Emergency Resources At Your Fingertips
The Finger Lakes Regional Trauma Center (FLRTC) website (wrhepc.urmc.edu) hosts many training and preparedness resources for NYS Health Emergency Preparedness Coalitions. A major resource, especially in time of disaster, is the NYS Health Emergency Preparedness Coalition’s: Preparedness and Response Tools/Resources Page. Links on the page include:
96 Hour Sustainability
Active Shooter
Alternate (Crisis) Standards of Care
Disaster Mental Health
Disaster Triage
Ebola
eFINDS (Evacuation of Facilities in Disaster Systems)
Emergency Preparedness Apps for iPhone/Tablet (including Red Cross, FEMS, etc)
Faith Based
General Preparedness
Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP)
Hospital Command Center
IT/Cyber Security
National Incident Management System (NIMS/ICS)
OSHA/Hazmat/Decon
Pediatric
Personal Preparedness
Public Health
Recovery
Storm/Natural Disasters
The link to the Preparedness & Response Tools/Resource Page (and the other links contained within) has now been added in the lower portion of the ESD’s education page along with several other national, state and public safety resources. Additionally there is a link to regional disaster work plans from the FLTRC site. Check them out at http://emergencyservicesdirectory.org/EducationalLinks
The following information was received from Andrew G. Johnson, Deputy Director Bureau of Emergency Medical Services Education and Certification
Login info NYS Bureau of Emergency Medical Services 2015 BLS Protocol Update Training
This is now on the home page for the Bureau at: http://www.health.ny.gov/professionals/ems/
2015 Spinal Protocol Update
This update is required to be completed by all New York State certified EMS providers:
The 2015 BLS Protocol update on hemorrhage control and spinal injuries is approved for 3 hours of CME (Preparatory, Trauma, or Other). If you took your quiz through Webex you must have your email from Webex showing your passing quiz score as well as your completed skills sheets on-file with your agency. No additional certificates will be published through Webex.
The recorded training session can be found by clicking this link: Webinar. This link will not provide you with the required quiz.
If you have not completed your update and quiz, you will need to go to our training site at http://training.vitalsignsconference.com. Once your account is created and confirmed via email you can access the update course at the link, "2015 BLS Update". Once you complete the update, you will receive a certificate of completion.
If you have any questions/issues please email Robert.Valenty@health.ny.gov.
Safety Resources For Ambulances Released By DHS S&T
By: Homeland Security Today Staf
Two ambulance safety resources for emergency medical services (EMS) leaders, professionals and organizations nationwide the aim of which is to reduce the injury and fatality rate of EMS personnel have been released by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T).
According to data from the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the fatality rate of EMS professionals is three times greater than the average in any other occupation.
“In the rush to deliver care and get a patient to the hospital, first responders often place their own safety on the line,” said DHS Deputy Under Secretary for Science and Technology Dr. Robert Griffin. “By developing and releasing these resources, we can address key design concerns and training needs to ensure patients and EMS professionals are transported safely.
The first of the two resources, the Ambulance Patient Compartment Human Factors Design Guidebook, recommends improved physical design standards. The second resource, the Research Study of Ambulance Operations and Best Practice Considerations for Emergency Medical Services Personnel, addresses operational procedures and practices while operating an ambulance.
“To develop design guidelines, S&T coordinated with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to observe EMS professionals in the back of ambulances, specifically looking at the ergonomics of the patient compartment,” S&T said in its announcement. “They worked with EMS providers to determine the safest position for the caregiver and the patient. Additionally, the multi-agency team looked at the safety of the individual aspects of the vehicle in the event of a crash, and developed recommendations for EMS provider and patient restraints, cots and equipment mountings.”
Pulling from several existing EMS resources and data, S&T and its partners developed the best practices to give localities a consolidated resource that can inform standard operating procedures and processes that many EMS organizations are lacking.
S&T, NIST and NIOSH also plan to make these resources available to ambulance accreditation bodies such as the National Fire Protection Association and the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services.
“Ultimately,” S&T said, “the application of these resources at a user level and within guidelines will ensure that EMS response is safer from a design and practices standpoint.”
The resources can be found at http://www.firstresponder.gov
STEP announces the Dr. Chloe Alexson Scholarship Award, which is intended to award an outstanding emergency service person a full conference registration to attend the STEP Annual EMS Conference each year. Nominations each year can be made by the leadership of any emergency service agency on agency letterhead. Nominations can be mailed to:
STEP Conference Committee
c/o 23 Donna Marie Circle
Rochester, NY 14606
Alternatively, the letter can be emailed as an attachment to: info@emergencyservicesdirectory.org
The award nomination letter should include supporting information based on any of the following criteria:
Leadership in the nominating organization or significant contribution
Steadfastness in service
Length of service
Exemplary performance during the first year or two of service by a new member
The STEP Board will make a decision on the winner at the Board meeting before the conference and will inform the recipient the next day, so a contact phone number should be included in the nomination letter.
Unfortunately, there were no nominations for the 2014 award, but we would like to try again next year to award a scholarship. We look forward to honoring the late Dr Alexson, a valued long time member of STEP, by presenting this scholarship to a deserving recipient.
STEP as a non-profit organization has put on conferences for over 20 years to give health and public safety organizations the opportunity to obtain CMEs, and to network with other providers. We would like to thank all of the following speakers and all of the participants at the 2015 conference.
The STEP Conference Committee & Board is starting to make decisions about a 2016 conference. Stay tuned for details as they become available.
As of October 24, 2014, the CDC has come out with new guidance based on recent experiences with Ebola. The new guidance for EMS & 911 staff can be found at:
An order related to Ebola patient management has been issued by the NYS Commissioner of Health. Details including an attachment outlining the requirements for preparedness for all health & public safety agencies in NYS can be found at: http://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/ebola/docs/commissioner_order.pdf
The NYS Department of Health's Bureau of EMS & Trauma is requesting that all EMS agencies in NY read the information and carry out all pertinent actions. The Bureau also asks that each agency verify receipt by sending an email to Ebola.commissioner.order.acceptance@health.ny.gov confirming that the EMS agency has received the Order, that it agrees to accept service of the Order by electronic delivery and that you have the authority to state that. For those agencies where no confirmation is received, DOH staff will follow up with a direct e-mail and/or USPS certified mail.
The NYS Bureau of EMS & Trauma's webpage has been updated with a new section entitled “Ebola Resources for EMS Agencies and Providers.”
The updated webpage includes a “more information” link to an Ebola specific webpage within the NYS DOH website where the EMS guidance documents can be found on the left hand side of the page. Please continue to check the Bureau’s webpage as it will be updated as necessary related to Ebola planning and response.
The website can be accessed at http://www.health.ny.gov/professionals/ems/
Another resource more specific to hospitals and physicians is a website set up by Emory University Hospital sharing their experiences in caring for an Ebola patient and the things learned. That website can be accessed at http://www.emoryhealthcare.org/ebola-protocol/ehc-message.html
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