1. Labor-Health and Human Services-Education Appropriations Bill Marked by Subcommittee
On June 7, 2007, the House Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education considered the chairman’s mark of the Fiscal Year 2008 appropriations bill. The Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant received a $10 million increase over last year’s level. The House Subcommittee-passed bill contains $109 million. This program was cut and/or level funded over the past three years. Sixteen states use this funding for
2. DHS Appropriations Bill Passed Out of Committee on June 5
On June 5, 2007, the House Appropriations Committee passed out the FY 2008 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Appropriations bill. Among the first responder and port security programs, funding is set at $4.52 billion, $1.97 billion above the President’s request and $863 million above 2007. These grants were funded at $4.92 billion in 2004 and have been cut every year since. For more information, visit http://apropriations.house.gov/pdf/HomelandFC.pdf.
3. Importance of Trauma Systems Highlighted in Congressional Record
On May 25, 2007, Representative Gene Green made a statement in the Congressional Record about the importance of trauma systems and the recently enacted legislation reauthorizing Title XII of the U.S. Public Health Service Act. The statement includes a recent NY Times article describing how the
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), through its Terrorism Injuries: Information Dissemination and Exchange (TIIDE) Project, is examining the relationship between the emergency care community and public health in relation to preparedness for mass casualty incidents. The CDC TIIDE Project is seeking examples of “model communities” in which the relationship between the emergency care community and public health is well-established and operationally functional in terms of its capacity to respond to events that might produce large numbers of injuries. Selected communities will be invited to participate in a TIIDE Partners conference at which they can present their model systems. This conference will be held in
5. AHRQ’s
On June 11, 2007, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) released the new State Snapshots. The Web tool shows that states have made promising gains in health care quality while identifying needed improvements in areas ranging from cancer screening to treatments of heart attack patients. AHRQ’s State Snapshots Web tool was launched in 2005. It is an application that helps state health leaders, researchers, consumers, and others understand the status of health care quality in individual states, including each state’s strengths and weaknesses. The 51 State Snapshots are based on 129 quality measures, each of which evaluates a different segment of health care performance. The Web tool provides summaries that measure health care quality in three different contexts: by types of care; by settings of care; and by clinical area. For more information, visit http://www.ahrq.gov/news/press/pr2007/snapshotspr.htm. To access this year’s State Snapshots, visit http://statesnapshots.ahrq.gov.
6. NASEMSO Provides Web Page With E-Mail Survey Results
The NASEMSO Web site at www.nasemso.org includes a special Web page in the News & Publications section featuring the results of member e-mail surveys. Recent surveys posted included topics ranging from how ambulance rates are determined to methods of online training to determining which states submit data to the National Practitioner Data Bank. To date, we have posted results of seven e-mail surveys in 2007, but there are additional surveys for which reports are pending. Please send your e-mail survey reports or results directly to NASEMSO Web Site Content Manager
7. NASEMSO Endorses AHA Conference Proceedings
In late March 2006, the American Heart Association (AHA) convened a three-day conference “Development of Systems of Care for ST-segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) Patients” with multidisciplinary groups of physicians, nurses, EMS personnel, community and tertiary hospital administrators, payers, government officials, and quality, outcomes research and policy experts involved in the care of patients with STEMI. The conference attendees were charged with reviewing the current state or system of care, developing the ideal implementation system, addressing the gaps and barriers between the current and ideal system, and formulating recommendations for research, programs, and policy from the perspective of the constituency they were to represent. Members of more than 20 organizations representing key constituents were in attendance. NASEMSO participated in the conference. The full proceedings have been published in the May 29 issue of Circulation. NASEMSO endorsed the proceedings. For more information, visit http://circ.ahajournals.org/.
