Air Medical Safety Update

Dr. Bryan Bledsoe

Air medical safety expert Bryan Bledsoe, DO, FACEP, EMT-P provides news and views on current efforts to improve helicopter EMS safety following the tragic spike last year in crashes and fatalities.

In this in-depth interview, Dr. Bledsoe touches on:

1. The outcome of the NTSB hearings that occurred in February 2009.

2. Potential new rulemaking from the FAA.

3. Steps the air medical industry and individual operators can take now to improve safety.

4. The Helicopter Medical Services Patient Safety, Protection and Coordination Act (H.R. 978/S. 848), introduced in February by Rep. Jason Altmire (D-PA). The bill would recognize and clarify the authority of the states to regulate intrastate helicopter medical services.

5. The Air Medical Safety Act (H.R. 1201/S. 1201), introduced in February by Rep. John Salazar (D-CO). It would make law of several of the NTSB’s 2006 recommendations.

6. Air medical self-dispatch and call-jumping issues.

7. Controlling when and how air resources are summoned.

8. What we can learn from Canada and the wider international EMS community.

9. The Patient First Alliance’s air-resource typing scheme (outlined in a position paper at www.airmed.com/ Patient-First) which proposes categorizing air medical service providers based on their clinical capabilities and safety profiles.

10. Tracking the use of air medical resources and expectations for future trends.

For related content visit this EMS Magazine online exclusive by Associate Editor John Erich: Flight Plans.

Health and Wellness

Gary Ludwig

As part of the “2009 Fire/EMS Safety, Health and Survival Week,” Chief Gary Ludwig discusses his top safety concerns and advice for EMS responders. In this interview he discusses the importance of preventative health care and screenings, maintaining an appropriately healthy lifestyle and setting an example for others.

Gary Ludwig is a nationally recognized fire and EMS expert whose works include regular columns for Firehouse Magazine and Firehouse.com, and whose previous publications include EMS Magazine. He currently serves as a deputy fire chief for the Memphis, Tennessee Fire Department. He retired as Chief Paramedic from the St. Louis Fire Department in 2001 after 25 years of employment with the city. Chief Ludwig also currently serves as Chairman for the EMS Section of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, sponsor of Safety Week. Learn more about him at www.garyludwig.com.

Courtesy and Customer Service

Gary Ludwig

As part of the “2009 Fire/EMS Safety, Health and Survival Week,” Chief Gary Ludwig discusses his top safety concerns and advice for EMS responders. Here he discusses the role of simple courtesy in preventing or diffusing any potential hostility or lack of cooperation from patients and the public.

Gary Ludwig is a nationally recognized fire and EMS expert whose works include regular columns for Firehouse Magazine and Firehouse.com, and whose previous publications include EMS Magazine. He currently serves as a deputy fire chief for the Memphis, Tennessee Fire Department. He retired as Chief Paramedic from the St. Louis Fire Department in 2001 after 25 years of employment with the city. Chief Ludwig also currently serves as Chairman for the EMS Section of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, sponsor of Safety Week. Learn more about him at www.garyludwig.com.

Illness and Injury Prevention

Gary Ludwig

As part of the “2009 Fire/EMS Safety, Health and Survival Week,” Chief Gary Ludwig discusses his top safety concerns and advice for EMS responders. In this podcast he discusses illness and injury prevention topics including lifting and moving, protective equipment and infection control.

Gary Ludwig is a nationally recognized fire and EMS expert whose works include regular columns for Firehouse Magazine and Firehouse.com, and whose previous publications include EMS Magazine. He currently serves as a deputy fire chief for the Memphis, Tennessee Fire Department. He retired as Chief Paramedic from the St. Louis Fire Department in 2001 after 25 years of employment with the city. Chief Ludwig also currently serves as Chairman for the EMS Section of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, sponsor of Safety Week. Learn more about him at www.garyludwig.com.

Crime Scenes and Assailants

Gary Ludwig

As part of the “2009 Fire/EMS Safety, Health and Survival Week,” Chief Gary Ludwig discusses his top safety concerns and advice for EMS responders. Here he talks about policies and procedures for responding to crime scenes, as well as responding to psychiatric calls and checking patients for weapons.

