Update on the week

Interviews
We have had a busy week on many fronts. We have been doing interviews this week. We have more to do on Monday and Tuesday., I will let you know how many pass and are hired.

Radios
Most all radios have completed their reprogramming. We will start next week giving you the information on how to use the AWIN, Cabot and new Grant County channels.

Station 7
Station 7 is getting its carpet today (Friday) the furniture will not be ready till Monday. The crews will start moving back in the station then. Until then, one more weekend at the MEMS KOA.

Unit status
136 is back from the body shop and should be in service for the weekend.
609 went in service, and promptly broke down, it is now at the Chevrolet Dealer.
71 should be back from the body shop today.

Perry
Perry has been released to be back at work Monday! Welcome back!

Workers Comp Inspection
Our Workers Comp buildings inspection was conducted last week. We passed with just a few items that need attention. Congratulations to all.

Pictures of the new Sheridan and Lonoke stations

These are going to be very nice stations. They are brand new, never lived in FEMA trailers. We bought them for $6000 each (not bad). I still don't have an address for Sheridan yet, it is being stored at the Grant County fair grounds.

Station 7 update
Station 7 is slated to get new carpet and the A/C cleaned this week. The crew should be back in their station by the first of next week.

Fred Sterling modeling for MEMS

Fred Sterling shown with Dr Fahdi talking about the UAMS/MEMS 12 lead program. Take a look at the complete article.
Link

Station Updates

As some of you may know station 7 had a grease "fire" Sunday. The crews are now staying in one of the FEMA campers that we just acquired until repairs to their stations can be made. We were fortunate that there is only smoke damage and no real fire damage. A reminder to all, make sure that you turn the stove off when you leave the station.



New Stations
We recently acquired two new 16X80 FEMA trailers. They were delivered to Lonoke and Sheridan to be set us as new stations. I will pass along some pictures as soon as I get some. The location of the Lonoke station will be behind the Lonoke FD. The Sheridan station location is still up in the air a bit. I will keep you posted.

Sharing June 30th as their Birthday Robin Rowe, Justin Jackson, Bobby Blasingame. Happy Birthday YALL.

Sharing June 27th as their Birthday Tim Irizarry (top) , Dena Lee and Craig Jones. Happy Birthday!

Celebrating her birthday on June 26th Shelly Antone

Sharing June 24th as their birthday are: Tim Schwartz and John Nevin.

"You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late."

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

"If you look like your passport picture, you aren't well enough to travel."

"If you look like your passport picture, you aren't well enough to travel."

Radio Updates

This week we started bringing in all MEMS vehicles to have their 800 radios re-programmed, and upgraded. This is the final step in moving our radio system over the the AWIN capable system. As you may know AWIN is the state wide 800 system that may be used in the event of mass causality, drills or other large scale events.

The programming will also include some changes to the way we communicate in Cabot and Grant County. Because we did not know how the final template was going to look and work, we have not spent a lot of time talking about the changes, or taught anyone who to use it,

In the following days you will begin to see training and information going out on the changes. We will utilize hands on, memos, the BLOG and possibly a DVD (if needed) . It is not that it is that complicated, but want to use what ever means necessary to get the information out. We will also at that time communicate the implementation date.

In the mean time your radio will work the same as it always has, you will just see more banks and channels that you were used to seeing.

Tim Hulett (top) and George Hrenchir celebrate June 21st as their Birthday.

Matt McIntosh (No picture available) celebrates his Birthday on June 23rd.
Happy Birthday!

Carla Kelly celebrates her Birthday on June 20th. Happy Birthday!

James Randall (no picture available) celebrated his Birthday on June 18th
Steven Hicks (top) and Michael Williams share June 19th as their Birthday.

Happy Birthday to all!

Rick Maynard and David Le celebrated their Birthday on June 17th. Happy Birthday!

Musings from an injured employee

Greg-Take a couple of minutes out of your day and be thankful you have two functioning feet. I have a story for you.

