofield WPTV STUART, Fla. — Stuart Police and Martin County Sheriff's detectives have two suspects in custody in connection with the theft of two medical supply boxes from two Martin County Fire Rescue ambulances. Nicholas and Christopher Pizzo of Palm City are being held at the Martin County Jail and face burglary and grand theft charges. They were taken into custody by Detective Leo Ferreira of the Martin County Sheriff's Office. Surveillance cameras at Martin Memorial Medical Center caught one of the thefts Monday afternoon. The video shows a man opening an ambulance door and picking up a medical kit. He runs off with the box. According to Stuart Police Nicholas Pizzo, a former Martin County firefighter, was seen on video opening a side door of the ambulance and running off with the drug box. His brother, Christopher, was waiting in a car and drove away. The supply kits contain everything from bandages to morphine. "We carry a number of pharmaceutical agents," says Martin County Fire Rescue Division Chief Daniel Wouters. "Everything from cardiac drugs and narcotics and so forth for treating specific medical conditions and used in those medical conditions, they're used quite safely, but in a normal circumstance with a person that doesn't have a medical ailment or doesn't know the appropriate dosage for these medications, they're extremely harmful." Paramedics at Fire Station 21 in Palm City also noticed their supply box missing Monday night. Investigators say deputies picked up the Pizzo brothers after they were called in as suspicious persons near the emergency room at Martin Memorial Hospital (South) late Tuesday night. According to the Martin County Sheriff's Office Christopher stated to Detective Ferreira that both he and Nicholas had committed the burglaries and revealed the location of both advanced life support boxes. In a news release Stuart police say they injected the drugs, and discarded the boxes in a dumpster behind Milams Market. According to police the drugs they injected were listed as Dilaudid, Morphine, Verced, and Ativan. Bond for both suspects was set at $60,000. And on a side note, WTF are they doing leaving Scheduled meds in a jump box in an unlocked ambulance? Someone needs to be FIRED!

It's pretty rare that I see things as he does, so I wouldn't worry about it.

Uhhh... I believe that is exactly what I have been saying. And that would be two DIFFERENT stories, complete with different dates.

LOL! Someone gave Richard a negative! Dude, seriously... Chuck really should make an EMS movie!

I don't see how that makes a rat's arse. The non-nurses don't have any of that experience either! At least the nurses have a scientific, as well as interpersonal foundation upon which to build. The non-nurses have zip. And let's not forget that about 95 percent of all EMS work is not critical care.

California EMS is horrible. Rock bottom. While there are some great exceptions, the educational programmes there are notoriously weak, teaching cookbook medicine and catering to the firemonkey contingent, who doesn't even want to be a medic in the first place. Consequently, they run little more than an advanced first aid course, with monkey see-money do protocols that supposedly even an idiot could competently perform. State and local laws tend to reinforce that system. I did my last recert in SoCal a couple of years ago and was appalled at the attitudes of those in attendance. Anytime a lecturer started talking about anything that was even mildly advanced, more than half the class started groaning and rolling their eyes, throwing down their pencils and yelling, "Is this going to be on the test?" In the scenarios, nobody knew ANYTHING. What they did know was outdated or just plain wrong, and they'd argue it to death. I met like four people in a class of fifty that I had any respect for at all. Two were AMR guys, and two were CHP flight medics. I still keep in touch with a couple of them. But that was it out of the whole bunch. Even the instructors and lecturers were disgusted.

That is also what I assumed he was referring to. That's why I asked if nurses receive their education there, or elsewhere. If they receive it elsewhere, then a critical care education would be more difficult to set up, especially if there is no existing medical educational infrastructure.

No. I'm saying it should have no more effect on you than if he had murdered his mother.

Bad enough she cheats on him. She has to try and kill him too? Women.

For you, it's better than nothing, although far from ideal. But for the OP -- to whom my answers were intended -- it is specifically for a prerequisite requirement, meaning he needs college credit, so no, it's not a good deal.

I would. If you don't receive college credit for it, it ain't a good option.

What are you guys smoking? It's NOT THE SAME STORY! Suspensions are not the same thing as a firing. This is a whole new story.

I don't think anyone is claiming it was a particularly smart move, much less one that should be congratulated. Fired? Maybe. But I would hardly call it criminal, which is what the idiot cops are doing.

JEMS article about this suit, with commentary by JEMS Editor-in-Chief. http://www.jems.com:80/news_and_articles/news/2010/04/jems_editor_in_chief_aj_heightman_comments_on_this_case_and_the_jury_award.html