T h e P u l s e A Newsletter by and for the Employees of Charles County Emergency Medical Services A MESSAGE FROM THE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF BY: CHIEF FILER Volume 4, Issue 5 May 2010 We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths. Walt Disney I recently attended a celebration hosted by Southern Maryland Hospital acknowledging the outstanding life saving efforts of a few of our beloved colleagues. It was by far one of the most gracious events a local hospital has ever hosted honoring the everyday efforts, devotion and service we provide. The evening began with dinner followed by case studies from Southern Maryland Hospital s cath lab where providers from Prince George s and Charles County s had transported patients which resulted in positive and documented lives saved. Each case study presented was a telling tale of how our training, vigilance, excellent customer service and commitment to life safety all come to together to produce real results that matter. LIFE! Each provider was given the chance to meet with the patient s they saved which was moving beyond words. I can t begin to tell you how proud I am of each and every one of you for the awesome job you perform every day. My words can t express my praise for your performance so I m just going to stop writing and show you the pictures. Thank you guys! (pictures page 2.) Inside This Issue: Chief s Gallery pg.2 From the County pg.3 Birthdays pg.4 Mutual Aid pg.5 Personnel pg.6 EMS-C pg.7 EMS Week pg..8
Page 2 Rachel Radtke receiving her award from Southern Maryland Hospital CEO Michael Chiaramonte, Cath Lab Director Roy Leiboff, MD and Asst. ED Med Dir. Eric McDonald, MD Paul Lenharr receiving his award from Southern Maryland Hospital CEO Michael Chiaramonte, Cath Lab Director Roy Leiboff, MD and Asst. ED Med Dir. Eric McDonald, MD Patrick Moore receiving his award from Southern Maryland Hospital CEO Michael Chiaramonte, Cath Lab Director Roy Leiboff, MD and Asst. ED Med Dir. Eric McDonald, MD Petey Hicks receiving his award from Southern Maryland Hospital CEO Michael Chiaramonte, Cath Lab Director Roy Leiboff, MD and Asst. ED Med Dir. Eric McDonald, MD Congratulations! Photos courtesy Chief Filer
Page 3 From the County. Open Enrollment begins on Thursday, May 20th! Packets are being mailed today. Please be on the lookout over the next few days for a big white envelope from Charles County Government that was mailed to your home address. Included in the packet will be information about the changes to our health insurance, the new employee rates and a fold-out guide about each benefit option. If you do not want to make any changes to your benefits (except Flex Spending), you do not have to do anything. If you have previously been enrolled in a Flex Spending account and would like to participate again, you MUST re-enroll! Your Flex Spending election DOES NOT roll over each year. Please be sure to read the information in your packet about the Flex Spending changes based on the new federal healthcare reform bill. To view your benefits or make changes, you must go to www.ccg.benelogic.com. Your user name is your last name followed by the last 4 digits of your SSN. Your password is only the last 4 digits of your SSN. Open Enrollment will end on June 4th! Please be sure you have made any and all changes, updates, additions or deletions by June 4th. Our first benefits fair is Wednesday, May 26th from 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. in the CCG Lunch Room. All vendors will be in attendance. Also, right after the fair at 12:00 p.m., I will present a 15 minute overview of the new maintenance drug change and other benefit information in the IT Training Room. I look forward to seeing you there. More information to follow in the coming weeks. Anyone that does not have a new PAT tag should inform their supervisor ASAP so allowances can be made for you to visit chief Finch during your shift. QUIZ OF THE MONTH: New MD Protocols: What drug has been added to the hyperkalemia protocol?
