Continuing Education Program Website Privacy Officer Listserve   EMS Awards presented during First Responders dinner January 5, 2010 - Award winners were announced during the annual Hunt County Emergency Medical Services First Responders dinner in December. Pictured, standing from left, Andrew Peters, Mentor of the Year; Andrew Threndyle, Emergency Medical Services director at Hunt Regional Healthcare; Diana Rayborne of Progressive Medical International, San Antonio; Delbert Lair of Wolfe City, accepting the First Responder Paramedic of the Year for Larry Oliver of Caddo Mills; Clayton Prock of Caddo Mills, First Responder of the Year; Jerry Don Woods of Caddo Mills, accepting for Rance Rogers the American Medical Response EMT of the Year; and Todd Warren of the Greenville Fire Department, First Responder EMT of the Year. Kneeling are David Olsen, AMR Paramedic of the Year, and Michael Sanchez, assistant director of EMS for Hunt Regional Medical Center, Mentor of the Year. Andrew Threndyle, center, Emergency Medical Services director for Hunt Regional Healthcare, presents awards to Michael Sanchez, left, and Andrew Peters as they are named Mentors of the Year for 2009. Awards were presented to all Hunt County first responders during the annual EMS dinner in December at Crossroads Mall. Medics Advise on Preventing and Giving First Aid for Deadly Heat Illness June 26, 2009— With an early summer heat wave stifling the area, paramedics at Hunt Regional Emergency Services have issued tips for preventing potentially fatal heat illness and providing first aid when heat illness strikes. Never leave a child or elderly person unattended in a motor vehicle, even with a window slightly open. This applies to pets as well. On a typically sunny day, the temperature inside a vehicle can reach potentially deadly levels within a few minutes. When restraining children in a car that has been parked in the heat, check to make sure seating surfaces and equipment (car seats and seat belt buckles) are not overly hot. What are the warning signs of a heat stroke? An extremely high body temperature (above 103°) Red, hot and dry skin with no sweating Rapid, strong pulse Throbbing headache Dizziness Nausea Confusion Unconsciousness. Who is at greatest risk for heat-related illness? Infants Children up to 4 years old Adults age 65 and older People who are overweightPeople who are ill Those on certain medications During hot weather you need to drink more liquid than your thirst indicates. Drink water or commercial “sport drinks” frequently. Drink before you start strenuous work and before you get hot. Don’t wait until you are thirsty to drink. Avoid drinks with alcohol or caffeine because they will cause you to lose more fluid. What to do if you see someone with the warning signs of a heat stroke: Call 9-1-1 for immediate medical assistance Move the victim to a shady area Cool the victim rapidly, using whatever methods you can Immerse the person in a cool but not cold shower or bath Spray with cool water from a garden hose Sponge the person with cool water If the humidity is low, wrap the victim in a wet sheet and fan him/her vigorously. Monitor body temperature and continue cooling efforts until the body temperature drops to 101-102° F. Never give anything to drink to anyone who is less than fully alert. Even if the victim is fully alert, do not give him alcohol to drink. What is the best clothing for hot weather or a heat wave? Wear as little clothing as possible while at home. Choose lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing. An umbrella, parasol or loose-weave hat will provide some shade. Apply sunscreen 30 minutes prior to going outdoors and continue to reapply periodically. Sunburn affects your body’s ability to cool itself and causes a loss of body fluids. Can medications increase the risk of heat-related illness? Yes. The risk may increase for those using psychotropics (e.g. haloperidol or chlorpromazine), medications for Parkinson’s disease because they can inhibit perspiration, and tranquilizers (e.g. phenothiazines, butyrophenones and thiozanthenes). :Summary: How can we protect our health when temperatures are extremely high? Remember to keep cool and use common sense. Drink plenty of fluids Replace salts and minerals by drinking “sports drinks” Wear appropriate clothing and sunscreen Pace yourself Stay cool indoors Schedule outdoor activities carefully Use a buddy system to monitor those at risk Adjust to the environment Sources: National Safe Kids Campaign and the National Center for Environmental Health. Lifesaving heroes by Brad Kellar, Herald-Banner Staff June 26, 2009 — On June 12, an inmate at the Hunt County Justice Center attempted to take his own life. “They brought him back,” Hunt County Undersheriff Joe Knight said of the jail staff. Knight said that the inmate appeared to pass away again while being transported to a hospital. “The paramedics brought him back,” Knight said, adding that the inmate seemed to pass away a third time. “They brought him back. They were not going to give up.” The emergency medical and