Also in Thursday night's meeting, the court heard a report from MEMS Executive Director Jon Swanson regarding an upcoming MEMS Alert membership drive for Faulkner County residents.......
Saturday, December 29, 2007
An update on Faulkner County
Also in Thursday night's meeting, the court heard a report from MEMS Executive Director Jon Swanson regarding an upcoming MEMS Alert membership drive for Faulkner County residents.......
Friday, December 28, 2007
Apartment Explosion
We dodged a bullet last night with the Apartment explosion. While there were only 5 transported, there were a total of 9 walk ups to the area hospitals for a total of 14 patients. We have not had a MCI in a while so it gave us the opportunity to practice some of our procedures. Thank you to those who came and took on assignments, as well as those crews that held over to cover the system until we determined that there were no other patients.
We have set the calender for 2008 that includes 3 days of triage card drill days at the first of the year, as well as the second half of the year. We already we will have at least two big drills scheduled, the CESEPP drill as well as a full scale airport drill. We are working on dates for more NIMS training as well. MCIs happen with out notice, so we must be prepared at all times.
Channel 7 Video
Signature Requirements
There have been changes in the Medicare reimbursement that requires that we get a signature in order to bill. You will hear a lot about this over the next few months. below is the flyer that is and will be posted every where you go. We even thought about renting the Alltell bill board to remind you as you were at Asher and U ;-). No foolin, we got to follow this policy
For all transports, you must have a patient signature. If Not:
1. Document Patient Unable To Sign (PUTS) and the reason they are unable to sign.
2. Look for family member or other authorized person to sign. If none available, document No One is available To Sign (NOTS) on the Witness
signature line.
3. Get signature of an employee of the destination facility (receiving facility signature area of ePCR).
Paper forms are available for acquiring signatures when a tablet is not available. For more information, see the on duty supervisor.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
New Years Goals
It is the time of the year for reflection and new years resolutions. I read one writer who set the bar for himself very low. His resolutions were:
- Eat more and exercise less.
- Spend at least an extra half an hour a day with my feet.
- Gain 5 pounds
I trust that you have loftier goals than he.
I have one goal so far for the Blog for 2008 it is:
I will not be posting every employees Birthday; instead I will exchange this for posting anniversaries of employees who meet their 5, 10, 15 and 20 year marks.
And for those who are looking for tools I have attached a couple of sites to help you achieve your goals.
e-How to keep a new years resolutiontop 10 ways to keep a resolution
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Video training
We are trying a new form of training. We have placed a training video on how to bag in an updraft. The sound goes out part of the way through, but you can watch the video to see how to put the kit together. Tomorrow we will re-shoot the video and upload it again. We hope to add more training as wel go along. Thanks to Ralph and Louis for their work on this one.
Link to video
Link to video
New BVM Instructions
You may be aware that we recently finished a bid for med supplies for 2008. We were able to match the same equipment that you have been using, and save a lot of money at the same time. The exception to this, the BVM. The positives: easier to pack, a strap to hold you hand in place, less expensive. The trade off it needs to be put together prior to use. The best way to do this, when you get yours from stock follow this simple procedure and you will be good to go. By the way, you bag an updraft in just like the old BVM.
Above- How it comes
All the items in the bag.
Attach the reservoir and the O2 tubing. Place the BVM back in the bag. (The plastic to the right is the shipping cover for the BVM, it can be discarded)
Above- How it comes
All the items in the bag.
Attach the reservoir and the O2 tubing. Place the BVM back in the bag. (The plastic to the right is the shipping cover for the BVM, it can be discarded)
The Shop is looking for help!
We have three positions budgeted for the MEMS shop, and currently have only two of them filled. If you know anyone who is interested in an exciting career working on Ambulances, have them contact either Kevin, Dianna or myself.
The ad reads:
The ad reads:
AUTO SERVICE TECHNICIAN
Requires one Year Automobile Repair Experience including maintenance, oil changes and tire repair.
High School diploma or equivalent…Possession of Arkansas Drivers License and good MVR…
Apply at MEMS AMBULANCE SERVICE
1101 West 8th St. LR, AR or phone 301-1414 for more information.
EOE
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Supplemental Pay
As announced during the CHristmas Party, the board has approved one last supplemental pay for 2007. The formula will the be that same as last time, with the exception we are working with a smaller time frame so an hour is worth more. As you may have already heard the checks will be ready Tuesday due to the blank checks (we were closer than we thought on our check order) They should be delivered sometime Monday.
2007 award winners
From the top left:
Employee of the year- Barbara Dollarhide
PRN- Justin Bright
Rookie-Curt McClung
EMT (tie)- Chaundra Townsend, Sarah Uzzell
Dispatcher- Barry Cook
Paramedic- Steve Thompson
Team Work ( by the billing staff) Sandra Spencer (picture not available)
Congratulations to all!
Chief Accused of Drunk Fire Truck Racing
BURLINGTON, Maine
A fire chief in Penobscot County has been charged with being drunk behind the wheel while driving a fire truck with its lights on and its sirens going.
