VTEMSD#3 Board Meeting Agenda for February 10, 2005

St. Michael’s College, Tarrant Center, Hall of Fame Room

Meeting called to order at 1839 hrs by Chair O’Neil

Those in attendance were:

INTRODUCTIONS (O’Neil)  

APPROVAL OF MINUTES (O’Neil)
 

• For January minutes, change section identifier from “O’Neil” to “Adams” on intro, approval, correspondence, old business, and new business.  Motion to approve January minutes with the above edits (Adams/Putnam).  Motion passed.

CORRESPONDENCE (O’Neil) 

• E-mail correspondence with Dan Manz regarding services with multiple vehicles responding to 2^nd and 3^rd calls within their primary service area.  The rules allow a transporting service to use as many inspected ambulances as can be legally staffed for calls in their primary service area.   Back up response is dictated by the District.

 TREASURY (McCarthy) 

• no report

MEDICAL DIRECTION (James)

• Dr. Weimersheimer will no longer serve as Medical Direction for VTEMSD#3. 

Dr. Wolfson, who has been writing the monthly case review, will increase his  participation if approved by the District.

• Put in for a couple of grants, still waiting to hear.  (Adams) What?  Communications to improve cross-comm with FAHC-ED.  (Adams) What about equipment in RR?  (Jaquith) Belongs to Radio North.  (Malone) VDH equipment?  (James) Only $35,000.  This is not central dispatch.  It is to hear everyone and be able to communicate with them.  (Brent)  Why do other hospitals buy their equipment but FAHC does not?  (James) This is not a FAHC endeavor.  (Brent)  Would a letter from VTEMSD#3 service heads to FAHC administration help?  (James)  They are aware of it.  (Darren)  This was a HSU grant?  (James) Yes, this was part of the goal plan right?  (Darren) District applied?  (James) I applied, not the hospital.  They won’t fund equipment for hospitals.  (Brent)  We contribute a great deal of business.  (James) FAHC can’t afford it.  (Brent) What do we use now?  (Jaquith) We are using a radio from 84.  Has problems.  (Solmon) So this is a district grant, but who is going to oversee, maintain, etc.  (James) Spoke to Ruth regarding these things.  She supports the maintenance, staffing.  (Malone)  District owns it if you get the grant.  (James) Better to have the district own it.  (O’Neil)  FAHC has not stepped up to the plate any step of the way.  We have had problems that FAHC are fixing and paying for them.  There is a communications problem.  WE are not equipped to pay for licensing and maintenance.  (James)  I have to assume that Ruth is going to take this some where.  If I can get this done, will FAHC maintain and staff – yes, we have the commitment.  (O’Neil)  Force the issue with the trustees.  (James)  Tried to reach you.  (Brent)  Written comprehensive plan as required by the grant – to back up the request.  (Jaquith/James)  Yes, generated and reviewed by two.  (ADams) Uphold send letter about maintenance and repair?  (James) NO.  (O’Neil) We don’t have the budget to support this system.  (Jaquith) We share the license for HEAR with VHA/VDH.  (O’Neil) District now becomes responsible for quarterly reports and followup for grant.  (Brent)  Is there an intermediate step?  Bolster what we have to be reliable, to increment to the future.  (James)  Addison, Grand Isle county.  There is the big system, but we’ll take #2 or #3.  (O’Neil)  I’d like to see report for system.  (James) I tried to get in touch with you.  I am trying to improve things.  (O’Neil)  I think that FAHC is ….(Malone)  FAHC, the Level 1 trauma center, puts less resources into pre-hospital than any other hospital in the region.  (James) I am aware – have worked in other states.  I am petitioning trauma folks…(Brent)  I would like for powers that be to know these things.  And we don’t want to have James on the spot.  (Adams) Here here.  (James) If we get it – great.  If we don’t, fine.  (Malone)  Did FAHC put in for other prehospital stuff?  (James) Yes, but I don’t know.  (Malone)  Huge disconnect.  No interaction with the District and pre-hospital.  (O’Neil) We are in the dark.  (James) I was approached.  (Solmon)  VDH owns HEAR 1, are they up to speed?  (James)  INformal discussion VDH David Cote special assistant to the commissioner at VDH will commit 35 K.  (James) Good offer, but won’t get us near.  (Brent)  Is this going to be rejected because it was not legal by state statute?  (James) Possible.  (O’Neil)  Precedent has been set in other areas.  (James)  4 days to pull together, did what was asked to do. did not even have access to hospital grant writers.  Even if we don’t get it, it has pushed things forward and illuminated issues.  (Brent)  We need to break through the barrier at FAHC, and make them understand that they by state statute need to communicate with us about interoperability.  (JUames) I can try.  (Adams) I don’t know how.  (Goss) this is not  new.  (ADams) Board to board.  (James) I think it is changing.  (O’Neil)  I can’t even answer questions about the report because I have not seen it.  If issues have been documented, the district needs to be included.  (Jaquith)  I sent reports to surgery last year and two weeks ago for essex fatality.  I have sent them as far as I could.  (Brent) Technical?  (Jaquith) Incident.

 FAHC (Helmken/Jaquith) 

• (Helmken) nothing from ED, anything to take back?  (Goss)  Concerns from students in intermediate course & other EMTs that sometimes they are having a difficult time communicating with staff in the ED.  (Helmken)  Will present in staff meeting format.  Please identify hot spot, so that I can put out the fire.  We can’t act globally for incidents.  It’s hard when it’s busy.
• (Adams) Equipment in the hallways.  I know there is nothing that can be done about it.  If I inadvertently bump into something I could do without the heavy sigh from FAHC staff, like I meant to do it.  (Butkus) It’s the attitude.  (O’Neil)  We need to be fair – it’s very difficult.
• (Jaquith)  2/23/05 from 0630-1630, moving a huge crane into the space where the FACT ambulances park – lifting the MRI magnet out.  Will block off ambulance ramp for one day.  Use south entrance in & out – same route used this summer.

