Daily Press
APPLE VALLEY, Calif. — Three Apple Valley Fire Protection District firefighter paramedics and two American Medical Response personnel were honored this week for “thinking outside the box” when they helped a patient who was suffering a diabetic emergency, AVFPD Chief Sid Hultquist said.
The North End Continuous Quality Improvement Committee presented the “Challenge Coin” to Firefighter Paramedic Anthony Corrao, Fire Capt. James “Buddy” Perratt, Emergency Medical Technician Martha Lujan, Paramedic Diane Abeyja and Firefighter-Paramedic James Lyons on Thursday.
Normally a paramedic would administer adult dextrose for such a diabetic emergency, but a national shortage made the drug unavailable, so the paramedics went to work to find an alternative that would raise the woman’s blood sugar.
Using ingredients they found in the patient’s kitchen, they made their own high-sugar drink using sweet tea, honey, yogurt, fruit juice and some other ingredients, while other crew members made a carbohydrate-rich sandwich to sustain the woman’s sugar level, Hultquist said.
“These people were honored for their care, compassion and concern for the patient,” Hultquist said.
The North End Continuos Quality Improvement Committee is an Inland Counties Emergency Medical Agency sponsored group. The volunteer committee has been in existence for 20 years and focuses on improving patient care outcomes originating from 911 calls.
Copyright 2013 The Daily Press
All Rights Reserved