Gary Ludwig is a nationally recognized fire and EMS expert whose works include regular columns for Firehouse Magazine and Firehouse.com, and whose previous publications include EMS Magazine. He currently serves as a deputy fire chief for the Memphis, Tennessee Fire Department. He retired as Chief Paramedic from the St. Louis Fire Department in 2001 after 25 years of employment with the city. Chief Ludwig also currently serves as Chairman for the EMS Section of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, sponsor of Safety Week. Learn more about him at www.garyludwig.com.

Staging for Scene Protection

Gary Ludwig

As part of the “2009 Fire/EMS Safety, Health and Survival Week,” Chief Gary Ludwig discusses his top safety concerns and advice for EMS responders. During this podcast he discusses positioning vehicles to protect road incidents from other traffic, and shares the experience in Memphis, Tennessee since implementing such a policy.

Gary Ludwig is a nationally recognized fire and EMS expert whose works include regular columns for Firehouse Magazine and Firehouse.com, and whose previous publications include EMS Magazine. He currently serves as a deputy fire chief for the Memphis, Tennessee Fire Department. He retired as Chief Paramedic from the St. Louis Fire Department in 2001 after 25 years of employment with the city. Chief Ludwig also currently serves as Chairman for the EMS Section of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, sponsor of Safety Week. Learn more about him at www.garyludwig.com.

Driving

Gary Ludwig

As part of the “2009 Fire/EMS Safety, Health and Survival Week,” Chief Gary Ludwig discusses his top safety concerns and advice for EMS responders. In this episode he discusses driving issues including seatbelt use and speed.

Gary Ludwig is a nationally recognized fire and EMS expert whose works include regular columns for Firehouse Magazine and Firehouse.com, and whose previous publications include EMS Magazine. He currently serves as a deputy fire chief for the Memphis, Tennessee Fire Department. He retired as Chief Paramedic from the St. Louis Fire Department in 2001 after 25 years of employment with the city. Chief Ludwig also currently serves as Chairman for the EMS Section of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, sponsor of Safety Week. Learn more about him at www.garyludwig.com.

Swine Flu Advisory for EMS

Raphael M. Barishansky

As confirmed swine flu infections spread beyond Mexico, mounting in the U.S. and around the world, the U.S. has declared a national health emergency. All health care agencies and providers should stay informed of the situation and follow any guidance from their state officials, as well as the CDC and World Health Organization, says Raphael M. Barishansky, public health emergency preparedness expert and EMS Magazine contributor.

In this April 27, 2009 interview, Ray discusses the level of concern and appropriate response for those in the emergency medical services. “This is a critical time and we have not seen a public health emergency of this magnitude in some time,” he says. “EMS agencies need to take this opportunity to be proactive in getting guidance and information.”

Listen to hear Ray’s full update, and view the following links for further information:

Related:

• Swine Flu Cases in US; EMS on Alert
• cdc.gov/swineflu
• WHO: Information on swine influenza
• EMS Magazine April 2009 article by Raphael Barishansky: Surge Capacity: Is your system prepared for the victims of a large-scale incident?

Physicians Seek Recognition for EMS as Subspecialty of Emergency Medicine

Ted Delbridge, NAEMSP President

As announced in the March 2008 issue of EMS Magazine, the National Association of EMS Physicians (NAEMSP) along with the American College of Emergency Physicians have formally applied to the American Board of Emergency Medicine for EMS to be recognized as a true subspecialty of emergency medicine.

This will be the second appeal in two decades, but the feeling among physicians in the EMS community is that the time is right. EMSResponder.com spoke with NAEMSP president Ted Delbridge to learn more about this effort.

There are two legs to the ride this year: one that begins in New York and a new one that begins in Kentucky. Both groups of bicycle riders headed out on Sunday, May 20th and will meet in Virginia and ride into Roanoke together to attend the 15th Annual National EMS Memorial Service on Saturday, May 26. The purpose of The EMS Memorial Ride is to honor those EMS personnel who have died in the line of duty.

The Kentucky group is traveling 400 miles over the Appalachian Mountains to attend the memorial service, and also provided a podcast report from the road. Group coordinator Robert Galvin called in from Middlesboro, KY where the group took a rest break before continuing on to Harlan and then climbing to the highest point in Kentucky.