Time to get up on my soapbox again!

Unless we want to go insane running even more than we do now, it’s high time that we get out and start recruiting for our services. This is especially true in areas served primarily by volunteers which is about 75% of the country.

In my area in Maryland, there is a high school vo-tech program ((Link to CCPS Vo-Tech) that trains new EMT/Firefighters over the last year and a half of high school. This has been a wonderful addition to our recruiting efforts since they have to be a member of a volunteer department in the county to be enrolled in the program. The local community college, Cecil Community College, will soon be adding a two year Fire Science degree to its program alongside its paramedic program.

1) Check with your area schools and community colleges and see what they can do to help with this situation.

2) Encourage your legislators to offer incentives to volunteer members in the way of Tax breaks and deductions specifically for volunteer first responders.

3) Lastly, why don’t you ask someone to join your service or mentor an EMS student. Who knows, you might just make a new friend.

Jamie
The Podmedic

I heard a story Todd reported on the Geek News Central Podcast last week that disturbed me. A person reported that a VOIP service put him on hold while he tried to dial out to 911 to report a fire and that he waited 3 minutes for the call to go thru (Story Link Here).

This is distressing to me as a firefighter and paramedic. We need to teach people that the only thing they should do when there is a fire in their home is leave the house! With the amount of plastics in the home these days, even a little bit of smoke could contain a toxic amount of poisonous gases. Families should call from outside at a neighbor’s house or from a cell phone and stay on the phone until the dispatcher tells them to hang up.

E-911 service is being added here in the United States to most jurisdictions to triangulate Cell phone locations for 911. But the most important thing is to leave the house and DO NOT GO BACK INSIDE FOR ANY REASON! A house can be rebuilt, possessions can be rebought, but a family member cannot be replaced.

I’m a skype member and I know that there is a disclaimer right at the beginning of the application process that tells a new user that the service shouldn’t be used for 911 service. I’m sure that Vonage is no different. Just my two cents worth.

Here’s a link to the US fire academy site for kids.

Jamie
The Podmedic

Welcome to Episode 8 of the MedicCast
Right click to download this episode

Shownotes;
A podcast for EMT’s, Paramedics, and other medical providers of all kinds.

Vote for the Mediccast here:

Follow up on the Amiodarone/Lidocaine series

Contact Me!
send me a note!
MedicCast Website

News:
Rescue Valve Trials
US/Canadian Resuscitative Consortium
New Orleans Lessons Learned
Teens and Herbal Drug Use
Angina More Deadly for Women

Angina Links
American Heart Association
NIH — What is Angina?
Wiki on Angina

New Training Aid for EMT’s and Paramedics

Don’t forget to support the mediccast! Thank you for tuning in.
If you want to get a show update email, send me an EMAIL with “Update” in the subject line
Podsafe Music Network
This week in honor Women and Angina –
“Super Hot Lady Cop” by Beau Hall
Checkout the band here

Until next time, Scene safety, BSI!

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License.

There have been a lot of news items lately about poor EMS response times, inattentive crews in the ambulance, and hospital diversions. I’ve reported on many of them in both of my podcasts. Why do these complaints about EMS get the coverage they do?

Simple. The public doesn’t understand what we as EMS and other first responders do.

It’s just a plain fact. They see spectacular rescues on TV shows with people saved from cardiac arrest at amazing and impossible rates. The public calls 911 but doesn’t understand EMS staffing and how mutual aid response works. They just want us to show up and help when calling 911 and other than that they really don’t think much about us–

until they really need us!

Who’s fault is this? It’s ours! Unless you were raised in an EMS or Firefighting family, you had no understanding about the nature of what we do until you began training. We have to be visible in the public at times other than during emergencies. We need to visit area churches, schools, and business meetings. We need to get out there and shake hands with the people we serve and talk frankly about signs and symptoms of things like stroke and heart attack. We need to explain what happens when they call 911 and what information to have ready to help the responders help them.

EMS Week is coming up May 14 — 20, 2006. What is your department doing about reaching out to the public during this important time. The theme this year is “Serving on Health Care’s Front Line.” Check out the link to the EMS Week Site EMS Week Site.

An educated public is a more respectful public. We just have to take the time!

Jamie
The Podmedic

I had the pleasure of riding with an EMT student the last couple of days and was impressed with her knowledge and skills. What’s the impression you all have about the quality of students our services are turning out these days? Let me know what you think. send me a note!

Jamie
The Podmedic

The Maryland State Police Medevac service turns 35 this week. This ground breaking service has transported over 100,000 patients and I’m one of them. Hats off to these professionals

here’s a link to the story

I covered it with some other stories on the MedicCast News at the Podcaster News Network

Congrats to these EMS Professionals!

Jamie
The Podmedic

Right click to download this episode

Shownotes;
A podcast for EMT’s, Paramedics, and other medical providers of all kinds.

Vote for the Mediccast here:

Contact Me!
send me a note!
MedicCast Website

News:

Ambulance Accidents

Kids Abuse OTC Drugs

STEMI Diversion

Tip/Trick of the Week — Club Drugs

Dr. Fran Link — recent podcast on club drugs

NIH Site for Drug Abuse

Med of the Week — Amiodarone

Wiki link to Amiodarone

Don’t forget to support the mediccast! Thank you for tuning in.
If you want to get a show update email, send me an EMAIL with “Update” in the subject line
Podsafe Music Network
This week in honor Women and Angina –
“Rocket Science” by Brain Buckit
Checkout the band here

Until next time, Scene safety, BSI!

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License

A fellow podcaster at the Podcaster News Network did a show on child safety seats.

Check out Richard Palmer’s Safety Beat Podcast. Lots of great information here.

Jamie
The Podmedic

Just posted a new MedicCast News at Podcasternews.com. There’s a story about a prank gone horribly wrong, news about a lasix replacement and much more! Check out the link below and search the Health related podcasts!

Jamie Davis
The Podmedic

This weekend on the MedicCast I’ll be continuing my focus on the antiarrhythmics with Amiodarone.  Last week I discussed Lidocaine which we use in Maryland EMS protocols.  I’ll discuss Amiodarone and compare the two.  If you have an opinion let me know by sending me an email to:

podmedic@mac.com

Maybe I’ll include some of your feedback in the show.

Jamie

The Podmedic

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