TRAINING (Soons for Ziter) 

TRAINING OFFICER MEETING MARCH 10^th AT 17:30 @ St. Michael’s College, Tarrant Center, Hall of Fame Room 

•  For exam schedules around the state, please visit the VTEMS Website:

                  http://www.healthyvermonters.info/hp/ems/schedule.shtml 

• Course updates/approvals

1.      EMT-Basic Recertification Exam @ BFD Station 2

2.      EMT-Basic Recertification Exam @ UVM Rowell

• Upcoming trainings opportunities

1.      Feb 17^th in Colchester at the Colchester Meeting House:  Officer Mike Akerlind will be speaking on Crime Scene and Scene Safety.  If you need directions to the meeting house, please contact Colchester Rescue 655-3555 0900

2.      VT EMS Conference.  Make sure you register early.  Very good courses this year.

3.      EMT-I 03 Transition Courses:

A.     EMS Conference: March 30, 31 & April 1

B.     Mondays  4/4, 4/11, 4/18, 4/25, 4/30 (Sat), 5/2

1800-2100

IREMS, 665 Spear St. UVM

Application deadline:  March 15

Jackie – course is half full.

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT (Adams) 

• Committee met tonight
• Memorandum of Understanding regarding use of MCI trailer.  Subcommittee suggestion is that District accept memo as is and each individual service head sign off.  You pay for what you use, and labor for folks bringing it to the scene (2).  Eventually, declared events will be reimbursed by state/feds.  Individual agencies seek reimbursements.  O’Neil to resend and vote next month.
• MCI
  • CCRPC (Dusha)
    • Grant project continues.
    • Exercises on schedule for April.  Scott Morris, exercise writer, sending out updates.
    • If extension is granted, we may be able to pull off the functional exercise in the summer (this is an extension of the tabletop).  We would do one, versus three regional.  Not finalized.
    • ’05 HSU grant funding does not allow for continuation of exercise, but only for planning – and small allocation.  Ten LEPCs applied, not much funding available.  Continued comprehensive planning not likely funded for future.
    • Surveys back – thank you.  Compile inventory document for reissue to the county – what’s available.
    • Brad Rawson, will send out additional contact information.
    • (Solmon) Southern tabletop is same weekend as EMS Conf.  (Dusha) Will be at Hinesburg Fire on 4/2 – one to two reps are all that is needed from any agency.  Date change is unlikely.  (Malone)  It is really insulting that there is a drill on the weekend of EMS Conference.  (Malone) We can’t advance is we aren’t even recognized as integral players.  (Adams) If affected agencies want the date changed – pursue.  (Dusha) no problem.
• Grants/Funding

ADMINISTRATION (Soons) 

• Working on policy index

PUBLIC INFORMATION (O’Neil) 

• Jason working on EMS Week; he will disseminate.
• April 17^th, Hinesburg Safety Day contact Chris Put 482-5427 med1@hinesburgfd.org

Old Business (O’Neil)

New Business (O’Neil) 

·        District Chairs conference call with Dan Manz

o       Proposed legislature affecting requirements for minimum staffing on ambulances.  Small ambulances requesting change to allow one EMT-Basic and VT driver – more to come.

o       Possible epinephrine policy change:  lobbying effort on behalf of persons with allergies, pushing to get epi delivered at EMT-B level.  Epi-pens available at EMT-B levels.  Lots of discussion:

§         Cost for every EMT to have one – who will bear the brunt?  Services.  Why the move to legislate?  (Ackerlind) Services have actually moved away from EpiPens because of cost.  (James) Will look into exchange program for EMS.  (Putnam) Require skill, but not carry it around?

o       Statewide EMS Protocol project ongoing, update to follow.

o       2005 Conference discussed

o       Rural access to emergergency devices (defib)

o       Attempt to establish better lines of communication among District Chairs. 

·        (Rice) HR response matrix reviewed and updated.  Will forward to Clerk for inclusion in minutes. 

• (O’Neil) Review of CO incident at UVM, question came up that third ambulance was requested was CRS – why wasn’t SBFD in the matrix.  (Adams/Soons) Matrix will be addressed.  (O’Neil)  CISD after on Tuesday, invited UVM – it was very good – good discussion.  Process was good.  UVM PD held one as well.  Thanks to all that were involved.  (Rice) Serves as a good reminder to EMS community about scene safety.  (O’Neil) Yes, we had responders transported.  Dispatch was clear.  Take care of us.
   
• (Brent) Coalition Fire & Rescue stuff:  2 legislative bills for EMS
  • #1 Survivor benefit bill:  2 years ago a bill was passed that allows for FD spouse receive 50K from VT state – trying to include EMS personnel –don’t expect any prob. 
  • #2 PD or FD and attacked at scene of incident by some dude, it’s a crime; if you are a stand alone EMT it’s not a crimeà  change to include EMS. 
  • Trying to pull out anything that involves FD/PD and include EMS = change verbiage to “public safety responder”.  We need to call our local legislature.  Rattle their cage.
     
• (James)  Thank you – Essex did an MCI with a death on scene – good job – CO good work – providers are shining brightly!  On our way – high quality people doing a good job. 

Meeting adjourned at 2032.

Respectfully submitted with attachments,

Kate Soons, EMT-I

katesoons@adelphia.net

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Last updated: March 09, 2005