A week ago I was asleep at the Greenbrier station. It was 2:30 am and I was sleeping hard. I heard a dog barking outside and jumped up to see if we had a walk up patient (and also to shut the dog up). My right foot stepped but my left one was asleep. It drug on the carpet causing me to step down with it under me. I felt it crack and felt the lightning bolt go up my leg. Crawling back to the couch, I yelled at my partner, Brit Ball, to come help me. We assessed the foot in question and decided that I was going for an xray. I called dispatch first to tell them to take my truck out of service. The maniacal laughter at the other end of the line gave me the strength to drive myself to the hospital. Foxtrot was pleased to hear from me at 3a.m. but was pleasant enough to advise me on proper procedure. At the er, I could only get around by wheelchair and hopping. After my xray, I was advised that it wasn't broken and I could return to work the next day. I reiterated that I heard it crack (which for future reference...sounds like velcro being ripped apart really fast). He smiled sweetly and said that there wasn't even very much soft tissue damage (refer to picture). In his defense, there are alot of bones in the foot and it is easy to miss a fracture. It did not help me however, when they put this pitiful little splint on that wraps around my heel and goes up my leg. It stablized nothing. I could still move my foot. I didn't want to...but I could. Now, I'm driving myself home with a prescription for some pain meds but none actually in me. I sit in my carport, on my arrival and cried...looking at the stairs leading to my door. I hopped and crawled my way into my house.
Without a dear friend showing up, I guess I'd still be sitting there in my uniform, hoping that somebody would eventually miss me. The next morning I got a call from the hospital saying that the radiologist found a fracture and I should go to the ortho doc. We fashioned a better splint out of an old raggedy sam splint I had at home. I got a set of crutches from the goodwill and waited until the next day for my ortho appointment. Diana and my workers comp representative were probably very sick of me for a couple of days, but we got it all worked out. Now I'm in the walking boot and able to ambulate. It's not real pretty, but I'm up. My oldest son says I move at the speed of mayonaise.
Take a moment and be thankful that when you are thirsty, you can go get a drink.
And make sure everything is awake before you try to run.

Shelly Antone

MEMS Forum

The newest computer can merely compound, at speed, the oldest problem in the relations between human beings, and in the end the communicator will be confronted with the old problem, of what to say and how to say it. Edward R. Murrow.

Tuesday June 12, 2007 at aprox.00:30 a page went out about a MEMS Forum. This was a bit premature, so I apologize for waking those of you who do not work a night shift. I have been working with Ralph on a way to expand the BLOG. He introduced me to a program that would allow free flow communication on different topics. I remember several years ago when MEMS was going though a difficult time we sat down and ask, “how can we navigate these waters”, we discovered that communication was needed and in healthy doses. We have tried several ways to accomplish better communications. We use the MEMS Monitor, MEMSSTUFF BLOG, KIOSK, MIFS, communications line (from time to time) and of course pages. We have tried voluntary company meetings, but they seem to have not been met with much interest. So we come to today. I would like to do a trial run with the MEMS Forum. Some of the rules would be.

1. Only MEMS employees are invited to be a part. This keeps everything in the “family” and “outsiders” from meddling in our business.
2. To be a part you must send an e-mail to me and request to be a part of the Forum.
3. This is about communications, so I ask you to not hide behind a screen name that makes you anonymous. Our goal is to find ways to get answers, solve problems etc and not being accountable for our words is not in sync with these goals.

I want to start the Forum off with two topics (or boards)

1. How to better communicate? MEMS is made up of around 300 or more people working 24/7 is an area of about 2500 square miles. It is very possible that some of you have not met all your co-workers. What are we doing that is working? What is not working? How do you feel about voluntary company meetings? Mandatory company meetings? What issues are we not communicating about well?
2. A message board on shift coverage or swaps. Here you can post an ad asking for coverage for a shift in the future. If a co-worker in interested they can reply to your e-mail, and then you can go to scheduling with a solution. Again, I am trying to be sensitive to the need to take time off. This would be one more tool that you could use to get the word out.

