Volunteer EMS
Less resources makes stronger, more independent clinicians, able to think on the fly and find creative solutions to EMS challenges
Our co-hosts review and discuss two EMS news articles from the week
Crumbling volunteer EMS infrastructure requires radical thinking and strategies to provide quality emergency care
The Fire Department is all volunteers and establishing EMS service was done from donations and through fundraisers
The suspects used the stolen cash on luxury car service trips, vacations and car payments
He had no firefighter gear, but he got on his hands and knees and started crawling to get into the house to save her
More and more volunteer fire departments are finding this same staffing problem
With limited resources, you must adapt and overcome
He emphasized the need for these local volunteers and highlighted what he called a legislative attack two years in a row on emergency services
Colorado is a state with dead zones, where no dedicated ambulance service exists, and where many rural communities are fighting to maintain even a basic EMS
After turning to social media and word of mouth, the department now has all the recruits needed to serve the community even better than before
A struggling economy has resulted in time pressures for people, who might opt to concentrate on holding onto their paying jobs and be less willing to take on any volunteer work
Making decisions purely on emotion and superficial knowledge
They can provide the same level of care without the ambulance, but there could be a delay in transporting patients
Read and follow your department’s policies on POV use, and drive safely
Wis. Supreme Court set precedent by ruling that a volunteer firefighter did not have government immunity when he went through a red light and was struck by another vehicle
The enticing count carries a minimum 10-year prison sentence and a maximum life sentence upon conviction
He faces up for four years in jail and was charged with criminal solicitation, offering a false instrument for filing and official misconduct
He was on duty near the airport when he went into cardiac arrest
Small-town governments, police forces, social services and especially agencies that depend on volunteers have been hard-pressed to handle the new demands
EMTs and paramedics often go to smaller communities for training and then relocate to other communities; doctors, dentists and nurses are also difficult to keep
Steve Cheezum has been unable to work since he was diagnosed with a rare form of lymphoma
Criminal charges for the scheme could carry a maximum jail time of seven years for forgery and criminal impersonation
Fast-aging rural communities rely more on Medicare payments, which are being trimmed by the sequestration
Criminal charges for the scheme could carry a maximum jail time of seven years for forgery and criminal impersonation
Officials believe the public thought the fire department and EMS were the same unit and that donations would help both
Administrators say it’s been a struggle to staff the volunteer ambulance squad, because of demanding training requirements
Nearby hospital was told to expect residents with injuries and firefighters
The crew has been recruiting for months and if they don’t find anyone soon, nearby towns might step in
The Portsmouth Volunteer Fire Department made its final donation, marking the dissolution of the organization after 77 years
The money will go for new equipment, such as pagers, beepers and radios
The medic’s attorney said his client had nothing to do with the plant explosion and will not plead guilty to the charges
The announcement came the same day a paramedic was arrested on a charge of possessing a destructive device
