N E W S	EMS DISPATCH
LETTER
Vol. VIII No. 3 Fall 2001	Southern Tier Regional EMS Council

Table of Contents Remember  Page 1 Blood Borne Pathogens  Page 2 Inservices  Page 3 Class Listings  Page 3 Council Update  Page 4 ID Badges  Page 5
Send us news of your agency: information about what you are doing, or about people - someone who should be recognized for exceptional service or caring, someone who deserves a pat on the back. Send it to EMS Dispatch at STREMS.
EMS DISPATCH Published quarterly by STREMS, Inc. 315 West Water Street, Elmira, NY 14901 Robert W. Nowlan, President; Maryann Sweely, Vice President; James J. Cummings, Treasurer; Ronald H. Kintz, Secretary; Robert C. Rajsky, Council Chairperson; Bernadette Josbeno-Oakes, Council Vice-Chairperson
Sponsors: Chemung County, Schuyler County, Steuben County, Arnot Ogden Medical Center, Corning Hospital, Ira Davenport Memorial Hospital, Schuyler Hospital, St. James Mercy Hospital, St. Joseph's Hospital.
INSTRUCTIONAL AIDS The STREMS office has all kinds of teaching tools to be loaned out to EMS personnel. Check out our web site www.strems.org or call us at 732-2354.	Everyone, everywhere has been affected by this terrible event. But, as this picture indicates, we will survive and persevere. If you look closely at this picture you will see that the flag may be leaning, but it has not fallen. You can also see the sun reflecting off the building in the background, suggesting a new day and a new resolve. We will never put this behind us, but hold it in front like a badge of honor for all those who have lost their lives. We will not forget.

Contact us STREMS, Inc. . odessa apartment! odessa ukraine - apartment odessa ukraine. 315 West Water Street Elmira NY 14901 (607) 732-2354 In New York State only: 1-800-343-1311

E-mail us: STREMS@stny.rr.com

Blood Borne Pathogens  Page 2 Inservices  Page 3 Class Listings  Page 3 Council Update  Page 4 ID Badges  Page 5

In the wake of the recent events involving the Emergency Medical Services of the New York State region our minds are focused on the tragedy that has taken over our lives. We have lost many firefighters and EMS workers in the terroristic attacks in the recent past, our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the injured, missing or dead.

While the recovery and clean-up efforts continue, the great leaders of this country have proclaimed that we need to get back to the "normal" way of life, we all know that life will not return to normal, things have happened that are not supposed to happen in this free world in which we live. But on that note, we do need to continue to function as EMS care providers and look out for our health and well-being. We as EMS care providers are faced everyday with the unknown on every call, these unknown variables include the scene in which we are called to, the patients that we work on and the "environments" that we are exposed to. We function in many ways to help those that have summoned our help, we secure airways, breathe for people that are not breathing, control bleeding and do compressions on people that have gone into cardiac arrest, we do ail that and more, then go back home and continue our everyday functions of life.

While we are in those situations we need to keep in mind that we are our own worst enemies in keeping ourselves safe, we need to think prior to action, hind-sight is always a great thing, but planning ahead is a great way to keep yourself safe. In the everyday situation of an EMS call we need to keep in mind the ideas of "Blood Borne Pathogens". OSHA first published the blood borne pathogens standards in 1991 because of a significant health risk associated with occupational exposure to blood and other potentially infectious materials that may contain blood borne pathogens, microorganisms, that cause blood borne diseases. Some of these standards include the annual review of the exposure control plan for your agency, employers must ensure that their plans reflect consideration and use of commercially available safer medical devices. Keeping up to date on the most recent guidelines from the Center for Disease Control on vaccinations against Hepatitis B virus, and incorporate CDCs guidelines on post exposure evaluation and follow-up for HIV and the Hepatitis C virus.

Using the "Standard Precautions" rule for everyone that you come in contact with will help to alleviate some of the risks encountered in the job that you preform everyday. Using protective equipment: masks, eyewear, gowns, gloves, depends on the situation to which you -are involved. Your primary mode of (defense) protection is your skin, how intact is your skin, do you have open areas on your hands, do you have rashes on your hands from the dry winter weather? All these factors break down your first line of defense-your skin. Keeping your hands clean between patients is one of the major forms of infection control .... Hand washing is your defense against infections. Wearing gloves to prevent exposure is your second line of defense. The type of gloves depends on the situation, heavy duty gloves at an MVC are appropriate, normal latex/nonlatex gloves at a medical call do the required. In the event that your gloves become torn or damaged, they need to be changed, and make sure that the skin under the area of the glove that was damaged is still intact. No one will be there to remind you that they need to be worn, that is your responsibility. And it is your responsibility to report any possible exposure risk that may have been encountered while doing your job. That needs to be reported to the agency for which you are working for at the time, paperwork needs to be completed for any exposure, real or suspected. And follow-up will need to be arranged. The exposure can range from blood/body fluid contact to a needle stick to exposure to TB via airborne particles.

