Category Archives: Other

MedFlight 9 is Coming to Fayette County

From our friends at MedFlight:

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For More Information Contact: Todd Bailey (614) 734-8027

MEDFLIGHT’S FAYETTE COUNTY HELICOPTER BASE IS COMING SOON Columbus, Ohio – MedFlight, the region’s long-standing non-profit air and ground medical transportation service, is pleased to announce plans to base a medical helicopter in Fayette County.   MedFlight and the Fayette County Commissioners have come to an agreement to locate MedFlight 9 on Highway 435 near I-71, just south of the Tanger Outlet Mall. According to Tony Anderson, Chairman of the Fayette County Commissioners, “We have been working with MedFlight for several months to develop a MedFlight base in Fayette County. Commissioners and business leaders are very excited to enter into a partnership with MedFlight for the emergency services for our residents.” Anderson went on to say, “In addition to saving lives, MedFlight will be the anchor business for our future Mega Business Development site south of the outlet mall. “ Rod Crane, President and CEO of MedFlight stated “When we researched areas of Ohio that were underserved with life- saving medical helicopter teams we identified Fayette County as a service opportunity for MedFlight. The new base will help to improve the outcomes of those who experience traumatic injury in farm and auto accidents and for critically ill patients.” Crane also noted that “Three things must come together for MedFlight to successfully locate and staff a helicopter base. They are regional need, ease of access, and good partnerships with the community. I am also very pleased with the partnership we have developed with Lyndon Christman, President and CEO of Fayette County Memorial Hospital. In addition, other commissioners including Jack DeWeese and Dan Dean have also worked to serve the county by encouraging us to place our next helicopter base in Fayette County.”

 

The helicopter base is expected to be operational in December 2013, until then, MedFlight will continue to serve the air medical needs of Fayette County with aircraft from Fairfield County, Jackson County, Union County and Scioto County. MedFlight operates 7 aircraft and has a partnership with HealthNet of West Virginia to share an 8th helicopter located near Lucasville, OH. MedFlight is a medical transportation consortium whose member owners include The Wexner Center at The Ohio State University and OhioHealth in Columbus, with member Akron General Medical Center.

 

MedFlight has 3 critical care Mobile ICU ground ambulances serving Ohio residents. MedFlight also is a partner-owner of MedCare Ambulance, a joint partnership with Community EMS of Southfield, MI. MedCare now operates 50 ambulances in numerous counties in Ohio. Combined services will reach nearly 50,000 patients being transported in 2013.

 

MedFlight’s helicopter crew consists of a registered nurse, paramedic and pilot, averaging approximately nine years of air medical critical care experience. Crew members are specially trained in caring for patients directly from the scene of an accident and for critical care hospital-to-hospital transports. The Fayette County helicopter is also equipped with the latest NTSB recommended safety and performance equipment for the safety of the crew and patient during air transport.

Ohio EMS Scope of Practice change effective January 1, 2013: Ohio EMTs can no longer intubate

From the Ohio Division of EMS:

REMINDER Effective January 1, 2013, the new scope of practice went into effect for Ohio certified EMTs (formerly known as EMT-Basic), and Ohio EMTs are no longer able to intubate.

Please see the Ohio Scope of practice at this link:  http://www.publicsafety.ohio.gov/links/ems_scope_practice0312.pdf

Effective January 1, 2013, Ohio EMT’s cannot intubation apneic/pulseless victims.

Beginning January 1, 2013, EMTs can provide extraglottic airway insertion on apneic and pulseless patients, with local medical director approval, training and written protocols.

Please see AIRWAY MANAGEMENT in the Scope of Practice link above and note * at the end of AIRWAY MANAGEMENT section: “*Orotracheal intubation of pulseless and apneic patients will be removed from the Ohio EMS scope of practice for Emergency Medical Technicians effective on January 1, 2013.”

This does not affect Advanced EMTs and Paramedics.

Message from State Medical Director Regarding Drug Shortages

March 1, 2012

To: Ohio EMS agencies, EMS medical directors, hospitals, and hospital pharmacists From: Ohio Department of Public Safety, Division of Emergency Medical Services Subject: The February 22, 2012 announcement of drug shortages from the FDA. In light of recent events, your prompt attention is requested to review practices by your agency for substituting drugs that are unavailable or in limited supply that are used by EMS agencies.

