ADVERTISEMENT
This Week in EMS: A Recap for Aug 19-25, 2006
This week saw new headlines pointing toward trouble in the D.C. fire and EMS Department; another medical director has resigned, and a top mayoral candidate is calling for a division of the combined department.
To give some perspective on the latest issues in D.C., Erik S. Gaull of the advisory board for EMS Magazine took time Friday to speak with EMSResponder.com about the latest news. Gaull has been heavily involved in EMS and public safety issues in the area as a consultant, educator, and service provider, and now as a candidate for city council. He shared his take on the situation in a podcast Friday.
It will be interesting to see what feedback we get on this discussion, which you can send to Heather.Caspi@emsresponder.com.
By far the most read article on the site this week was the tragic story of a failed river rescue, which actually resulted in the patient's death. A New Hampshire rescue boat sank and the patient, strapped to a backboard and strapped to the boat, went down with it. Such tragedies may be avoidable, water rescue experts said, with the use of flotation devices for the backboard or stretcher.
The other top article for the week was the latest news in the crisis regarding fentanyl-laced heroin overdoses. The spread of the deadly heroin has affected numerous major cities including Philadelphia, Chicago and Detroit.
In Philadelphia, it was revealed this week, health providers were at odds over whether to increase the dosage of Narcan administered to these patients to increase their odds of survival. In addition, it was revealed that the neighborhoods hardest hit by the rash of heroin-related deaths are not served by paramedic units that can administer the antidote.
News you can use:
Editor-in-Chief Tim Dees of partner public safety website Officer.com has unearthed one of the best-kept secrets in government-sponsored giveaways for public safety agencies, and it's only available until September 22, 2006. Check out his column to see if your agency is eligible to receive items from a list of available equipment.
U.S. to Delay Medicare Provider Payments
Some care providers may find themselves affected by the announcement that Congress has ordered a hold on Medicare reimbursements to hospitals, doctors and scores of other providers during the last nine days of the current budget year, from Sept. 22-30.
FDA Eases Access to Morning-After Pill
This medication is now available OTC to women age 18 and above, and may be unofficially accessed by younger women as well. There remains debate within the FDA and in the public over whether unsupervised use is safe, especially for younger teens. Care providers may wish to review any perceived risks associated with the drug's availability. According to the FDA, some women will experience non-serious side effects, such as nausea, stomach pain, headache, dizziness, or breast tenderness. For more information from the FDA visit their Plan B information page.