8. OSHA Issues Pandemic Influenza Guidance
On May 21, 2007, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released a health and safety guidance intended to help health care employers and workers prepare for a possible influenza pandemic and protect workers who would be on the “frontline” caring for ill patients. Pandemic Influenza Preparedness and Response Guide for Healthcare Workers and Healthcare Employers provides resources and tools to aid in workplace planning efforts, information about risk communication, technical information about industrial hygiene and infection control techniques in healthcare settings, and advice on diagnosis and treatment of staff. For a copy of this health and safety guidance, visit http://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA_pandemic_health.pdf.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on May 31 issued final recommendations to increase the supply of safe and effective influenza vaccines for both seasonal and pandemic use. In March 2006, FDA issued two draft guidance documents for public comment – one for seasonal influenza vaccines and another for pandemic influenza vaccines. The draft documents outline specific approaches for manufacturers to develop new vaccines that are safe, pure and potent. The final guidance documents reflect public input, including vaccine companies and public health officials. Both guidance documents recommend using recent technologies such as cell culture and recombinant manufacturing to enhance the development and evaluation of vaccines. They also recommend adding substances that improve the immune response from the vaccine (novel adjuvants). The guidance documents describe conventional and accelerated approval pathways to vaccine licensure. For more information, visit http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2007/NEW01645.html.
11. NENA Expresses Concern over Consequences of ITC Decision
The National Emergency Number Association (NENA) is concerned with the ruling by the International Trade Commission (ITC) in early June concerning a patent dispute between Broadcom and Qualcomm. While NENA has no interest and expressed no opinion in the patent infringement claim, NENA is concerned about consequences of the “downstream” remedy announced by the ITC, which will have a negative impact on the delivery of 9-1-1 service for American consumers and first responder communications. The ITC’s decision bans the importation of a wide range of cellular handsets used by major carriers within the
12. E-Newsletter Focuses on Pediatrics
Urgent Matters – an initiative by George Washington University’s School of Public Health and Health Services to improve hospital patient flow and reduce emergency department crowding – released its latest Patient Flow E-Newsletter (Volume 4, Issue 2), which focuses on “Putting Kids First.” The issue includes several articles by many well-known EMSC colleagues. Among others, articles appearing in the issue include: “Preparing the Emergency Department for Pediatric Patients;” “Child-Ready Emergency Departments: Creating Customized Pediatric Facilities, Equipment and Care;” “Educational Toolkit for Pediatric Emergency Preparedness;” “Leadership Needed: Hospitals Must Work Together to Improve Pediatric Emergency Care;” and “ACEP Reports on the Growing Interest in Pediatric Emergency Medicine.” Visit http://www.urgentmatters.org/newsletter/volume4/issue2/enews.asp to access the newsletter.
13. FEMA’s Incident Management Systems Division Releases Updated Public Works Credentialing Job Titles
As part of
1. The Government’s Response to the Nation’s Emergency Room Crisis Examined in a Hearing Conducted by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
On June 22, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform conducted a hearing on “The Government’s Response to the Nation’s Emergency Room Crisis.” In the opening statement, Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) noted that the hearing would examine the response of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to the nation’s emergency care crisis.
The hearing featured testimony from leading private sector experts on emergency care, trauma care, and ambulance services. Robert O’Conner, M.D., professor and chairman, Department of Emergency Medicine at the
Witnesses at the hearing said that
All testimony is available for download at http://oversight.house.gov/investigations.asp?ID=216.
2. WHA Adopts Resolution on Emergency Trauma Care Systems
On May 23, 2007, the World Health Assembly (WHA) adopted a resolution on emergency trauma care systems. This first ever WHA resolution on this topic, initially proposed by Romania and Thailand, draws the attention of governments to the need to strengthen pre-hospital and emergency trauma care systems (including mass casualty management efforts) and describes a number of steps governments could take. In addition, the resolution invites the World Health Organization (WHO) to scale up its efforts to support countries. Although not legally binding, the resolution is an important commitment from senior public health and development officials around the world to increase efforts to strengthen trauma care systems. The resolution is available at http://www.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA60/A60_R22-en.pdf.
