Live saving drugs pulled from fire truck in Naples, Florida

[VentMedic]

Live saving drugs pulled from fire truck in Naples

http://www.nbc-2.com/articles/readarticle....d=21540&z=3

LEE COUNTY: In an emergency, you trust paramedics will have the equipment and skills needed to save lives, but when members of the Naples Fire Department respond to their next call, many crucial tools won't be on their truck. We asked the fire chief and a paramedic whether your safety is at risk.

Many firefighters double as paramedics with skills and equipment to save your life.

"You need care, you need it right away," said Adam Nadelman.

Twelve of fourteen paramedics with the Naples Fire Department failed a test on drugs and their side effects.

Because of that, a fire truck at the main station was stripped of medicines, IVs, breathing treatments, heart monitors and other advanced live saving equipment.

"You as a private citizen want every confidence they know when to use the drugs and when not," said Dr. Robert Tober, Collier County's EMS Medical Director.

Tober says Naples paramedics had a month to prepare for the test.

He decided to pull the drug boxes until paramedics learn how to use them.

"They have to follow my guidelines because it's my license they're operating under," said Tober.

"I don't think it was fair," said paramedic Adam Nadelman.

Nadelman didn't take the test but says removing potentially life saving equipment from a truck is putting lives in jeopardy.

"It could be 10 minutes before you get advanced care," said Nadelman.

Nadelman says the failure of the paramedics was just a fluke.

Naples Fire Chief Jim McEvoy says they are all state certified paramedics.

We asked if he was concerned.

"No I'm not concerned. This is what we do in our business. We do a test to determine what skill levels are," said McEvoy.

"I am concerned," said Councilman Gary Price.

Price is disappointed Naples paramedics failed their test. He says safety should be the city's number one priority.

"Let's do what we need to, to get it right, and get them trained," said Price.

Naples paramedics will get 40 hours of training next month, retake the test, and if they pass the fire truck will be re-stocked with advanced life saving equipment like IVs and drugs.

Councilman Gary Price plans to bring up the issue at the regular council meeting on Wednesday.

Dr. Tober says all paramedics in the county will also be tested.

http://www.nbc-2.com/articles/readarticle....d=21540&z=3

[mshow00]

So what happens when they push the wrong drugs, or the wrong amount, or both? How life saving is that? As for "fair", they had a month to study and still failed. That is not "fair" to the people who they are responsible for. Instead of whining about their mistake, why don't they take a second to think about what they just told there community. People here at the City talk about whackers who make us all look bad, this is infinitely worse. This is a black eye to anyone who has anything to do with EMS.

[VentMedic]

This is what happens when you memorize and don't LEARN pharmacology. The medical director was probably testing for an understanding of the medications. The month of studying probably consisted of pulling out the note cards and more memorizing.

Of course it would have been better if the 700 hour medic mill education with clinicals on an ALS engine wasn't the norm for some FFs to get their cert.

[JakeEMTP]

12 of 14 firemedics failing a pharmacology exam is not a fluke. It is an indication of just how serious they take EMS. I would hazard a guess they didn't even study for the exam. Failing it would get them off the ambulance or ALS calls on the engine.

This is indeed scary to me. Could this possibly be another sign of why Fire and EMS should be separate?

[ERDoc]

ERDoc sits on the side, eating popcorn, anxiously awaiting Dust's reply.

This should be good.

[Dustdevil]

All I have to say is...

[p3medic]

Hey Doc, that didn't take long.

[chbare]

ROTFLMAO

Take care,

chbare.

[ERDoc]

11 minutes from my post, 1 hour 47 minutes from the OP. Nice work Dust.

[Dustdevil]

"I am concerned," said Councilman Gary Price.

Question is, is he concerned enough to actually study the matter thoroughly and determine the root cause of the problem, as well as to push for the though choices that would solve the problem?

Price is disappointed Naples paramedics failed their test. He says safety should be the city's number one priority.

Number one, well... except for budget concerns, union concerns, and tradition.

"Let's do what we need to, to get it right, and get them trained," said Price.

Well, the first step to getting it right is to realise that "training" is not the answer. In fact, "training" is exactly why you have the problem you have. Ask your doctor what kind of "training" he got to learn pharmacology. Ask him if he went to medical school because he wanted to, or because he was forced to. The step that is necessary to "get it right" will mean the end of your fire-based system altogether. Are you prepared to do that? Or did you speak too hastily about it being your "number one priority"?

I am so tempted to send this Councilman a letter, giving him some honest and intelligent insight into what the problem is. Even after all these years of beating my head against the wall, I still occasionally get these idealistic notions that someone who can do something about it might actually listen and "get it". But nah... knowing Floridia today, Gary Price is probably a recent frostback immigrant from New York, who still thinks that the Long Island volly system is wonderful.