If you have ideas of other topics, drop me a line and we will consider it. Several of you have mentioned that this will work if everyone uses it properly. I agree, all I ask is that you consider your words well. When we read we lose the ability to see the person’s face, hear their tone of voice etc, and what may be meant tongue in cheek can come across as quite inflammatory.

Feelings of worth can flourish only in an atmosphere where individual differences are appreciated, mistakes are tolerated, communication is open, and rules are flexible -- the kind of atmosphere that is found in a nurturing family. Virginia Satir

MEMS Forum Link

Our patients didn’t choose us, we chose to serve them.

Dr. Norman McSwain (considered the father of trauma care)

BLS Leads

It has been a while coming, but we are ready to do BLS Lead training. The dates will be Monday June 25th or Monday July 2nd. I have 9 currently interested in the training. If you have submitted a letter of interest and have not heard from me that you are in a class, or you would like to be considered for BLS lead training, please get with me or Jay by June 15th.

PTO BLOG Correction

I have had several correct me on my blog entry about PTO, I said, "So far in the month of June no one who has requested PTO has been turned down. The requests have been filled by this system."
The answer is only partly correct. What it should have said is, "So far everyone this month everyone that has requested time off has gotten it by either being granted PTO, being filled by this new system, or finding their own coverage"
I appreciate those who brought this error to my attention.
I did not mean to misrepresent the truth, what I was trying to convey was it is possible to get the time off; however, it may take some extra effort on the part of the employee.

We set out to meet two primary needs:
1. People need to know the status of their request in a timely manner.
2. People need time off to "sharpen the saw"

I look forward to a day when the staffing levels are to a point that we can use the "regular system" but until then we will find a way to make it through.

Again, I appreciate you and the work you preform each and everyday!
Greg

June 14th Birthday

George Sosa celebrates his Birthday on June 14th. Happy Birthday!

June 13th Birthdays

Chris Langley and Samantha Holmes (picture no available) share the lucky 13th as their Birthday. Happy Birthday!

June 12th Birthdays

Janelle Johnson and Dr. Clint Evans share the 12th as their Birthday. Happy Birthday!

June 9th Birthday

Brandy Ritchie, Happy Birthday!

PTO Changes

There has been a lot of effort put into making the PTO policy work smoother in the face of summertime and and staffing holes. We approached the problem understanding that
1. People need to know the status of their request in a timely manner.
2. People need time off to "sharpen the saw"
We wanted to find a way to help facilitate this.

Trial PTO Policy change

1. All PTO requests turned in prior to OT sign-up will be included on “The List” and will be advertised as available during OT sign up. "The list" is a tool that the supervisors use currently to cover shifts for each other. Stop by the scheduling office to see the working copy.

2. Employee Requests for PTO made prior to OT sign up days will still be reviewed and “Listed” in the order that they were received.

3. Employees making requests for PTO after OT sign up days may take PTO if they arrange their own coverage, or if the schedule allows. They will not be added to “The List”

4. Scheduling will respond to all PTO requests made prior to OT sign up days by the Monday following OT sign up days. (The disposition of the request will be approved, denied, or still pending)

5. Temporarily change shift bidding from monthly to quarterly. For example, we will post open shifts in June. The results of that posting will be valid for July, August, and September. The posting in September will be good for October, November and December.

6. We will still have overtime sign up monthly on the 3^rd or 4^th Tuesday and Wednesday of the month prior.

7. We will print the schedule for the 3 months at a time instead of monthly. This will allow us to project scheduling needs farther out in the future and make it easier to approve PTO dates.

8. Those in the military are requested to give us drill and training dates quarterly. They must at least be turned in before OT sign up days each month. Failure to do so may require that they arrange their own coverage to cover drill times.

9. Employees who don’t own a shift and don’t bid a shift, will have shift assigned as their permanent shift. This will count as 1 of their shift bids.