3. NTSB Issues Safety Recommendation I-07-3
On June 27, the National Transportation Safety Board issued Safety Recommendation I-07-3 to the National Association of State EMS Officials (NASEMSO). The recommendation addresses the risk of overpressure failure of partially pressurized aluminum cylinders and the protection of responders and the general public from a vehicle fire when aluminum cylinders are present. The recommendation is derived from the Safety Board’s investigation of the Sept. 23, 2005, motorcoach fire on Interstate 45, near
4. “Working with People with Disabilities” Training DVD Now Available
Working with People with Disabilities – A Guide for Responders now is available from The Baltimore County Fire Department. This 26-minute training DVD, produced in cooperation with the Baltimore County Commission on Disabilities, is designed to help personnel from emergency medical services, fire, police, and others work effectively and compassionately with persons with disabilities. This training has been endorsed by the Maryland Department of Disabilities,
5. HHS Awards Two Contracts to Expand Domestic Vaccine Manufacturing Capacity for a Potential Influenza Pandemic
On June 14, Health & Human Services (HHS) Secretary Mike Leavitt announced the award of two contracts to expand the domestic influenza vaccine manufacturing capacity that could be used in the event of a potential influenza pandemic. The department has awarded two cost-reimbursable contracts totaling $132.5 million to sanofi pasteur and MedImmune over five years to retrofit existing domestic vaccine manufacturing facilities on a cost-sharing basis and to provide warm-base operations for pandemic influenza vaccines. In warm-base operations, the contractor does not shut down the facility. For more information, visit http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2007pres/06/pr20070614a.html.
6. Special EMS Sessions To Be Held at 5th International Bird Flu
Paramedics, firefighters, police officers, and other emergency first responders will have a chance to learn firsthand the best practices and model protocols they need in order to effectively respond to a pandemic, when they attend the 5th International Bird Flu Summit, Sept. 25-26, 2007, in
7. Public Health Advisory Board Established to Advise HHS Secretary on Chemical, Biological or Radiological Agents
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on June 19 announced the establishment of a public health advisory panel concerned with chemical, biological, nuclear or radiological agents. The National Biodefense Science Board will give HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt guidance on preventing, preparing for, and responding to release of such agents, whether they are naturally occurring, accidental, or deliberate. The board, which was authorized by the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act, will advise the Secretary about trends, challenges and opportunities in the field. At the Secretary’s request, it also will provide recommendations for research and development. Board members are yet to be selected. There will be 13 members from among leading experts in science, public health and medicine. Four will be from the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and device industries. Four will be from academic institutions. Of the remaining five, one must be from an organization representing health care consumers and one must be a practicing health care professional. To submit a resume or curriculum vitae for consideration to be a board member, e-mail nbsbnominations@hhs.gov. For further information, contact Dr. Susan Cibulsky at nbsbquestions@hhs.gov. The board’s charter and additional information is available at http://www.hhs.gov/aspr/omsph/nbsb.
8. National Emergency Number Association Swears in New Executive Board
A new National Emergency Number Association (NENA) Executive Board took office at the Installation Banquet at the 26th NENA Annual 9-1-1 Conference and Trade Show in mid-June. Jason Barbour, ENP is the president while Ronald Bonneau, ENP became the first vice president. Craig Whittington, ENP was tapped as the newly elected second vice president. Six other Executive Board members were sworn in at the conference, including Ron Bloom, ENP, who became the association’s first ever private sector director. Others sworn in to office include: NENA Hall of Fame Member, John Crabill, ENP, as Northeast Region director; Bob Currier, ENP as North Central Region director; Toni Dunne, ENP as Southeast Region director; NENA Hall of Fame Member, Rick Galway, ENP, as Canadian Region director; and Barbara Jaeger, ENP as Western Region director.
University of Maryland, Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute
Purpose: The Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute, as a partner in the Center for Firefighter Safety Research and Development, completed a research study entitled “Health and Safety Guidelines for Firefighter Training”. One of the important observations of the study was that participants were dehydrated before starting their training day and hydration status clearly affected their performance in the training evolutions.