The world around us is constantly changing, and we need to keep up with the changes that are out there, keeping ourse Ives educated, and up to date on all the new materials will make the difference between a long and healthy career or a career filled with questions and doubt. Use the protective equipment provided, use good hand washing technique and keep up with current recommendations for infectious diseases. Keep yourself and others safe in your job of keeping everyone else safe.

Page 1 Back to Page 1
Inservices  Page 3
Class Listings  Page 3
Council Update  Page 4
ID Badges  Page 5

AED: Regular inservices with Vanessa are scheduled for AEDs; see the schedule at www.strems.org/inserv.html. Vanessa also includes inservices on current topics. If your agency has questions about any EMS policy, protocol or procedure, please feel free to contact Vanessa or the STREMS office for information or to schedule an inservice.

If you need to brush up on your PCR skills, contact the STREMS office and we will set up an inservice. We will come to yout agency or class with a one-hour PCR inservice.

Tri-County Critical Incident Stress Management not only does inservices on stress management and defriefing, they have an educational program that will teach your members how to recognize stress, especially critical incident or post-traumatic stress, and how to deal with it. For more information, see their webpage, or contact Maryann Sweely or Bernadette Josbeno-Oakes.

STREMS also has videotapes and slide presentations for inservices, complete with instructor outlines and student quizzes. New videotape programs arrive each month, on current topics in EMS. These are great for your in-house training sessions. You can see what is available here. To schedule audiovisuals, contact the STREMS office by e-mail or phone at 607-732-2354 ext. 10.

EMS Courses in the region can be found at www.strems.org/courses.html. If you don't see the course that you need, contact your local course sponsor (listed at the bottom of the "courses" page) and request it. Reminder: please do not wait until the last minute to sign up for a refresher course. By signing up early, you will not lose any time off your current card. Whatever time is left on your current certification, up to nine months, will be added to your new card.

STREMS is accepting applications for Lab Instructor. The course is planned for weeknights (not a weekend) in the Bath area. We need a minimum of ten to sign up. If you are interested, contact the STREMS office.

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Blood Borne Pathogens  Page 2
Council Update  Page 4
ID Badges  Page 5

Notes from the Council

Instead of the usual notes from the Council, we want to make everyone aware that STREMS has set up a Memorial Fund for EMS workers. We are accepting donations for the families of ambulance personnel who lost their lives on September 11. If you would like to contribute, you may mail a check to the STREMS office, 315 West Water Street, Elmira NY 14901, earmark it for the Memorial fund. Sorry, the fund is now closed.

You can read the full, verbatim minutes of the September Council meeting here or a summary of the minutes, with links to the relevant sections of the full meeting.

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Blood Borne Pathogens  Page 2
Inservices  Page 3
Class Listings  Page 3
ID Badges  Page 5

	IDs
	Do You Have a Current STREMS Provider Photo ID?

Several EMTs from our region have been called to help the exhausted rescuers in New York City. They needed an up-to-date provider photo ID to show when they reported. Do you have a current ID? The STREMS office staff is available on the 3rd Tuesday of each month, from 10 AM to 3 PM, or by appointment, to do photo IDs. We will take your picture with the Polaroid camera and can have your ID ready in about 10-15 minutes if you call ahead. We will also take your picture with the digital camera so we will have it on the computer and can do you an ID anytime you may need it, without having to come in the office.

Community marketplace This gold medal is for all of the responders in our region. We are so proud of all of you. Some of you went to New York City and some of you stayed home to cover the bases here. We know not all who volunteered were called to go, and we know some made the hard decision to stay and cover the home. Whichever ones you are, we at the STREMS office just wanted to let you know that we are proud of all of you. Thank you, the STREMS staff.

Back to Page 1
Blood Borne Pathogens  Page 2
Inservices  Page 3
Class Listings  Page 3
Council Update  Page 4