jail personnel who helped save the life of the suicidal jail inmate were in line for some special recognition Monday morning. During a brief ceremony in the Criminal Justice Center, Knight credited the individuals from American Medical Response, Life Star and the sheriff’s office jail staff for their efforts. “What we are going to do today is offer awards to people who did specific things that saved a person’s life,” Knight said. Jailers located the inmate, housed in an administrative segregation cell, with self-inflicted wounds on the morning of June 12. The jailers notified medical staff, who responded and began first aid. The inmate was transported by American Medical Response to the Hunt Regional Medical Center in Greenville and then transported by Life Star in critical condition to Parkland Hospital in Dallas. The inmate survived the incident, which Knight said was due to those honored Monday going “above and beyond the call of duty” in saving the inmate. “We wanted, as a leadership team, to tell you we understand what you do,” Knight said. “We appreciate the sacrifice you made.” Sheriff Randy Meeks likewise said the personnel did an outstanding job. “In the business that we’re in ... nothing is routine,” Meeks said. “In this instance we had some heroes and we want to honor those people today.” Each of the groups received a plaque commemorating the event, and individuals from each team received personal certificates. “There is a human being who opened his eyes today, because of your actions,” Knight said. EMS at the Hunt County Fair June 15, 2007   At right, two youngsters try on bicycle helments at the Child Safety table of the Hunt Memorial Hospital District booth in the Hunt County Fair's Hall of Heroes.   Michael Sanchez, assistant Emergency Medical Service director at HMHD, checks out a film at the EMS booth at the 2007 Hunt County Fair. The EMS booth is located in the Hall of Heroes.   Hunt County’s response teams make a difference By Susan Spoonemore Development and Communications February 21, 2007 - With about 10,000 emergency calls made each year, the Hunt Memorial Hospital District relies heavily on the First Response Teams that provide life-saving services to Hunt County residents. Thirteen first responder teams throughout Hunt County (known to most in their communities as their fire departments) are standing ready 24 hours a day awaiting calls from those needing emergency care. Most of the responders are volunteers. Cash, Caddo Mills, Celeste the Commerce Emergency Corps departments have rescue status. The Emergency Corps is classified as a volunteer Emergency Medical Service. Other departments in the county include Wolfe City, Lone Oak, Merit, Commerce FD, Greenville, Quinlan, Tawakoni South, Union Valley and West Tawakoni Patrick Schooler, director of Hunt County EMS, says all first responders undergo extensive training. “We provide Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and continuing education classes every quarter,” he said. Most First Response teams have the ability to provide services that are critical in the first moments of a medical emergency, whether it’s a vehicle accident, injuries from violence, fire or water-related accident. The teams can provide Rapid Sequence Induction, which is the process of giving patients drugs to anesthetize them to insert a breathing tube. Also, the teams have transportable ventilators, called Critical Care Transfer Medics. The process of an emergency rescue is fairly complicated. Once a call is made for help, it goes to a local 911 center, such as the Hunt County Sheriff’s office or the Greenville or Commerce Police Departments. That center will then transfer the emergency situation to American Medical Response in Dallas. Then, certified EMD dispatchers will contact the needed department by a generating specific tone. After the tone is received, the team will respond to the emergency. Paramedics then make the decision of whether to transport the patient to a Hunt County hospital or to a larger facility in Dallas. Dr. Joe Bleier, the medical director for Presbyterian Hospital of Greenville’s Emergency Department, emphasizes that first responders of Hunt County provide a major service to the county. “Two treatment modalities are proven by researchers to save lives in hospital care: Defibrillation and early arrival. You cannot underestimate the value of our volunteer first responders delivering those therapies at a significant savings to the county taxpayers.” The services of first responders have not gone unnoticed. In recent years, the Caddo Mills Volunteer Fire Department and the Commerce Emergency Corps have been named the First Responder of the Year by the Texas Department of State Health Services. “The dedication of volunteers in the past has resulted in those awards, but lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina and other multi-causality incidents has given us a direction in which to grow,” said Bleier. Despite their training and expertise, most of the team members are not paid for their services. The communities and rural areas