10. We will allow employee’s to swap shifts outside of the pay week on case by case basis to allow time off requested.

It is understood that all shifts changes must be authorized by scheduling prior to the change.

So far in the month of June no one who has requested PTO has been turned down. The request have been filled by this system. We will monitor it for effectiveness and will make changes as appropriate.
I appreciate the work you do, and understand that we all need to get away and rest from time to time. If you have ideas or suggestions to make this smother, please drop me a line or stop in and see Jay or myself.

Greg

June 6 Birthdays

Kevin Crosby, Tammy Mullenax and Heather Turner share the 6th as their Birthday. Happy Birthday!

June 5th Birthdays

Laurie Wallace, John-David Windham and Angela Smith share the same Birthday. Happy Birthday!

June 2 Birthday

Ron Spychalski and Latricia Maynard. Happy Birthday!

Horse Shoe Champions Jay and Tim!

After a tremendous battle that lasted through the rain, mud, (not to mention the fact that Jay went through three partners. starting with Clay Toups and then moved to Ralph Loszak and finally finishing with partner Tim Melton) The final game for the championship was played against Jon Swanson and Debbie Thompson. After winning the final two games for the championship, Jon challenged Jay to a one on one game where he (Jon) finally beat the on fire Jay 21-18 with a ringer that topped Jay's leaner.
ESPN should have been there!

Thank you !

As some of you know my father called me during the Company Picnic Saturday complaining of a heaviness in his chest. Carla Kelly and Brent Treece responded and transported Dad to the Heart Hospital. Carla and Brent made another fan, as Dad thinks now he has a new girlfriend. Dad had a cath Sunday where they found a blockage in a graft from his open heart surgery several years ago. They placed a STINT, with no complications. he was released Monday afternoon.
When it hits home I am reminded how grateful I am to be a part this group. I am also reminded that it is someones mom or dad or child etc.. that we run on each and every time. As the family of one of our recent patients, I send a sincere thank you for the work you do!
Greg

Company Picnic

(Click image to enlarge, the blue marker is on the park)

Reminder that the annual MEMS Company Picnic will be held tomorrow June 2 at the Elks Park on Hillard, which can be accessed from Crystal Hill Road. The 7th annual horseshoe tournament drawing will begin at 11:30. A $6.00 cost to play (which can be payroll deducted) is charged for the prizes.
The food is great and the fellowship between our families even better. We usually start eating @12:30. Come on out!

Mac Cart has big dam job!

Many of you may have seen the article in the Democrat on Thursday about the code on the "Big Dam Bridge" While the paper made it sound like it didn't go well, the truth is that the call went very well.
Prior to this event MEMS has been working with NLR, LR and the county to put in place some sort of transport cart for patient rescue.
Here is the plan that has been worked out (most of this prior to Saturday, we have just made a few improvements)

• Whenever there is a call on the bridge, Rescue for LR and NLR both respond, until either party cancels the other.
  
• Little Rock FD will send their Gator from their station 2
• NLRFD will pick up the MEMS MAC Cart that is now stored at the NLR Hydro Plant.
  
• The MAC Cart has a key to the iron post that block vehicle access to the bridge.
  

• Here it is important to communicate with rescue on MEMS 2. If they beat us to the bridge they will drive up one EMT to start treatment, and then send the cart back (if necessary) to meet the MEMS crew.

This cart is on its last mission so it may only handle carrying 3 people up the bridge, so please don't over load it.

The River Trail East of the dam is another place that the MAC Cart may be utilized.

We will see how this works. There are a few problems using the MAC Cart such as age, power and a very long turning radius. NLR hopes to buy a more suitable vehicle as money permits.

E-PCR Changes

We have been working with our E-PCR vendor to make some changes in the look and feel of the program to make it a little easier for you. If you would like to see them go to www.metroems.com/lifenet.html
For a list of the changes. If you would like to see the actual screen shots like above. Click on either the PDF of the DOC downloads to get the picture.
LifeNet Updates.pdf download
LifeNet Updates.doc download