Fire Rescue EMS Online News: Autumn Issue

David Pease | 10/21/2009

Several years back, I wrote about the Rescue Jack stabilization struts. Now they have introduced a new line of struts that only improve on previous ones. The new X-Struts will give rescuers more stability, capability and versatility. Read More...

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Michael Smith and Chad Guillot | 10/18/2009

(The following is part one of a three part series on EMS telemedicine.) BR Med-Connect is an EMS telemedicine system recently installed in East Baton Rouge Parish (BR), Louisiana. Currently in a pilot phase, the system is fully functional and is now being used for actual patient care. The system has been planned by, and is now managed by an interdisciplinary team representing each of the system’s key components. This team has selected and begun to implement a diverse group of medical applications for actual patient care and study purposes. It is expected that the program will prove successful and cause many in EMS to revisit their concept of... Read More...

Relevant Tags: EMS,ems, system, telemedicine, communications, med, connect, equipment, ambulance, ems telemedicine, med connect, telemedicine system, baton rouge, rescue ems, comprehensive ems

Michael Arntz | 10/18/2009

Are electronic medical records necessary in the healthcare? How can electronic medical records be managed more effectively? This article will address those questions. Electronic medical records (EMRs) have received a lot of attention recently from the healthcare community. Records are a very important part of the healthcare process and using computers wisely can only benefit the patient. If the proper information is gathered at registration this patient information will be reviewed by the healthcare provider. This information can be transferred to other providers or the hospital or other clinics if needed. This definitely saves time for both... Read More...

Relevant Tags: EMS,patient, healthcare, information, emr, medical, records, electronic, patient information, electronic medical, medical records, healthcare provider, healthcare facility, medical record, rescue ems, m

JOE ELLIS | 10/18/2009

Saving lives. Isn’t that the heart of what firefighting and emergency medical services are all about? What about your own life? I’ve been to several fire/ EMS tradeshows lately to introduce our new firefighter’s treadmill and it’s very concerning how overweight, and even obese, many public safety workers are. Many firefighters don’t appear physically capable of performing their job in intensely demanding situations when people’s lives are on the line. The American Medical Association recently came out with a report that said one-third of all Americans are obese and another one-third is overweight. This leaves only one-third of the American p... Read More...

Relevant Tags: Health and Wellness,heart, target, heart rate, target rate, target heart, fruits vegetables, chest strap, cardio training, life style, fire house, beats minute, skim milk

Lorraine Murphy | 10/18/2009

As firefighters battled flames inside the Twin Towers on Sept. 11, 2001 they were faced with an even larger obstacle. Fire rescue personnel, lacking communications equipment compatible with that used by other responders at the scene, including members of the New York Police Department, were unable to receive warnings of the buildings’ inevitable collapse. Read More...

Relevant Tags: Communications,interoperability, equipment, responders, communications, fire, departments, rescue, fire rescue, communications equipment, rescue personnel, ems journal, interoperability key, dhs systems, rescue em

Carter Jones | 10/18/2009

For a number of years the national fire service has experienced some 100 plus firefighter line-of-duty fatalities annually. Additionally, injuries sustained by our firefighters linger around 80,000 each year. Providing solutions to the fatality and injury issues seem easy in light of the tremendous data base of information relating to the causes. However, the solutions become clouded when we begin to apply those lessons learned to the cultural environment in which we, as a service, have been reared. Read More...

Relevant Tags: Education and Training,fire, service, cultural, carolina, south, state, committee, fire service, cultural change, carolina fire, south carolina, fire department, national fire, carter jones, firefighters’ association, sta

Bart Valley | 10/18/2009

Last year’s stock market decline created significant stress for investors. Unfortunately, in times like last year, we often see investors panicking and moving out of risky assets such as stocks into safer holdings like savings accounts or Treasury bills. But the truth is these safer investments have never produced the kinds of real returns that most investors need. Safe investments like savings accounts or Treasury bills might eliminate investment risk, but they introduce another problem: purchasing power risk. Read More...

Relevant Tags: Financial,risk, investment, savings, percent, investors, treasury bills, savings accounts, investment risk, real return, purchasing power, accounts treasury

Chris Grant | 10/18/2009

(The following is part two of a two part series on your command plan.) Incident management The term “Incident Command System” has been used since the mid 1980s. In the 90s we termed it “Incident Management System.” No matter what you call the system you use, there are several functions that must be simultaneously completed. NFPA 1500, Incident Management, 8.1.8 Read More...