Page 4 EMS Duty 16B land line at D 3: (301) 645-0606 Steve Shifflett 5-4 Trish Rogerson 5-5 Petey Hicks 5-21 Kenny Miller 5-22 Kelly Scott 5-25 Sue Perry 5-29
Page 5 Quality of Care Through Excellence in Service Mutual Aid Agreement Effective May 5, 2010, a revised mutual aid agreement between Prince George s and Charles County Governments was officially executed. The goal of this revision is to allow Advanced Life Support units to be used by either jurisdiction when it is appropriate to do so in the interest of a patient. Effective June 1, 2010, seamless Advanced Life Support mutual aid will be available between jurisdictions. Field implementation of this newly revised mutual aid agreement will operate as follows: Paramedic Ambulances & Medic Units Prince George s County Paramedic Ambulances operate in a similar manner to the Paramedic Ambulances we currently operate. They are a single ALS Provider resource with transport capabilities. Prince George s County Medic Units operate contrary to what Charles County has traditionally been accustomed to. These units are transport units that are staffed with two paramedics. Unit Names The units will be referred to as a Prince George s Paramedic Ambulance 8. Example of such would be Prince George s Paramedic Ambulance 840 Locations The Prince George s units most likely to run into this County are stationed at Prince George s County Stations 47 (Selesia), 36 (Baden), 25 (Clinton) and 40 (Brandywine). Response Areas Just as existing Paramedic Ambulances, mutual aid units will be dispatched to areas of need where they are closer than the furthest ALS Unit on the run card. The area effected is primarily in the Bryans Road, Waldorf and Hughesville first due areas. Unit Requests Units requested will be given the incident address, the EMD Determinant, and the unit s role as a first responding unit, ALS unit, or BLS to avoid any confusion on the parts of the providers or dispatchers. Staffed ALS units will not be required to respond to BLS mutual aid calls. Special Requests Special requests for Prince George s County ALS units will be honored, but will be subject to review by both jurisdictions. Communications Until Prince George s County goes live with their new radio system crews will need to communicate with Charles County 911 Communications (unless equipped with a PG Co. radio). Once Prince George s County s new radio system is operational (estimated September 2010), our portable radios will be programmed with Prince George s County s channels. This additional ALS resource will undoubtedly improve the emergency medical services available to citizens in both Charles and Prince George s County. This effort is a testament to the spirit of cooperation between our governments.
Page 6 Congratulations! C o n g r a t u l a t i o n s Paramedic Tracey Fillman who graduated with honors May 21, 2010 from UMBC with a Master's of Science in Emergency Health Services Education. Good Luck! Good luck Marine 2nd Lt. Steer as you leave to embark on your new career! We hope you re able to come and see us still as a part time medic!
Page 7 Emergency Medical Services for Children Day With the presentation of Proclamation #2010-42 on Tuesday, May 18, the Charles County Commissioners proclaimed Wednesday, May 19, 2010, as Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) Day in Charles County. EMSC supports Emergency Medical Services (EMS), the community-based public service whose presence is vital to children in need. The Commissioners believe that it is proper and timely to bring recognition to the value and accomplishments of the dedicated men and women who are EMSC personnel, and they encourage the community to observe this day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities. The needs of children are different than the needs of adults in medical emergencies. EMSC promotes the high-level emergency care given by EMS providers with pediatric emergency skills; and EMSC assists in the implementation of training for use of advanced technical equipment and services in preparation to save the life of a child. EMS providers are unceasingly prepared to respond to children who access the system and return them to an optimum level of health. EMSC works with physicians, nurses, social workers, psychologists, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, firefighters, educators, administrators, and others to identify and address the issues surrounding the provision of optimal pediatric care. EMSC assists in the development of training programs and guidelines for emergency care providers so that children with special health care needs receive timely, appropriate care. Watch for Charles County s EMS for Children Celebration coming soon!
