A NEWSLETTER FOR TRAPPE FIRE AND AMBULANCE CO. #1 SEPT THE TRAPPE DOOR DOC DAVE, PA EMS PHYSICIAN OF THE YEAR

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1 THE TRAPPE DOOR DOC DAVE, PA EMS PHYSICIAN OF THE YEAR Dr. David Neubert, Medical Director for Trappe Fire and Ambulance, was named EMS Physician of the Year by the Pennsylvania Emergency Health Services Council. At an awards luncheon held on August 14, 2009, Dr. Neubert was given the award by PEHSC Executive Director Janette Kearney and state EMS Director Joe Schmider. Dr. Dave s resume as Trappe Fire and Ambulance Medical Director, ED/Trauma Physician at Reading Hospital and a pioneer and founder of Tac-Med, LLC, designed to address the changing environment of tactical field treatment, made him an easy choice for the recognition. Congratulations Doc Dave! We are all very proud of you. PAGE 1

2 CHIP-IN PROGRAM HELPS THOSE IN NEED Trappe Fire Co. #1 began the CHIP-IN program several months ago to assist people in our community. The goal is to help those enrolled by assisting them in getting medications they cannot afford and inspecting their homes for potential injury hazards. When we respond to 911 calls, many times we see first hand people in our community who need help in addition to the medical or traumatic treatment we provide. CHIP-IN is designed just for these people. According to our CHIP-IN Coordinator, Jenn McCloy, EMT, the program will also assist with home safety checks to prevent possible injuries to children. Who is eligible for this important community service? McCloy says that anyone who needs assistance is a possible candidate for assistance. It is geared towards the elderly, many who live alone, who may need help with in-home safety issues and medications. Once contacted, Trappe prehospital providers will schedule and make home visits to check for possible safety problems within the home. Our goal is to help people in our community avoid accidents that can happen within the home that could lead to hospitalization. According to McCloy, she has contact with several pharmaceutical companies who will help the elderly obtain their needed daily medications if they can t afford to purchase them. She will also assist them in applying for PACE or public assistance. To enroll contact Jenn at or her at jmccloy@trappefire.org. PAGE 2

3 STRIKE TEAM TRAINS ON MOBILE HOSPITAL Five members of the 324 Strike Team attended a training session on Tuesday, 8/ 18/09 at North Penn High School. The footprint is about the size of a basketball court. Members were responsible for unloading the materials, set-up of the facility, treating and triaging patients (if necessary), staffing the registration area and demobilization. Members arrived at 8 am and after a brief overview of the components, had the facility functional within 2 hours. Members then assisted with a full inventory of the equipment while demobilizing the location. Sauls, Mickalonis, Keenan, Miles and Tichnell. 324 STRIKE Team members The training was to establish a Medical Support Unit utilizing PA DOH resources. The MSEC trailer has the capabilities to establish a 46-bed treatment area for basic injuries. It comes equipped with cots, workstations, medical supplies, linens and support equipment. The trailer is then used as a registration area for referred patients. It is the intent that the Strike Team units would provide the initial staffing of this facility during a major event. Thanks to all who attended. UNITS: 324-1, DC324, BC324, Medic 325, Medic 329, Medic 331, County EMS Office PAGE 3

4 DOC IN A BOX ACUTE CVA If symptoms within 3 hours and can get to reading in time to give TPA Reading If symptoms within 3 hours but will be outside window if drive to Reading Phoenixville If symptoms started outside 3 hour window Patient preference Reading is a full service JCAHO Stoke Center. ** Lehigh can be substituted for Reading (also an accredited stroke center) if closer or patient preference. TRAUMA Category 1 or 2 trauma patients Closest Trauma center (Reading or Lehigh) Category 3 patients Local If you have any questions, or want to go local, use me or Reading for medical control. Do not call the local hospital,. This is per state protocol trauma center docs, not local docs, determine ER trauma destination decisions. NOTE the protocol has changed in the past year, you may want to review this (HINT HINT) --- NEW I have posted the Trauma Criteria for Reading in each of the ambulances next to the airway algorithm. The three levels of trauma at Reading are Alert, Response, and Tier 3 Alert Life threatening injuries, unstable vital signs Response Sig mechanism or comorbid factors, but stable vitals Tier 3 Handled by the ER outside the trauma bay, more minor traumas that still met trauma criteria When calling Reading via E Region Medcomm, please REQUEST one of the above levels after checking the criteria posted in the ambulance. This helps to streamline the trauma activation process. For Statewide Trauma Criteria (and categories) see health/ems/pa_bls_protocols_effective_ pdf PAGE 4