Russell Banks of Burlington was arrested around midnight Saturday after a resident complained that Banks was racing a fire tanker by his home even though there was no fire in the area.
Banks, 34, is chief of the Triangle Fire Department, a volunteer association that provides service for Burlington, Lowell and Grand Falls Township.
When a Penobscot County sheriff's deputy responded, he located the truck and noticed that Banks smelled of alcohol and had bloodshot eyes. A blood alcohol test showed Banks was at twice the legal limit.
Deputy Chief Troy Morton said the resident told police that Banks was blasting his siren in retaliation for a neighborhood dispute.
Banks could not be reached for comment.
A fire chief in Penobscot County has been charged with being drunk behind the wheel while driving a fire truck with its lights on and its sirens going.
Russell Banks of Burlington was arrested around midnight Saturday after a resident complained that Banks was racing a fire tanker by his home even though there was no fire in the area.
Banks, 34, is chief of the Triangle Fire Department, a volunteer association that provides service for Burlington, Lowell and Grand Falls Township.
When a Penobscot County sheriff's deputy responded, he located the truck and noticed that Banks smelled of alcohol and had bloodshot eyes. A blood alcohol test showed Banks was at twice the legal limit.
Deputy Chief Troy Morton said the resident told police that Banks was blasting his siren in retaliation for a neighborhood dispute.
Banks could not be reached for comment.
911 calls
Dispatcher : 9-1-1 What is your emergency?
Caller: I heard what sounded like gunshots coming from the brown house on the corner.
Dispatcher: Do you have an address?
Caller: No, I have on a blouse and slacks, why?
_____________________________________________________________
Dispatcher: 9-1-1 What is your emergency?
Caller: Someone broke into my house and took a bite out of my ham and cheese sandwich .
Dispatcher: Excuse me?
Caller: I made a ham and cheese sandwich and left it on the kitchen table and when I came back from the bathroom, someone had taken a bite out of it.
Dispatcher: Was anything else taken?
Caller: No, but this has happened to me before and I'm sick and tired of it!
____________________________________________________________
Dispatcher: 9-1-1
Caller: Yeah, I'm having trouble breathing. I'm all out of breath. Darn....I think I'm going to pass out.
Dispatcher: Sir, where are you calling from?
Caller: I'm at a pay phone. North and Foster.
Dispatcher: Sir, an ambulance is on the way. Are you an asthmatic?
Caller: No .
Dispatcher: What were you doing before you started having trouble breathing?
Caller: Running from the Police
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Christmas shopping advice
I came across a great video about money management that can be applied even at Christmas. ;-)
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
A unit passed the clean inspection!!!
I wanted to say thank you to Leah Smith and Courtney Hagar for their cleaning of 511. This is the first unit I have inspected since starting to do this almost two weeks a go that passed the first time!! This was not their normal unit, and they did it on duty today!!
I also want to thank All those who came in today and helped do the cleaning and majors. I will post their names and their story.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Our Tipping Factor
Lately, if you have not noticed already, I have been on a mission; the goal being pride in our equipment, our work and ourselves. Every day I am inspecting units and giving feedback to the crews while I do it. My message: broken is no longer acceptable! I believe in what Malcolm Gladwell, the author of Tipping Factor (I strongly recommend the book), had to say. The key premise goes something like this:
Social change does not occur in the smooth linear way which many people imagine.
Often social values will suddenly transition or ‘tip’ from one state into another. Social change such as crime rates and fashion can often behave in a manner which is similar to the spread of diseases.
A tip can often be achieved by the compound effect of relatively benign factors.
Too much graffiti and too many broken windows can tip a neighborhood from being a good neighborhood into a crime ridden no-go area. Additionally, the behavior of key individuals in a social group can make quite bizarre actions (such as suicide) not just acceptable in a group, but also fashionable and desirable.
In order to repair a problem, you need to perpetually guard against seemingly insignificant factors in order to effect change.
When the New York underground decided to try to clean up the crime and vandalism on the tube network, they started with the graffiti. The theory was that by cleaning up the appearance of the trains, the feel of the tube network would be improved and people would start to feel more secure and crime would be discouraged. In order to clean up graffiti on their tube network they did it in a staged and defensive manner. A small number of trains were designated as ‘clean trains’. These trains were not allowed to slip and become covered in graffiti even though other trains remained ‘dirty’. The number of clean trains was extended in a sustainable manner at the rate the tube system could cope with until the problem tipped and became controllable.
Applied to neighborhoods, the principal is that an area can hit a point at which there are so many broken windows and walls covered in graffiti that it can change people’s social values. It suddenly becomes 'OK' to break more windows and deface property, and this can move on to more serious crimes being committed once people get a taste for misdemeanors. At this point the neighborhood has tipped and will rapidly go downhill.