in the county receive hospital funding to support the EMS and teams through purchase of equipment and facility use. The money comes from taxes collected by HMHD which is deliberately put back into the protection of the entire county. Assistant EMS Coordinator Michael Sanchez, also a certified EMT, considers the teams valuable assets to the communities of Hunt County. “Given that they volunteer their services and time, they save the county taxpayers millions of dollars,” he said. The volunteer units don’t stop at just protecting the communities’ residents. Most of them also contribute to the quality of life by spearheading community events, celebrations, fund-raising efforts and charitable causes. The training and education of the teams of Hunt County continues later this month when EMTs will attend a Continuing Education Conference, in which they will break up in teams and be assessed on their skills and knowledge of emergency medical care. “Education and the acceptance of the responsibility of a First Responder is literally a matter of life and death,” says HMHD Chief Executive Officer Richard Carter. “We are extremely proud of the group of men and women who help the hospital district in serving the Hunt County area with their life-saving efforts.” Child Passenger Safety Week closes with Car Seat Checkup Event February 21, 2007 - Child Passenger Safety Week concluded Saturday, February 17 as representatives from Presbyterian Hospital of Greenville, Hunt County Emergency Medical Service, and the Greenville Police Department participated in a Child Restraint Checkup Event at the Crossroads Mall. Volunteer help was provided by the Greenville Police Department Explorer Program and Paris Junior College nursing students. The team had a great turnout as four certified techs checked 42 children and their child restraint system. Eight belt positioning booster seats were distributed and, 12 child restraint systems were replaced. Only 28 percent of the Child restraint systems arrived and were installed completely correctly. “It is normal, unfortunately, for us to see at least one area of misuse during car seat checks,” said Bret Freeman, Trauma director at PHG. The whole purpose of the event is to identify misuse, educate the parents while encouraging their participation with the installation, and, of course, correcting the misuse, he said. Educational material was distributed to the parents along with giveaways provided by Presbyterian Hospital of Greenville and the North Central Texas Trauma Regional Advisory Council. The material reminded parents when their child should graduate to a different child restraint system, which direction they should face, and how long they need to be in booster seats. “Parents do not realize that their child should remain in a belt positioning booster seat up until they are 4 foot 9 inches or 57 inches tall,” said Freeman. After children graduate from forward facing harness restraint systems they are not tall enough to sit directly in a vehicle seat with just a lap/shoulder belt. Belt Positioning Booster Seats allow the lap/shoulder belt to cross the child in the correct anatomical positions. Abdominal and neck injuries are common in Motor Vehicle Crashes in which children were not restrained appropriately in booster seats. The Hunt County Coalition’s goal is to keep children safe in the county by educating the parents and encouraging their help during installation. Please take a few minutes to make sure your child is restrained appropriately in your vehicle. If you have any questions or concerns please contact the Presbyterian Hospital of Greenville Trauma Department at 903-408-1412. Continuing Education Program Click here for the CE schedule. If you have any questions about CE, contact Patrick Privacy Officer HIPAA took effect on April 15, 2003. This legislation makes any entity that routinely obtains protected health information subject to the rules set forth by HIPAA. One of the requirements of this law is that each entity have a privacy officer. The privacy officer is responsible for the way records are utilized and how the records are disclosed to outside and inside parties. Please select a privacy officer for your organization as soon as possible. Leave the officer's name and a daytime phone number in my voice mail. A Privacy Officer's Meeting will take place sometime early in May. Website and Email In addition to the EMS website, we also have a listserve address at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/huntcoems. The listserve is a centralized email address that receives email and broadcasts messages to everyone that signs up for the list. (A handy way to send a message to a lot of people at one time.) The listserve will be used for meeting notices, clarifications, and any discussions you want to conduct. Skill and Compassion When You Need It Most Hunt Regional Emergency Services P.O. Drawer 1059 Greenville, Texas 75403-1059 (903) 408-1428 info@hcems.org Copyright © 2001- All rights reserved This page designed and maintained by Word Works Please report any problems to Webmaster