This Week in EMS: Mistaken Death Pronouncements...CPR Devices Pulled...LA Brownouts
This Week in EMS: A Recap for August 1 - August 7, 2009
Sign up here to receive the EMS Weekly Recap in your e-mail.
EMS Official Comments on Mistaken Death Pronouncements
A burglary suspect pronounced dead by EMS after he was shot in the head by police lay for about 30 minutes on the floor of a Northwest Baltimore convenience store before officers noticed he was alive. It is a mistake rarely made by paramedics, but not unheard of, according to Jerry Johnston, immediate past president of the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians.
CPR Devices Pulled in Indiana Due to Lack of Funding
Experimental CPR devices being tested in some central Indiana ambulances have been pulled due to lack of funding. The ResQPOD and the ResQPump, used during CPR to increase blood flow to the heart and brain, are part of a study by the National Institute of Health.
Los Angeles Rescuers Protest "Brownouts"
About 100 firefighters marched at City Hall on August 5 to protest $39 million in service cutbacks that they claim will cost lives. United Firefighters of Los Angeles City President Pat McOsker said a plan to take 15 fire trucks and nine ambulances out of service every day starting Thursday would increase emergency response times.
USFA Praises Response in Illinois Campus Shooting
The USFA has released a technical report praising the actions of first responders in the mass shootings at Northern Illinois University last year. The report states that the DeKalb Fire Department, NIU Department of Public Safety, Kishwaukee Community Hospital and other responders had practiced emergency drills together and coordinated their planning.
Point of View
Taking EMS Care to the Patient: Should EMS stay 'n' play or load 'n' go?
In the early days of EMS, it was stressed that the sooner prehospital care was administered, the better it was for the patient. Today, many EMS instructors are teaching students to place the patient on the cot and take them to the ambulance to initiate care. Although this practice is warranted in some cases, it can also be detrimental, as vital care may be delayed significantly.
Training & Resources
This month's Resource Guide focuses on communications technologies and features articles on improving interoperable communications, getting data and video into the hands of first responders and emergency iPhone applications. PLUS: A roundup of some of the latest communication products to hit the marketplace.
Real World Skills for Scene Safety: Part 3
The Double Tap Parry: The primary physical skill of DT4EMS to defend against frontal attacks.
The kettle bell can be a powerful adjunct for staying fit and strong throughout your career.
Featured Podcast
"The blood sugar on a four-month old was 400. And I thought it must be a mistake, so we rechecked the blood sugar and again it came back over 400." Susie Kochevar, RN and Health Care Coordinator for the North Las Vegas Fire Department, describes how she learned about an interesting aspect of pediatric physiology that could impact the emergency care of young patients.
Industry News
Strategies & Solutions for Grant Funding Success
Cornerstone Adminisystems, Inc., is offering an interactive EMS grant-writing workshop: Unlocked: Strategies & Solutions for Grant Funding Success. The event will allow attendees to leave the workshop with a completed Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) proposal.
Raytheon to Provide California First Responders with Electronic Patient Tracking System
Raytheon Company will provide an electronic patient tracking system to a public health-led team of first responders and hospital personnel in Long Beach, CA, that will improve the availability of patient information. The system facilitates the triage, treatment and transport of victims during mass casualty incidents by providing selected patient data to all involved parties.
- « Previous Page
- 1
- 2
- Next Page »