 

BACKGROUND

 

The recent announcement of drug shortages from the FDA has impacted on hospitals and may have a negative impact on the ability of EMS professionals to provide the traditional standard of care in the prehospital environment for some patients, as about half of the medications on the FDA’s list are commonly stocked and administered by EMS agencies.

 

RATIONALE FOR REVIEW

 

The following suggestions for alternative drugs are solely based upon the February 22, 2012 drug shortage report from the FDA; therefore, continuous communication with the pharmacists and frequent reassessment of the FDA drug shortage list is imperative. The ongoing drug shortage situation is a dynamic one and the medications in short supply may change on a daily basis. The highest priority must be given to maintaining patient care while at the same time following Ohio law. All transitions to alternative medications must be done in compliance with Ohio’s State Board of Pharmacy and the DEA’s regulations. It is also imperative that EMS medical directors serve as the party to initiate the transition to and implementation of alternative medications for EMS agencies. The addition of any alternative medication to an EMS protocol must be paired with training, continuing education, competency assessment, and continuous performance improvement measures. The National Association of State EMS Officials (NASEMSO) Medical Directors Council has discussed this issue as well as the increased risk of potential conflict with DEA regulations when EMS professionals and EMS medical directors may contemplate administration of expired scheduled medications. Temporary waivers of drug expiration dates are currently being explored for potential viability as an avenue of relief.

The NASEMSO Medical Directors Council acts in an advisory role to NASEMSO and does not have the authority to grant states the ability to waive the expiration dates of medications for EMS agencies or emergency care facilities nor does it have the authority to create policies for the FDA or DEA. Nevertheless, we are committed to be a lead partner with EMS organizations and other stakeholders within our emergency care system to definitively address this dilemma that we believe that the incidences of drug shortages will be ongoing for some time. The FDA has ultimate authority of approval for the administration of medications beyond the expiration dates. An additional consideration is that the FDA’s list of drug shortages includes scheduled medications. For these medications, approval from the DEA, in addition to the FDA, may be required to waive the expiration date of a scheduled medication. The presence of active and involved EMS medical direction is critical and required. EMS medical directors may wish to create and/or implement “just in time” protocols for alternative medications to ensure seamless quality patient care and to maintain patient safety in the pre-hospital setting.

Best regards,

Dr. Carol Cunningham,

State Medical Director

Ohio Department of Public Safety, Division of EMS

More gunshot victims survive

…Trauma surgeons say stopping the bleeding and getting patients to hospitals quickly are vital.

“With penetrating trauma … the motto ‘scoop and run’ is what it’s about,” said Dr. Doug Paul, medical director of trauma services at Grant Medical Center. “The bottom line is that penetrating wounds put holes in things that need clamped, a stitch in them or a finger on them.”

Paul said even gunshot wounds to the heart no longer mean certain death.

“We’ve probably had six of those in the last 12 months who have gone out of here through the front door,” Paul said.

Still, the line between life and death remains razor-thin.

 

Read the full article at:

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/01/20/more-gunshot-victims-survive.html

Educator brought back into rhythm by Columbus Public Schools Nurse with AED

From the Columbus Dispatch, January 29, 2012:

For a while, Dec. 15 was like any other day for Robbin Goods.

The violence-prevention educator with the nonprofit Community for New Direction was working with students at Ohio Avenue Elementary School on the city’s East Side. Then her heart stopped.

Goods, 35, was taken to Grant Medical Center and was kept under observation for a week. She said doctors weren’t sure why she went into cardiac arrest but told her the school’s defibrillator kept her alive.

“Her incident had essentially a textbook response,” said Mark Huckaby, EMS coordinator at Grant and a volunteer with the American Heart Association.

 

Read the full article at:

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/01/29/to-your-health/electrical-shock-brought-counselor-back-into-rhythm.html

NREMT Transition Policy for Nationally Registered EMTs and Paramedics

Being an accredited EMS training facility and having an approved CE program, we’ve received many questions relating to the National Registry transition requirements for EMTs and Paramedics. For convenience, here is a link directly to the NREMT Transition Policy:

https://www.nremt.org/nremt/about/transition_policy.asp

The NREMT transition policy only applies to EMS professionals with National Registry certification. It does not relate to those with state EMT and Paramedic certification only.

