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This Week in EMS: High-Visibility Vest Law to Take Effect
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On Nov. 24, a federal law goes into effect requiring anyone working along a highway to wear a high-visibility vest. The regulation is designed to reduce the number of responder injuries and deaths.
As with many federal regulations, there are no penalties involved for those who don't comply. However, the civil liability is paramount.
See the EMSResponder.com coverage: Federal Law to Require High-Visibility Vests for Highway Responders.
Wildfires wreaked havoc in Southern California this week and prompted a hospital evacuation at Olive View-UCLA Medical Center.
When electricity and backup generators went out, hospital staff decided to move more than two dozen patients, including 10 newborns, to other hospitals. Some other patients left independently, and others remained at the hospital, including a woman in labor.
For details visit: Wildfire Chases Patients from L.A. Hospital.
An Illinois EMT died during the night last weekend while working a 24-hour shift with MedStar Ambulance.
George G. Schaub III, 23, was also a firefighter and explorer trainer for the French Village Fire Department, and had been a member of the Villa Hills Volunteer Fire Department since he was 13.
To read more visit: Illinois EMT Honored at Funeral Service.
Featured Podcast:
"It was one of those nights that literally there was no light out there, and we found the scene just by the flashing lights. When we landed, they pointed us to the ambulance that had the patient. He had rolled his Honda CRX, and it had caught fire. He was trapped underneath the car as it was burning." In this episode, Tony Hartman talks about an exceptionally memorable call.
Featured Column:
Improving Professional Working Relationships in Emergency Medical Services
"Firefighters, law enforcement officers, emergency dispatchers, nurses, physicians, hospital clerical staff, and other EMS providers are just some examples of the types of people encountered by EMS providers on a daily basis," writes guest columnist Brian Potter. "Striving to develop good working relationships with all of these groups of people can go a long way toward not only improving the EMS providers' ability to communicate and do their job, but also toward improving the overall quality and morale of the EMS workplace."
EMS Magazine Online Exclusive
Security of Chemical Facilities, Transportation, Remains a Top Homeland Security Concern
"Barriers to EMS readiness continue, especially for large-scale emergencies," writes Jerome Hauer, former assistant secretary for Public Health Emergency Preparedness at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. "Most first responders report feeling vastly underprepared and underprotected for a disaster involving a chemical, biological or radiological agent/weapon."
Featured Job:
The Denver Health Paramedic Division, sole provider of 911 advanced life support services for the City and County of Denver, is seeking qualified applicants for the position of Chief Paramedic.
Click above for details and visit www.EMSResponder.com/jobs for additional listings including:
- Sr. EMT-Paramedic -- Saudi Arabia
- EMT, Paramedic - Columbia County, FL
- EMS Analyst - San Joaquin County, CA
Featured Forum Thread:
"I'm about to finish my medic class, and lately I've been having trouble with my IV starts in my clinicals," writes forum member Macari. "It seems that I can hit the vein and get a good flash, but I either have trouble advancing the catheter or end up blowing the vein. I'd say I'm about 50/50, and it's really starting to bother me. Any tips would be greatly appreciated."
Click above to read the discussion, and browse other topics at www.emsresponder.com/forums.
Poll Question:
How many tries did it take you to pass your first NREMT exam?
Click to participate, and view previous polls at www.EMSResponder.com/polls.
Reminders:
Call for Presenters: EMS EXPO 2009
Speaking proposals are now being accepted for EMS EXPO 2009, to take place Oct. 26-30 in Atlanta, Georgia. Applications are requested by December 15, 2008.
To submit case studies for possible review in EMS Magazine, e-mail Nancy.Perry@cygnusb2b.com.
Free Posters
Two posters are available from EMSResponder.com for free and unlimited distribution. Click to open the PDFs for the E2B Challenge poster and the ICARE poster.
To learn more about these topics visit www.EMSResponder.com/e2b and Do You Care Enough to ICARE?
Other top headlines this week on EMSResponder.com:
- 'Party Paramedics' Protect Colorado Students
- Teen Fatally Shot Outside Baltimore Firehouse
- Responding Massachusetts Ambulance Hit by Truck
- Milwaukee Dispatcher Says Lawsuit May Have Led To Firing
- Alabama Man Run Over by Train Survives
- ATV Mini-Ambulance the answer to WV Crews' Prayers
- 3 Chicago Teens Drown During Leadership Retreat
About Heather Caspi, EMSResponder.com Editor-in-Chief
Heather Caspi has been a public safety journalist since 2000, beginning as a reporter for sister site Firehouse.com. She later became the assistant news editor for Firehouse.com and Officer.com, and led the launch of EMSResponder.com in 2005. She graduated from the University of Maryland with degrees in Journalism and English Language and Literature, and earned her EMT-B at Merritt College in Oakland, California. She can be reached at Heather.Caspi@cygnusb2b.com.