Page 8 Emergency Medical Services Week Observed The Charles County Commissioners issued Proclamation #2040-41 on Tuesday, May 18, in recognition of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week, May 16-22. This year s theme is EMS: Anytime, Anywhere, We ll Be There. The Commissioners recognize the value and the accomplishments of EMS providers and encourage the community to observe this week with appropriate program, ceremonies, and activities. EMS is a vital public service. The members of EMS teams are ready to provide lifesaving care to those in need 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Access to quality emergency care dramatically improves the survival and recovery rate of those who experience sudden illness or injury. The EMS system consists of emergency physicians, emergency nurses, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, firefighters, educators, administrators, and others. The members of EMS teams, whether career or volunteer, engage in thousands of hours of specialized training and continuing education to enhance their lifesaving skills. Joint Operational Training with Pentagon Force Protection Agency On May 15th 2010 the Charles County Tactical Response Team (TRT) and the Pentagon Force Protection Agency (PFPA) conducted a joint operational training exercise at the WAMATA Training Center in Landover, MD. WMD Specialists from both agencies honed their Level A operations, victim triage, rescue, decon, identification, sampling and mitigation skills on a railway based scenario. Despite this being the first operational scenario both teams have worked together on, the mission and training was a success because of standardized training, equipment and operational procedures and practices implemented in the National Capital Region after 9/11. Members from TRT and PFPA were paired up in teams and had to complete a mass victim rescue with decon as well as mitigate a hazard using pieces and tools from each other agencies kit/apparatus. Team members from TRT work with PFPA personnel to decon a rescued victim. Story and Photo Chief Filer
Page 9 CAUGHT IN THE ACT!.of doing the right thing Patrick Moore accepts the gratitude of his patient and his family. Patrick and Petey rushed their patient to Southern Maryland s Cath Lab and saved his life after recognizing a STEMI Rachelle Radtke and Paul Lenharr pose for a picture with their STEMI patient after the awards presentation. Photos courtesy Chief Filer
Page 10 Mark Your Calendars. S U N M O N T U E W E D T H U F R I S A T 30 31 Memorial Day 1 2 3 EMS on the Hill 4 EMS on the Hill 5 6 7 8 9 Mother s Day 10 11 12 13 14 15 Armed Forces Day 16 EMS Week 17 EMS Week 18 EMS Week 19 0900 Comm. Cooper EOC EMS Week 20 EMS Week 21 EMS Week 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 S U N M O N T U E W E D T H U F R I S A T 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Fire 13 Fire 14 Fire 15 Fire 16 Fire 17 Fire 18 Fire 19 Fire 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
Page 11 Mission Statement The mission of Charles County Government is to provide our citizens the highest quality service possible in a timely, efficient, and courteous manner. To achieve this goal, our government must be operated in an open and accessible atmosphere, be based on comprehensive long- and short-term planning, and have an appropriate managerial organization tempered by fiscal responsibility. Vision Statement Charles County is a place where all people thrive and businesses grow and prosper; where the preservation of our heritage and environment is paramount; where government services to its citizens are provided at the highest level of excellence; and where the quality of life is the best in the nation. Charles County Department of Emergency Services, EMS Division P.O. Box 2150 LaPlata, MD 20646 Questions or Newsletter Submissions: E. Campbell, PIO, EMS Lt. Phone: 301-399-8156 E-mail: CampbelE@charlescounty.org Mission Statement CCEMS It is the mission of the Charles County Department of Emergency Services, EMS Division to provide superior quality emergency medical support to the citizens of Charles County, Maryland and requesting jurisdictions. Vision Statement CCEMS With well-trained, capable and professional personnel; The Charles County Department of Emergency Services, EMS Division will provide the best premium quality of preventative and emergency care in the fastest, most efficient and cost effective manor possible to the citizens of Charles County, Maryland and requesting jurisdictions. It is the goal of the Charles County Emergency Services, EMS Division to be at the vanguard of pre-hospital emergency care. ANSWER TO QUIZ: Calcium Chloride (not new but in the algorhythm) 0.5-1g Sodium Bicarb 50 meq (must have HX of functioning kidneys) Albuterol 20 mg Bicarb drip 100 meq in 100 cc s LR (must have HX of functioning kidneys)