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
Michael Burke, who was off-duty, died Thursday morning in a fatal car accident
Bernard Shore pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of official misconduct; he will never be certified as an EMT in New York again
One of his goals is to more than double the number of volunteers serving the community and its almost 60 square miles
Without violating patient confidentiality, what are some of those crazy cases you’ll never forget? Add your stories to the comments
A state audit shows that the responders should receive benefits if they work more than 15 hours per week
Two victims died and 22 others suffered a range of injuries
A cellphone was used to take pictures to record the exam booklet and was sent to other test-takers
Gregory Myers is accused of entering the common living room and telling the 15-year-old girl he was going to kiss her before she went to bed
The Douglass firefighter was waiting for his children to arrive home on the bus, and was one of the first on scene
The vehicle’s markings as a volunteer ambulance reportedly raised a question as to whether it was in fact defined as an emergency vehicle
A rescue operation was made by three volunteer fire departments and EMTs helped remove each person one-by-one
Remember the FALTER acronym to make sure you call for a helicopter transport when time really counts
The company is experiencing a shortage of emergency medical technicians, as well as increased regulatory and training requirements for volunteers
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
