SOUTHERN TIER REGIONAL EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES
Council Meeting Summary September 20, 2001
Hilton Garden Inn, Big Flats, New York
- Call to Order, moment of silence for all those victims whether alive or perished in the tragic events of September 11th.
- Correspondence: DOH memoranda on code violations.
- Approval of minutes.
- Committee reports: Systems Committee did not meet.
- SEMSCO and SEMAC were scheduled to meet on the Tuesday of the terrorist activity and those meetings were canceled, so there will be no reports.
- STREMAC met on August 14. Dr. Huffner reported that the protocol revisions - ALS, pediatrics, BLS on all levels and emergency medical dispatch - were approved, and moved that the Council approve the protocols as they have been approved by the STREMAC and submitted to the Council.
- Discussion:
- EMD and best interest of the patient
- Protocol Community marketplace development process
- Myocardial infarction and angioplasty
- Medical Control
- 12-Lead EKG
- Patient Destination and also
- Physicians' Comment
- Roll Call Vote: 18 accept, 4 reject (see also)
- Formulary being developed
- Protocol implementation
- New STREMAC member: Dr. Timothy Bernett
- Training Committee:
- Maryann Sweely reported on current courses; the emergency vehicle operator course has been in a holding pattern since DOH seems to have a few other directions at this time. Approval for Schuyler Hospital course sponsorship renewal is delayed pending further information. Don DuVall reported on new intermediate and critical care curricula which are due to take effect for all classes starting after January '02, and for any classes testing after June of '02.
- Vanessa Jewett reported that there seems to be a variance in information that's being given, possibly by some of the instructors, in the area of AED. Vanessa will document the issues that the students have directed to her, those in turn will be handed over to STREMS and the sponsor, for resolution.
- Executive committee met on September 7th with the CEOs or representative of the CEOs of the six Southern Tier regional hospitals to outline the current issue of restocking. A policy for ambulance restocking by hospitals was developed. Restocking list needs to be revised.
- Executive Committee also met to review membership: four members' terms are up for renewal.
- Quality Improvement: no report
- Tri-County Critical Incident Stress Management: Maryann Sweely reported. The report is inclusive of May 1, 2001 through August 31: 21 debriefings and eight educational offerings, as far away as Buffalo. Year to date: 57 debriefings, eight defusings, and 38 educational programs for a total team activity of 103.
- Due to this World Trade Center horrific tragedy, the team is on standby with the international critical incidents stress. But in the interim we have been doing a lot of pocket debriefings within our own area, including over the Internet.
- Funds for relief: Elmira Fire Department is a collection point for funds and contributions to go to the New York City widows and orphans fund. STREMS is also collecting for the EMS people who died while trying to help others.
- Steuben County Rural Health Community Systems Rural Health Network have been holding meetings to try to improve the communication among squads in Steuben County, emergency medical services in Steuben County. There is a meeting scheduled for Thursday September 27 at 7:00 at the Civil Defense building.
- 911: Mike Smith reported that his office has been inundated over this past week and two days with calls from across the United States, some of them have been terrifically bizarre, some have been truly unbelievable. Sunoco donated a million dollars in cash and offered to pay for all the fuel that's being used at the World Trade Center site. Microsoft has donated five million dollars in cash and five million in goods and services, the services being employee time to come in and help set up new computer systems and to try to restart the computer operations of the various companies that have been damaged in this.
- Staff reported that e-mails and telephone calls offering assistance were received from Wisconsin, Denver, California and Uruguay, South America
- Don DuVall reported that a design or prototype for portable decontamination shower unit had been developed as a joint effort between Schuyler ambulance and Schuyler Hospital's EMS program. It will be set up in the parking lot after the meeting for those interested.
- Dr. Seaman's next domestic terrorism preparedness course will probably be scheduled for mid November.
- Adjournment.
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