This Week in EMS: Medic Hit by Drunk Driver...$10M EMS Lawsuit...Recruitment Video

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Calif: Man Drives Home Drunk After Hitting Medic

The Bakersfield Police Department said a man has been arrested on drunken driving charges after he hit and dragged an EMS provider before returning home.

Florida Agency Vows Appeal after $10M Lawsuit Verdict

The mother of a child born two months prematurely during an ambulance ride has received a $10 million jury verdict for medical expenses, pain and other damages, but EVAC Ambulance vows to appeal.

Paramedics Top UK List of Most Trusted Occupations

Paramedics, pilots and the police came out top in a UK survey regarding trust.

The Corner Office: Practical Management for EMS Leaders

Help Wanted: A New Approach to an Old Problem

When MONOC Mobile Health Services in New Jersey wanted to ramp up its employee recruitment efforts, producing a recruitment video seemed like a dynamic new way to attract new staff. This article outlines five steps agencies need to take when using video to recruit new personnel.

Prehospital Profiles

Emergency Preparedness: Expanding to an All-Hazards Approach

The Shoalwater Bay Tribe began developing its emergency preparedness program in 2005. In 2007, winter storms that damaged buildings and cut off this coastal community from outside help offered a chance to rehearse its preparations. The first full-scale community evacuation drill was held in 2006. Following a tsunami alert in September 2009, the tribe again launched a community-wide evacuation exercise to test its emergency preparedness system.

EMS Training Center

MCI Management Tips

The ability to effectively manage an MCI is entirely dependent on how much effort has gone into building your MCI response capabilities. A well-managed mass casualty event is only possible when it has been front-loaded with adequate preparation, including resources, equipment, policies, procedures, strategic stockpiles, interagency agreements and both initial and ongoing collaborative training.

Featured EMS Magazine Article

EMS Response to Mass Violence

Virginia Tech in 2007. Mumbai in 2008. Fort Hood in 2009. As mass-shooting incidents continue, it is important that responders are aware of their dangers and response considerations. Wherever you work, you and your agency will likely face the challenge of responding to a critical mass-shooting or mass-violence event.

Continuing Education

Therapeutic Hypothermia in EMS

Protocols are emerging that specify post-cardiac arrest cooling in the ambulance. This video presentation sponsored by Philips examines EMS protocols and describes how you might start cooling in the field, monitor patient progress and hand off to the hospital. After viewing this video, take the CE test that accompanies this lesson at www.rapidce.com.

This CE activity is approved by EMS Magazine, an organization accredited by the Continuing Education Coordinating Board for Emergency Medical Services (CECBEMS), for .5 CEUs. After viewing the video, take the CE test that accompanies this lesson at www.rapidce.com.

Facial Trauma

Facial trauma is most frequently caused by motor vehicle collisions, physical altercations and falls. This CE article discusses the incidence of facial trauma, reviews facial anatomy and physiology, and discusses the assessment and treatment of the facial trauma patient. This article also features a lesson plan that utilizes the content of CE articles to help facilitate training sessions. Use or adapt this lesson plan for your organization, its personnel and its local protocols.

This CE activity is approved by EMS Magazine, an organization accredited by the Continuing Education Coordinating Board for Emergency Medical Services (CECBEMS), for 1.5 CEUs. After reading the article, take the CE test that accompanies this lesson at www.rapidce.com.