Policy: This policy presents the recommended hydration guidelines for participants prior to, during, and after the completion of strenuous practical training evolutions in order to maintain proper hydration and prevent dehydration.
Procedure: The instructor shall encourage the students to follow these hydration guidelines for all strenuous practical evolutions and other situations that may result in dehydration.
While hydration is a personal responsibility, it is the responsibility of the field instructor to monitor participants for the signs and symptoms of dehydration such as muscle weakness, dizziness, disorientation, hypotension, tachycardia and lack of sweating. The presence of these signs and symptoms constitutes a true medical emergency. The instructor should remove any individual exhibiting these signs and symptoms from the training environment and seek emergency medical support immediately.
Additionally, the instructor should be alert to environmental conditions that may exacerbate dehydration and be familiar with the MFRI policy regarding outdoor training in extreme weather conditions.
Prehydration
The goal of prehydrating is to start the training session euhydrated (properly hydrated) and with normal plasma electrolyte levels. Prehydrating should begin at least several hours before the training session to enable fluid absorption and allow urine output to maintain normal levels.
Prior to the training session, students should slowly drink one ounce of water for every ten pounds of body weight at least four hours before the training session. If the student does not produce urine, or if the urine is dark or highly concentrated, the student should slowly drink an additional one ounce of water for every 20 pounds of body weight about two hours before the training session.
Do not substitute beverages with alcohol or caffeine for water. Caffeine and alcohol act as diuretics and can exacerbate dehydration.
Students should not attempt to hyperhydrate prior to a training session as it has been shown to provide no clear physiologic or performance advantage and can increase the risk of hyponatremia, a potentially lethal condition.
Preventing Dehydration
The goal of drinking during the training session is to prevent excessive dehydration and excessive changes in electrolyte balance. The specific amount and rate of fluid replacement is highly variable depending on individual sweat rate, session intensity and duration, and environmental conditions.
Ideally, students should create a customized fluid replacement plan based on pre and post training session weight with the goal to prevent loss of more than 2% of baseline body weight during activity.
In the absence of an individualized fluid replacement plan, students should drink water slowly and continuously during the breaks provided during the training session. Electrolyte replacement beverages may be beneficial in the most extreme training conditions, but the primary goal should be volume replacement, which is best accomplished with water.
Students should continue fluid replacement even if they do not feel thirsty. By the time thirst is detected, the student is already dehydrated which results in decreased performance and increased health and safety risk.
Rehydration
The goal of rehydration is to fully replace any fluid and electrolyte deficit.
Individuals should drink 20 ounces of fluid for every pound of body weight lost during the training session. If the total body weight lost during training in unknown, students should drink slowly and continuously until urine is no longer dark or highly concentrated.
Consuming beverages and snacks with sodium will help expedite rapid and complete recovery by stimulating thirst and fluid retention.
From our "are there any reasons to always BLOCK with large fire apparatus" file...
A deadly crash occurred on I-75 in Florida Monday afternoon, sending 12 people to the hospital, fatally injuring a civilian and critically injuring a FF. An Alachua County Sheriff's Deputy stopped his patrol car - with lights flashing - in the left-hand southbound lane in order to protect the scene where a white Dodge Caravan had pulled over in the inside emergency lane because a passenger was having a seizure.
Firefighters and paramedics were at the scene to treat the seizure patient and two of the six occupants of the white van had exited the vehicle and were standing around it. The deputy was out of his car trying to wave traffic away from where the paramedics were assisting the seizure patient when a civilian, in a black van, who apparently did not see the flashing lights, plowed into the back of the Crown Vic.
The patrol car was propelled toward the paramedics and occupants of the white van, and three of the FF/paramedics and one occupant were able to jump across the guardrail and avoid the patrol car.
