Weekly Update for Friday, August 11, 2017

Great job at this afternoon's woods fire!   Thank you!
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OPEN SHIFTS:  October: Tue 10/17, Wed 10/25, Thu 11/2 all 0700-1900.
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EVO2 Needed: Looking for an EVO2 to take E84 to the academy on Tuesday, 8/15.
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EMS Quality Improvement:  Last Monday, Dr Brown, AChf Harris and I met to begin the process of organizing a Continual Quality Improvement (CQI) program for our department. Dr Brown and I are in the process of writing a directive and guidelines for the CQI program. Lieutenant Paramedic Daniels, FF/EMTA Carpenter and FF/EMTB T. Hooper have agreed to serve on the CQI team. Our next meeting will be on 9/11.  I've also reached out to APEMS to give us some training on using the CQI functions in Image Trend.
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The EMR-ISAC InfoGram for August 10, 2017 contains the following articles:
1. Opioid Use and Overdoses at Epidemic Levels
2. Are Your Emergency Plans Realistic?
3. EDGE First Responder Training Online Town Hall
4. 2017 National Preparedness Month
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New IV catheters: SMHC will be converting to Smiths Medical ViaValve IV catheters over the next few weeks. They are the same as the current IV catheter, but have blood control valves. You can still draw blood from them as the valve opens when the Luer lock is screwed on to them. Information is in the EMS room at SMHC. Also there is a 1 minute video at https://www.smiths-medical.com/resources/viavalve-safety-iv-catheters-video

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IV Pumps: Both Ambulances are now equipped with IV Pumps and E-83 no longer has an IV Pump. The IV Pump on Ambulance 86 is located in cabinet "K" which is just below the IV cabinet. The IV Pump on Ambulance 85 is located in Cabinet #1 which is also the IV cabinet. Both IV Pumps have the drip set taped to the side of the unit. The inventory sheets have been updated to reflect these changes.   (GN17-1494)

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KED on Engine 83: A KED (Kendrick Extrication Device) has been added to E83. Cabinet R2/Officers Side middle compartment.  Each Ambulance and Engine 83 now a KED.  All inventories have been adjusted to reflect this change.

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Run Reports: I've been asked to remind crews to leave a copy of the written run report or EMS quick sheet prior to leaving the department. I support this wholeheartedly. However, if you have difficulty with the printers at the hospital, I don't want you wasting time trying to get the hospital's equipment to work. If you  have to fax a report from the station later, so be it.  I am of the belief that if the hospital wants us to leave a printed copy, then the hospital needs to provide a reliable means for us to do so. 

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FENTANYL Exposure:  I got this in an email from Chris Pare a couple days ago....In light of the recent national media reports of first responder exposure to opioids on scenes I felt it was appropriate to circulate this position paper forwarded to me by the National Association of EMS Physicians and authored by the American College of Medical Toxicology (ACMT) and the American Academy of Clinical Toxicology (AACT). This paper addresses preventing occupational fentanyl and fentanyl analog exposure to emergency responders and is quite timely. The link to the paper is here: http://www.acmt.net/_Library/Fentanyl_Position/Fentanyl_PPE_Emergency_Responders_.pdf

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Maine State Weekend at the NFA:  The flyer is out for the 2018 MSW.  A copy is in the bulletin board.  These are officer level/leadership courses. Priority will be for 1) Officers, who've never been to the NFA; 2) All other officers. 3) Firefighter II's who would be eligible for Lieutenant. 

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Bicycle Race: Another bike race will be going through town this weekend. They have a rest stop at the Lyman Town hall. 

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Call Volumes: 441 calls in 2017. 78 calls in July, 23 so far in August. Our busiest days of the week have been Thursday and Sunday. We've taken 186 people to the hospital. 

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Events Next Week: Tuesday 1830 Water Rescue Training.
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Have a great weekend,
Chief


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Roger S. Hooper, Fire Chief
Goodwins Mills Fire-Rescue
481 Goodwins Mills Road
Lyman, ME 04002
Office: 207-499-7878
Station: 207-499-2362
Fax: 207-499-2893
www.gmfd.org