5 MEDICAL CONTROL As always, your first call is to the bat phone which is our recorded line If you cannot reach me there, I should always have my personal cell around (not recorded though). If you cannot reach me on the bat or personal phones, as always default to calling your receiving hospital for orders. This will ensure you always have access to a doc, even if I am not available. THE FIRST ANNUAL TRAPPE COMPANY PICNIC IS IN THE WORKS Our planning committee is in the process of organizing the first annual picnic. Here are the details pending final approval... We are holding a company-wide picnic and bonfire on Saturday, November 21 starting at 4pm and lasting until everyone goes home. This is a family event and all immediate members of your family are welcome. We are planning to have games and fun activities for the kids, a hay ride, food and drinks and a bonfire. For the adults we are holding a Chili Cook-Off so prep your favorite chili recipes for a little fun competition. The categories are: Best Presentation Best Heat Most Unique At the bonfire, we want to showcase members who have special talent and who are willing to share that talent with everyone. If you sing, play an instrument, like to tell jokes or funny antidotes, please let us know. Unfortunately we have no budget this year for such an event. So to make this happen we need to collect a small fee in advance from those who would like to attend. Here is the price breakdown: A single individual -$10.00 A couple - $15.00 PAGE 5

6 A family, no matter how many children - $20.00 We are trying to gives those with families a break to make sure they attend. We want to see you and your families there. This is a great opportunity to get to know each other away from the stresses and strains of work so we hope everyone will understand the need to charge for this year s event. And so we can finalize the planning we must collect the cash in advance. The deadline to pay is Saturday, October 31, Halloween. Please see Jenn McCloy, Sean McCarraher or Dave Sauls to pay, and watch for an confirming the above. GUESS WHO???????? In this segment of the Trappe Door we are giving you a chance to test your knowledge about your fellow employees. See if you know who we are talking about below. The answer will appear in the next edition of the Trappe Door. Which employee of Trappe Fire Co. #1 breeds horses? This person has a ranch and enjoys spending time there with several Arabian horses. PAGE 6

7 2009 Call Volume through june, Main Station 2009 Call Volume through June, Limerick Station Total Number of Calls We occasionally receive letters of thanks from folks in our community after helping them in their times of need. But this letter is a little closer to home... I never thought that when I slipped and fell back on Feb. 4, that I would be out of work for six months. In fact my first question to Dr. Shibe in the ER was "I know I can't work tonight, but will I be good to go this weekend?". He just kinda laughed. Anyway, I want to take a minute and thank each and every one of you for helping me out while I was injured. Brian, Clint & Diane, thanks for making sure the insurance paid me and that all my medical bills were covered. Mike, thanks for bringing me the laptop and helping me do the stats from home. Darren, thanks for the rides to and from appointments and for asking your wife to babysit Logan. Paul, Dave, Sean, Scott, Jeff, thank you for the rides and for getting me out of the house from time to time. Sean, thanks for asking your wife to babysit Logan so I could go to a meeting and for taking down my Christmas lights...in April! Jenn, thanks for the offers to watch Logan. Even though I never needed you to watch him, it was nice to have you on my contact list! Renee, Chris, Gretchen (and some others, I'm sure), thanks for sucking up the OT and covering my shifts...or maybe I should say, "you're welcome. Mike, John, Paul, Darren, and Bill, thank you for getting me to and from the Flyers game. I had a great time! Weasel, Bill, and Paul, thanks for helping with Logan's birthday party and getting a recliner into the social hall at Limerick for me to sit in. And last, but certainly not least... Darren and Bill, "Mr. Fentanyl", Reice, thanks for drugging me up and getting me to the hospital...twice!!!! If I forgot anyone, I am sorry! A big Thank You to all of you. It was a long time and I am glad to finally be back to work. Tom Sheehan PAGE 7