One of the white van's occupants was critically injured when she was pinned between the patrol car and the guardrail. A firefighter/paramedic, Lt. Drew Dabney, 41, of Gainesville, was also dragged by the patrol car and suffered serious injuries. After striking the patrol car, the striking van continued down the road, striking the inside guardrail with the left front corner of the vehicle. The driver of the black van was killed. Thanks BillyG
NASEMSO Adds Pandemic Flu Page to Web Site
A recent addition to the public side of the NASEMSO Web site is a page on Pandemic Influenza with links to useful resources for both the public and
NASEMSO Provides Comments on Draft Children’s Bill
Draft legislation has been crafted by Senator Christopher Dodd’s office in partnership with Save the Children and the
NEMSIS Funding Language Included Appropriations Bill
On July 12, the Senate Appropriations Committee passed out the FY 2008 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies legislation that contained $1 million for the National Emergency Medical Services Information System (NEMSIS). Report language was included that shows the Committee’s support of NEMSIS and its efforts. For more information, contact Lisa Meyer at lmeyer@cgagroup.com.
On June 21, the Senate Appropriations Committee recommended an appropriation of $20 million for the EMSC Program for Fiscal Year 2008. On July 11, the House Appropriations Committee considered the Fiscal Year 2008 Labor-Health and Human Services-Education appropriations and recommended an appropriation of $19.8 million for the EMSC Program for FY 2008. With both committees firmly rejecting the Administration’s proposal to eliminate the program, there is a excellent chance to continue EMSC’s important work. The House and Senate are each expected to consider their respective versions of the legislation and will then come to an agreement on a final version of the appropriations bill before it becomes law. For more information, contact Cindy Pellegrini at the
NEMSIS Software Developers Meeting Scheduled
The 2007 NEMSIS Software Developers Meeting will be held in conjunction with the EMS Summit Conference in
N
In late April,
FCC Issues Katrina Panel Final Rule
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued a final rule, Recommendations of the Independent Panel Reviewing the Impact of Hurricane Katrina on Communications Networks. In the document, the FCC directs the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (PSHSB) to implement several of the recommendations made by the Hurricane Katrina Panel. The Commission also adopted rules requiring some communications providers to have emergency/back-up power and to conduct analyses and submit reports on the redundancy and resiliency of their 9-1-1 and E9-1-1 networks. The full rule is available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/E7-13488.pdf.
EMSC Web Site Adds New Grants Management Section
The
HHS to Give States $430 Million for Hospital Preparedness
On June 28, 2007, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that this year’s federal grants to states to help healthcare facilities prepare for public health emergencies has been reduced by $20 million compared to 2006. The grants, totaling $430 million, are intended to help healthcare facilities, including hospitals, cope with mass casualties related to bioterrorist attacks, infectious disease outbreaks and natural disasters. According to HHS, this year’s funds are to be designated toward improving interoperable communications, systems to track available hospital beds, advanced registration of volunteer health professionals, and planning for fatality management and hospital evacuation. To learn more and to see a list of amounts given to each state, visit http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2007pres/06/pr20070628a.html.
Pediatric Preparedness Implementation Kit for Hospitals Now Available
The Care of Children in the Emergency Department: Guidelines for Preparedness Implementation Kit is now available as a downloadable file from the
AAP Disaster Preparedness Presentations Available Via Web
The
NENA Announces Support for FCC’s Proposed Location Accuracy Testing Rules and Its Intention to Host Summit on the Future of 9-1-1 Location Technology
On June 29, the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) announced its support of the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) tentative conclusion to require wireless carriers to meet FCC location accuracy standards at a geographical level defined by Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) coverage areas. NENA stressed the importance of providing the most accurate information possible to 9-1-1 telecommunicators and also the critical need for all parties from industry and the public safety community to work together with a clear understanding of current challenges and needed steps to implement the rules. In the spirit of collaboration, NENA has announced plans, in conjunction with the Association of Public Safety Communications (APCO), to host a summit in the coming months on the future of 9-1-1 location technology as discussed in the second portion of the FCC’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (Section III.B). The goal of the summit will be to bring together public safety representatives and technology experts with leaders form the wireless and IP industry, including those working on automatic location standards critical to the future success of 9-1-1. For more information, e-mail phalley@nena.org.
