Heat Related Illness - What you need to know

This summer is turning out to be one of the hottest summers on record, increasing incidents of heat related illness. Already a serious issue in summers without heat waves, it is even more important to be aware and prepared for the magnified risk we face this year.

Here's some helpful information on how heat affects us, who is at risk, and how to prepare for and treat heat related illness.

EMS tips for responding to violent patients

EMS tips for responding to violent patients
Restraint errors to avoid and ways to ensure provider safety


By Steve Whitehead, TheEMTspot.com (via ems1.com)

Don't scream, "calm down"
I'm not sure why there always seems to be one guy (yes, it's usually a guy) who thinks it will be helpful to scream, "calm down!" at the patient. This never, never, never works. Really. Resist the urge to be the calm down guy. It's usually the guy screaming "calm down" who needs to calm down the most.
Instead of doing this, just speak in a calm voice to the patient, even during a take-down. Find the person who's the coolest cucumber in your group and place him or her near the head to just keep a dialogue going....CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING

Upcoming EMS Events

National EMS Memorial Bike Ride
Saturday, May 19, 2012 - Saturday, May 26, 2012
From Boston, MA or Paintsville, KY to Washington, DC, US
http://www.muddyangels.com/


National EMS Week 2012
May 20 - May 26
http://www.acep.org/emsweek/


2012 California EMSAAC Conference
Tuesday, June 5, 2012 - 8:00am - Wednesday, June 6, 2012 - 5:00pm
http://emsaac.org


National EMS Memorial Service
Saturday, June 23, 2012 - 6:00pm
Colorado Springs, CO
http://nemsms.org


Ohio Fire Rescue & EMS Expo
October 6–7, 2012
John S. Knight Center in Akron, Ohio
http://ohiofireexpo.com/


EMS World Expo
October 29-November 2 2012
Ernest N. Morial Convention Center
New Orleans, LA
http://emsworldexpo.com/


Northern Virginia Fire Rescue & EMS Expo
December 1-2, 2012
Dulles Expo Center
Chantilly, VA
http://northernvirginiaexpo.com/

National EMS Week 2012

National EMS Week 2012 is May 20 - May 26
Wednesday, May 23 is Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) Day.
This year's theme is "EMS:  More Than A Job. A Calling."

National Emergency Medical Services Week brings together local communities and medical personnel to publicize safety and honor the dedication of those who provide the day-to-day lifesaving services of medicine's "front line." This information can be used throughout the year for public education and safety programs. CLICK HERE to learn more about National EMS Week.

Officer urges autism training for first responders

By  Alan Johnson  |  The Columbus Dispatch  |  Friday May 11, 2012

Akron Police Sgt. Mark Farrar knows the facts of autism in his head and the pain of autism in his heart.

With the incidence of autism rising rapidly — 1 in 88 children (and 1 in 54 boys) are born with some form of it — law-enforcement agencies are being affected because, Farrar says, the autistic are seven times as likely as others to come into contact with first responders such as police, fire and paramedics. They also are more likely to be crime victims...

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE

Morrison Medical stitches up straps, splints, restraints

Morrison Medical stitches up straps, splints, restraints

Mostly female staff keeps emergency personnel and hospitals supplied with straps, splints, restraints, more

By  Steve Wartenberg

The Columbus Dispatch Friday May 11, 2012 5:18 AM

The women of Morrison Medical Supplies learned the sewing trade the old-fashioned way: from their mothers and grandmothers.
“I’ve been sewing since the second grade and was trained by my grandmother,” said Joyce Lucas, 70, who has been working for the manufacturer on the Far West Side for 15 years. “I’ve done it all — shoes, shirts, tents.”

CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING

EMS Tip: Apgar Scoring - What's it supposed to tell you?

EMS Recap: Apgar Scoring
by Robert E. Sippel, MS, MAEd, NREMT-P, LP

Apgar scoring has been used to assess the condition of newborns since being developed in 1949. What’s it supposed to tell you?

CLICK HERE TO READ ARTICLE