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Original Contribution

For National EMS Week, Think About Safety

National EMS Week is a time to celebrate America’s emergency medical professionals, but it’s also a good occasion to recognize all citizens whose actions help save lives and reduce suffering. As an example, take the case of Tracy Cassano.

Cassano is a PE teacher at Rosemount High School in Rosemount, Minn. On March 3 her quick intervention helped save fellow educator Chris Orr.

When Orr went into cardiac arrest, Cassano immediately started CPR; a defibrillator then shocked Orr’s heart back into rhythm.

For her actions, Cassano was one of six people honored by the Dakota County Board of Commissioners and Rosemount EMS Council. Others included a trio of firefighters who helped rescue and resuscitate a woman whose car crashed into a pond, and a police officer who cared for a stabbing victim who’d lost 70% of his blood. For more see the Twin Cities Pioneer Press. 

Safety Tuesday

As National EMS Week continues through May 27, Tuesday is “Safety Tuesday,” dedicated to the safety of EMS providers, their patients and the public. The NAEMT offers the following safety tips

Communicate: Not just with your patients but with other members of your crew. Speak up if something doesn’t seem right—poor communication causes mistakes, and mistakes cause accidents.

Maintain situational awareness: When working in the road, be sure to wear an appropriate vest and keep an eye on oncoming traffic.

Take care of your tools: Your vehicle is your living. Respect it and take care of it.

Drive like a professional: Driving under emergency conditions is half of our job, and we need to be as good at it as we are at patient assessment.

Watch your back: Know how to lift safely and make sure you have enough help to keep from hurting your back. One out of every four EMS workers suffers a career-ending back injury within their first four years of service.

Protect yourself from violence: Remember that patients, relatives and crowds can become difficult if they don’t understand why you’re not moving toward the hospital. If verbal de-escalation doesn’t work and things look about to turn ugly, get out as soon as you can.

Take care of your body: Planning ahead can help you avoid relying on junk food. Make sure you get enough rest. When you’re overtired you’re not only more likely to make mistakes but also to get injured. Do simple exercises and stretches on duty to keep from getting hurt.

“EMS Strong,” says the NAEMT of this year’s EMS Week theme, “is a philosophy that guides our profession through the daily challenges and often severe conditions we face. It reinforces the need for our physical and mental well-being and gives us the strength to support the well-being of our colleagues… Those who wear the Star proudly conserve life, promote health and personify the meaning of EMS Strong.”

Find more on the organization’s acclaimed EMS Safety course at https://www.naemt.org/education/EMSSafety.aspx.

Here are some other key National EMS Week links:

Let us know how you’re celebrating by sharing news and photos on our Facebook page.

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