Relevant Tags: Communications,command, incident, training, management, rescue, system, fire rescue, command system, chris grant, fire ground, fire building, incident command

David Elliott | 10/18/2009

If you have been in the fire service or EMS for a significant period of time, you’re likely to make decisions based upon experience gained over the course of your career. Seasoned personnel more often use protocols as a guide, taking book knowledge, written protocols and incident-specific details all into consideration. This most often results in a positive outcome, uses minimal resources and takes the best interest of the patient or property owner to heart. Read More...

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Kristy Moore | 10/18/2009

As ethanol production and use continues to expand to all parts of the U.S., it is inevitable that most American’s will encounter ethanol in one way or another. There are 196 ethanol production facilities located in the US and today nearly all unleaded gasoline is blended with 10 percent ethanol. Safety is and will always continue to be a top priority for America’s ethanol industry and those who transport and bring ethanol to the marketplace. It is important that those responsible for the safety of their communities are well prepared and trained for responding to ethanol related emergencies. Read More...

Relevant Tags: Fire,ethanol, fire, foam, response, responders, emergency, information, fuel, first responders, ethanol emergency, emergency response, ethanol production, ethanol related, ethanol fire, training guide, p

David Hesselmeyer | 10/18/2009

Public health and other first responder agencies have been in planning mode for a pandemic influenza event for many years now. Unfortunately, that planning was used for the first time this year since 1968. In April of this year the “swine flu” (a novel flu virus known as H1N1) was first confirmed in Mexico. Since then over 254,000 people have gotten sick and over 2800 have died worldwide (Source: World Health Organization, as of September 8, 2009). Every pandemic has waves. The first wave in North America ended around the end of the school year. However, we need to be more vigilant now as we expect a second wave anytime. Read More...

Relevant Tags: EMS,virus, flu, vaccine, h1n1, ems, health, flu virus, seasonal flu, first responder, h1n1 virus, flu vaccine, novel flu, public health, novel virus

TIM WOJCIK | 10/18/2009

Let me take a quick second to stand on my soapbox. Have you ever noticed that we in the fire service are quick and passionate when it comes to training on things like RIT, Mayday Drills and Self Rescue? This is a good thing, but have you also noticed that we tend to be equally as passionate against preventive training and actions? Have you ever been written up for not wearing a seatbelt or using a backer? What was your response? I bet there was passion, but not the good kind! Read More...

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DAVID PEASE | 10/18/2009

Awhile back we looked at OTB water boots, one of the best water boots I have come across. They also make several styles of tactical land boots that have some of the same features as their water boots. I had a chance to wear the Bushmaster tactical boot while I was in Guatemala, and it was extremely comfortable and wore really well. The boot looks almost like the Abyss, one of their water boots, but obviously does not have the holes for water drainage. The Bushmaster boots come in black or tan and are a lower cut style boot. The boot has a mesh quarter panel that keeps your foot cooler, and a dual cushioned inner bed for better wicking and co... Read More...

Relevant Tags: Equipment,boots, water, tactical, rescue, water boots, boots have, fire rescue, rescue ems

DOUG ROSS | 10/18/2009

Unlike a burglary or homicide scene, the preservation of the potential arson scene is a more difficult task for the 1st Responder. If you think about it, often arson scenes aren’t confirmed as actual crime scenes until hours, days or weeks after the fire is suppressed! For this reason alone all fire scenes must be considered potential crime scenes from the outset. Read More...

Relevant Tags: Fire,scene, arson, evidence, training, investigation, suppression, scenes, fire scene, fire investigation, arson scene, scene preservation, fire investigators, preserving arson, investigation training

KEN NEWELL | 10/18/2009

Did your Department apply for this grant? Were you successful? If not, will there be another opportunity next year? In the last article we looked in depth at the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 which provided the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) with $210,000,000 to fund the construction and modifications of fire stations. The program is administered by the Assistance to Firefighters Program Office under FEMA’s Grant Programs Directorate. The grants under this new program are being awarded directly to the fire departments on a competitive basis. Read More...

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