For questions, contact the NREMT:

National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians

Rocco V. Morando Building. 6610 Busch Blvd., P.O. Box 29233, Columbus, Ohio 43229

Phone: (614) 888-4484 Fax: (614) 888-8920

West Licking Joint Fire District Training: Bullying in the Workplace

The West Licking Joint Fire District will conduct training for employees and supervisors to understand the neurological and physiological costs of bullying in the workplace. 

This training will be presented by Scott Warrwick, JD, MLHR, CEQC, SPHR, who focuses on assisting organizations to prevent employment law issues from occurring while improving employee relations. For more information on Scott or the training, please visit: www.scottwarrick.com

This training is available to anyone employed in the public sector for $20 and will be offered on three separate dates:

  • January 13th
  • January 20th
  • February 23rd

Each session will run from 8 am to 12 pm.

If you have questions or would like to enroll in a training session, please contact Terra Metzger, HR Technician, at tmetzger@westlickingfire.org or 740-927-8600.

Holiday Traffic Safety Info from ODOT

 

ODOT Urges Holiday Shoppers: Be Extra Cautious

 

Intersection crashes increase during holidays

 

COLUMBUS (November 23, 2011) – Although the holidays are the most wonderful time of the year, they can also be one of the most dangerous as motorists are more likely to be involved in a crash – especially at busy intersections near malls and shopping districts.

 

According to the Ohio Department of Transportation, intersection crashes spiked nearly 20 percent during the 2010 holiday shopping season (Thanksgiving to Christmas day) when compared to other months of the year. In addition, intersection crashes increase dramatically on Sunday, which is typically the safest day to travel throughout the year.

 

“Heavy traffic, complex traffic patterns and multiple driveways near intersections increase the potential for people and vehicles to collide,” said ODOT Director Jerry Wray. “You can avoid a crash and reduce the risk of serious injuries by being patient and giving walking, riding or driving your full attention around malls this holiday season.”

 

In 2010, there were 12,256 crashes at intersections in Ohio during the shopping season – 4,329 people were injured and 33 people were killed. Most crashes were angle and rear-end collisions, often caused by motorists following too close to other vehicles or misjudging the gap in traffic when turning at an intersection or driveway.

 

Cell phones, texting and other distractions are also an increasing concern. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that about 23 percent of all crashes nationwide involve cell phone use.

 

“You can prevent crashes in Ohio by ‘parking’ your cell phone until your vehicle is safely parked,” Wray added. “No call or text is worth the potential risk.”

 

 

In Central Ohio, the increase in intersection crashes is even more dramatic at the following popular shopping corridors:

 

· 75% Increase on and in areas adjacent to I-71/Polaris/Gemini Parkways

 

· 49% Increase on and in areas adjacent to I-270 and Tuttle Boulevard

 

· 35% Increase on and in areas adjacent to I-270/SR 161/Rt. 3 and Easton Way

 

· 22% Increase on and in areas adjacent to I-70/Hamilton Road

 

 

ODOT urges drivers to keep these intersection safety tips in mind to protect themselves and their passengers this holiday season:

 

1. Stay alert, slow down and drive defensively when approaching an intersection. Allow extra time to get to your destination.

 

2. Avoid distractions such as using a mobile phone, eating, drinking and listening to loud music while driving.

 

3. Don’t try to beat a red light. Traffic signals are there to guide motorists through complex turns and other traffic movements, as well as provide safe crossings for pedestrians and bicyclists.

 

4. Be cautious, even with a green light, and look both ways before entering an intersection to make sure all cross traffic has stopped.

 

5. Never change lanes in an intersection. Changing lanes increases confusion and adds to the complexity of successfully navigating through an intersection.

 

6. Watch for increased pedestrian and bicycle traffic at intersections.

 

7. Buckle up. It can significantly increase your chance of surviving a crash.

 

8. Do not drink and drive. Impaired driving is a leading cause of fatalities and serious injuries.

 

9. Maintain a safe stopping distance between you and the vehicle ahead. ODOT recommends one car length for every 10 mph.

 

10. Don’t crowd the plow. The holidays mean the return of snow and ice conditions. Increase your distance between cars, trucks and plows during storm events. If you have to pass a plow, use extreme caution and beware of the snow cloud.

 

Intersection safety is one of the major roadway safety initiatives in ODOT’s “Every Move You Make, Keep it Safe” campaign. Programs include Safe Routes to Schools, Roadway Departure Crash Reduction and Intersection Safety. The public is invited to find out more by visiting www.everymove.ohio.gov.