In order to affect change and tip a bad district back into the light, it is necessary to actively repair broken windows and clean up graffiti, because without improving the environment that people live in there will not be enough social impetus to allow the residents to control and discourage antisocial behavior.
As long we tolerate a cluttered, dirty and broken environment, we are communicating to each other that it does not matter; lost, broken, or not following the rules is not only ok, it is expected. We must be careful in the “tip” and take a cue from New York, focus and claim one area at a time and not let it slip back. I start with the ambulances. They are billboards, and they are the living space of our crews and clients. Think about it… MEMS has long stood for excellence in EMS. We have always been known for having top of the line equipment and medics. This reputation was hard fought for, and must not be allowed to slip during our tenure.
This is a group effort, fueled by pride and peer pressure! I am starting with the inspection and repair of the ambulances, but there is even more to do. We will not stop until our whole environment is one that reflects our excellence!
Let’s show our pride!
We don’t like anytime that our profession is diminished by the unwitting opinion of anyone that has no real understanding of our business, so why would we want to fuel negative perception with any poor presentation? We have pride in what we do! So let’s show some, by maintaining our work tools and ourselves the best that we possibly can – all the time!
Greg
Paddles Missing in Action???
I have been doing unit inspections all week. (For the record, no one has passed) In my looking I have noticed that several of the trucks are missing the paddles for their LP 12. Did you know that the paddle set cost $500.00? Did you know that the reason we have paddles in addition to the fast patches is for a back up. I was one of the crews that found themselves on a code and the fast patch cable did not work, if not for the paddles we would have been out of luck. It is not just good business to keep up with a $500.00 piece of equipment, but it is good patient care!
Subsidy update
Faulkner County
There has not been a final vote yet, but unofficially it appears the vote in Faulkner County will not be in favor of a subsidy. Jon and I met with the Liberty crews this morning to discuss our plans. The abbreviated version is;
The subsidy is needed to cover part of the year, so we will leave the Liberty crews as they are till sometime in March. By then we will have a better picture of the new MEMS Alert Campaign that is starting up. Should Faulkner County get enough new subscribers it may be that the subsidy request can be adjusted. If there are not enough new subscribers we will be forced to change Liberty to what we are calling a “Super 14”that is basically a 12 hour style shift with the crews working 14 hour shifts. We believe this will work in a ‘rural’ setting and not in a ‘metro’ setting. We have a few details to work out concerning pay etc.
Lonoke
Lonoke has not voted yet on a subsidy, we have notified them that we will be forced to discontinue services March 31 2008 if an agreement cannot be reached. We hope that this will not have to be the case, but by law we cannot provide services at a loss.
Maumelle, Conway, Cabot, Sherwood have all voted in favor of paying a subsidy to continue to have MEMS as their provider.
Sheridan gets a new pad
We have been looking for a station for the Sheridan Crews. The one they are currently in is needing a lot of repair and is not sufficient for two crews. We have located a brand new, never lived in duplex just across the highway from Dr.Winston’s Clinic. The builder/owner is putting in a cased opening between the units to make the building suitable for us. The building is not quite finished yet, but we should be able to move in late December no later than 1st of January.
East End crews will be moving to Sheridan. The East End station will be used as a post, until we make a finial decision as to the trailers disposition.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Saftey Changes
I wanted to update everyone who some safety changes we have made to station one.Crash Cart
We have added a crash cart at station one. It is located just outside the east door of dispatch in the closet across the hall. You old timers will remember it as the old time card room. It is a red craftsman tool chest similar to what is used in the hospitals. It is labeled so things can be easily found. Louis Moore is responsible to keep it majored.
Restroom Locks
The restrooms at station one have had no key until recently. The fear was, if someone passes out in the restroom, we would have to break in a solid wood door, with a steel frame. We have remedied this by getting keys, and changing the locks that had no keys on all the restroom doors. They are held by any supervisor or dispatch if one is needed.
I encourage everyone to look around your surroundings for any other potential issues that we have missed. Each outlying station should have make sure that the exits are still well marked, fire extinguishers are visible etc...
Unit inspection time
I have worked on a couple of different units lately and to be frank, I was amazed at the build up “interior dirt” on both trucks. I have begun to look at other units on a case-by-case basis and found that the units I ran on are not isolated cases of poor cleanliness. I understand the argument that we are busy etc… however, if it were your family member that you were picking up, you would want the unit as clean as possible. With the recent news stories about MRSA and other infectious diseases, we cannot stand the charge that we are lazy in the area of cleanliness. I have shown a few crews that it takes hardly any time at all, to clean one more thing when out at the hospital. (a wall this time, the next wall after the next call etc..) Not only should the patient compartment be clean, the interior should be as well. When patients families ride in the passenger seat, the area around them is the only gauge they have of our equipment and cleanliness.
I am giving fair warning that we are beginning the process doing a complete fleet inspection. We will be looking at unit cleanliness, stock, damage to any equipment etc… We are also setting aside time to do a fleet wide major. I encourage you now to use your time wisely to get ready for this inspection.
Greg
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