Students’ Pandemic Hotline Plan Interests Health Agency
The Santa Clara County Public Health Department in
National
As the nation works toward strengthening its domestic emergency response capabilities, it is becoming more and more evident that a massive amount of resources will be needed to respond to a disaster – be it the next Hurricane Katrina or a pandemic flu outbreak. Primary care providers are currently untapped resources to meet the health needs of the community in a crisis. The Primary Care Development Corporation (PCDC), with a grant from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), is convening the first ever one-day national summit specifically dedicated to the primary care community and disaster planning and response. The summit is aimed at primary care providers, administrators and/or clinicians; state primary care associations; regional emergency response planners, including representatives from local and state departments of health; hospital emergency planners and ambulatory care network administrators; school-based emergency planners; and elected and government officials. Visit http://www.pcdcny.org/documents/PCEPNationalSummitBrochure.pdf for more information on the summit.
NASEMSO Learns of NJ Trauma Coordinator Barbara Hall’s Death
NASEMSO has learned that Barbara Hall, the New Jersey trauma coordinator passed away in late May after a long battle with cancer. In an email to NASEMSO’s Trauma Managers List, Clay Odell noted that “Barbara was smart, funny, strongly dedicated to
Leopold Resigns from Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services
On July 3, Bob Leopold announced that he has resigned from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to accept a position with the Oregon Department of Health as
DHS Sponsors Fourth Annual National Preparedness Month
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is sponsoring the fourth annual National Preparedness Month this September to encourage Americans to prepare for emergencies in their homes, businesses and communities. This year’s effort has a growing coalition of more than 625 national, regional, state, and local organizations pledging support. For the first time, the month will focus on different areas of emergency preparedness: Sept. 1-8, back-to-school (Ready Kids); Sept. 9-15, business preparedness (Ready Business); Sept. 16-22, multicultural preparedness (Listo); and Sept. 23-30, home and family preparedness, including pets, older Americans and individuals with disabilities and special needs (Ready America). Groups can register to become National Preparedness Month coalition members or get more information by visiting http://www.ready.gov and clicking on the National Preparedness Month banner.
Novation Survey on Pandemic Flu Preparedness Examines Hospital Supplies
Novation, the healthcare contracting services company of VHA, Inc., and the University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC), surveyed materials managers to determine the status of their pandemic disaster preparations. While more than half of the hospitals surveyed (68%) reported that they have devoted resources to developing comprehensive pandemic-specific disaster plans, 79 percent of those reported that they could continue operations without external resources for less than one week. Fifty-four percent said that operations could continue for one to three days, and 25 percent say they will be able to operate between four to seven days without external resources. The survey probed for items included in pandemic-specific plans. To read about the survey findings further, visit http://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/hotnews/76h148311751046.html.
Revised Pediatric Emergency Medicine Teaching Tools are Available
The revised Fourth Edition of the Advanced Pediatric Life Support (APLS) Instructor’s ToolKit CD-ROM now is available for order. It contains 30 ready-to-use PowerPoint presentations based on the APLS textbook, along with handouts, instructor notes, skill station instructions, and post-tests. The tools may be used to teach pediatric emergency medicine to any physician audience. The content has been revised to reflect the current American Heart Association resuscitation guidelines and algorithms and relates to the revised Fourth Edition of the APLS student textbook. To order a copy, visit http://www2.acep.org/bookstore/indes.cfm?go=product.detail&id=10166.
National Junior Firefighter Program Launched
Join Spartan Motors and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 28, at Booth 2008 during the Firehouse Expo in
2007 National EMSC Heroes Award Winners Announced
The
CAAS Accredits Twelve Agencies in June
The Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services (CAAS) Panel of Commissioners met in June to review accreditation applications. Metro
CAAS Accepting Applications for New Executive Director
Meredith Hellestrae, Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services (CAAS) executive director, will be retiring this fall after 11 years in her position. The Center for Association Growth (TCAG), CAAS’ association management company, is accepting applications for this position which is headquartered in
AMA Launches Preparedness Journal
The American Medical Association (AMA) has launched a new journal, Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness. The journal supports the integration of clinical medicine with public health preparedness and provides individual healthcare providers with a resource to support their public health activities. For more information, visit http://www.ama-assn.org/ama1/pub/upload/mm/-1/disaster-medicine.pdf.
National First Responder Appreciation Day to be September 25
In late June, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed S.R. 215, a resolution sponsored by Senator Wayne Allard (R-CO) that designates September 25th as National First Responder Day. The bipartisan resolution was co-sponsored by 30 of Allard’s Senate colleagues. The resolution has received support from a variety of first responder organizations, including the Colorado State Fire Fighters’ Association, National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, and the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians.
NEMA-CDC “Incident Command System for Executives” Training Materials Available
The 2007 “Incident Command System (ICS) for Executives” training materials now are available online. The training curriculum and instructional materials were developed by the National Emergency Management Association (NEMA) and IEM through a grant from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). For the past three years, NEMA and IEM have been delivering ICS training to state interagency teams comprised of executive level state officials representing public health, emergency management, fire, law enforcement, governors’ offices and other state agencies with roles and responsibilities for disaster preparedness and response. The training consists of an overview of ICS and a bioterrorism-focused tabletop exercise. The training is available at http://www.nemaweb.org/?1100.
Immunization Practices Recommendations Issued by ACIP
On June 28, 2007, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) posted its recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) 2007. This report updates the 2006 recommendations by the committee regarding the use of influenza vaccine and antiviral agents. The 2007 recommendations include new and updated information. To read the report, visit http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr56e629a1.htm.
DVBIC’s Documentary on TBI Available on the Internet
The Defense and
The State of
Health First Seeks Trauma Unit Manager
Mission Search has been engaged by one of Florida’s premier healthcare systems, Health First, to identify, attract, and qualify talented professionals for the position of manager, trauma unit, at their flagship hospital, Holmes Regional Medical Center located in Melbourne, Fla. Holmes Regional Medical is a busy 564 Level II Trauma Center seeing more than 70,000 patients annually, with an active flight program and a highly regarded heart institute. The trauma unit manager is delegated the authority and autonomy for assessing, planning and directing patient care in the unit. For information on this position, contact Tami Coderre at tlc@missionsearchusa.com.
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) -- A firefighter is counting his luck after a red-hot steel rod was fired into his helmet from an exploding vehicle, local media reported Thursday. The steel rod was traveling at such speed it punched a hole through a steel door before hitting 41-year-old Gary Wright's Kevlar fire helmet, The New Zealand Herald said.
Wright was getting ready to fight a blaze earlier this month that had engulfed a garage full of vehicles in a suburb of Auckland, New Zealand's biggest city, when the steel rod fired out of an exploding van 62 feet away. "I had only just put my BA (breathing apparatus) set on and put my helmet back on," he said. "I had my head forward and was adjusting the headband on the helmet ... the next minute, whack.... It was a pretty hard whack, it knocked my head back," Wright was quoted as telling the paper. "It felt like someone coming up and giving me a really good clip around my head ... but I had a glance around and no one was there. Then this glowing thing (the rod) attracted my attention at my feet," Wright said.
Waitakere City Fire Chief Bill Ellis said the rod went through the outer Kevlar layer of the helmet but had been stopped by a protective inner layer.
Wright was left with a headache and some pain on the left side of his head where his helmet strap was pulled back by the force of the rod's impact. "It wasn't until on the way home that I saw the hole (in the helmet) and told the boss," he said."I think most people think I was pretty lucky," said Wright, an 11-year fire fighting veteran.
By Steven De Lisi, Fire Engineering