VERMONT EMS DISTRICT BOARD MINUTES March 2004

District Board Meeting March 11, 2004

In attendance:

*Please note that the stars on this list mean that I have received confirmation from your service about your representative and alternate. If your service is not starred I need that information by the April meeting.

Pat Malone IREMS (V)
Andrew Beyer SMRS (V)
Leslie Lindquist SMRS (V)
*Andre Beaulieu SMRS (A)
*Jesi Valentine SMRS (R )
Jess Gagne SMRS (V)
*Colin Shea Essex FD (R )
*Allison Rimmer VARS (R )
*Lee Jones Richmond/IBM (R )
Scott Flieger Colchester, Vice Chair
*Tanner Trombley MBFD (R )
*Jim Kellogg Essex Jct. FD (R )
Wendy James, MD Medical Direction
Scott Jacobs Williston Rescue (A)
*Al Barber Hinesburg FD/County Chiefs (A)
Amy Akerlind Colchester (V)
*Michael Akerlind Colchester (R )
*Doug Brent SBFD (R )
Keara Cahill SMRS (V)
*Jim Laskarzewski VTANG (A)
Heather Friend UVM (V)
Jessica Buck UVM (V)
Jerry Beaudry UVM (V)
Paul Arthaud Charlotte (R )
Jason Savoy Milton (A)
Darren Adams Milton (R )
Debbie Baron Grand Isle (R )
Rae Patrick South Hero (A)
Kevin Williams BFD (A)
*Kirstin Jaquith MHCIC (R )

Minutes approved from last month with changes that it is the “out of service” records that are due not “AED”. Wendy James was also inadvertently left off the attendance list for next month.

- It has been noted by the clerk and by the district chair that more than one person is signing in at district meetings as the representative or alternate. This presents a paperwork and logistical issue as we need to assure that each service is only represented/voting once and that each service is assured a vote. Please send Becca rswebb@globalnetisp.net your representative and alternate contact information so that records can be updated.

-Jesi Valentine announced that she is now the Captain of St. Michael’s Rescue and she introduced Andy Beaulieu as the new Training Officer for the service.

-Geoff Urie from Colchester Rescue approached the board to request our support in his reclaiming his EMT-I certification. He was on an extension until January 2004. He stated that he has submitted his paperwork to Fletcher Allen and then was notified by the EMS office that they had not received it. He presented a copy of the CE that he had submitted. This was voted on and accepted by the board with Medical Direction stating that they were comfortable with this decision.

-The April meeting is the annual meeting including election of officers. Darren volunteered to be the chair of the nomination committee. If you are interested in running for a position, have a nomination, or are interested in joining the committee please contact him.

-Becca passed out information off the District webpage with directions on how to subscribe to EMSissues and EMStrain.

Treasurer’s report- Becca shared report from Chris that there were no substantial changes.

- Presented AED protocol changes. It is simply a modification of ages to complement the current protocol. This new protocol will be posted for a month and will be brought up to a vote next month.

-The QA case for the month has been e-mailed and copies are available at FAHC. Please submit more cases. There was much discussion about specific details from the case. He will check to see if we can get more information or if it is unavailable due to HIPAA.

-Looking at different programs available on the computer to track EMS call related data. The state is also working on a program, but his feeling is that we need to make a move prior to their completion. Ideally this system would be entered by the radio room with information provided during EMS updates. This program design would make QA easier due to standard form information/completion. It also would ensure that forms were easily readable and complete. Much discussion about the expense. More information to follow as programs continue to be explored and designed. Side note that the newly printed EMS forms do not have a space to total the trauma score or directions for its use. Becca and Kirstin are following up with the EMS office.

-Presented a joint letter from Dr. Weimersheimer and herself concerning the paramedic letter briefly discussed last month. A copy of the letter was presented to the clerk for inclusion in the district files. Due to the letter not being read to those in attendance the letter is not attached to this document. After reading the letter in April it will be attached to those minutes.

-MRN#s need to be on all sheets! We were doing well, but now have slid backwards. Kirstin has labeled 55 forms in the past month with this information. It is important that we are able to keep all of the patient’s medical records together.

-Please continue to use the long tunnel to bring patients into the ER. It is a combination of temperature and wind factors.

-Recommendation that we have wool blankets for those patients for whom heat loss is an issue. Please see minutes from previous months for the full discussion.

-The T-system transfer of care is going better. Thank you to all who are making this work.

-She will follow-up on lost equipment, but the easiest way for equipment to find its way back to crews is to have it labeled.

-Presented an overview of an MCI drill happening in St. Albans on August 2-4^th. This will be an MCI focusing on a Bioterrorism. At this time there will not be any patients who are infected from District #3, however there will be patients transported from D#1 and D#4 to FAHC-ER for treatment and stabilization and this may require D#3 ambulance involvement. It is undecided whether this our district’s involvement will be tabletop or real-play. Questions posed for discussion at next month’s meeting: do we want to have tabletop involvement or move real trucks? Who wants to be involved as representatives/transport vehicles?

-Last month a change was proposed regarding finger sticks vs blood draws and changes in nitroglycerin administration. The motion to adopt the new protocol was made/seconded and after discussion was accepted. Please see the webpage for a copy of the new protocol.

-Kirstin made a proposal regarding ambulance response to accidents in times of inclement weather. This would replace the current response policy. There was much discussion including: confusion to dispatchers, the inclusion of a time factor, multiple calls on the same accident, responses of fire and heavy rescue. The proposal with changes from the discussion was sent out on EMSissues and is attached to these minutes. This proposal will be up for a vote next month.

-LEPC from both Grand Isle and Chittenden Counties received grants for assessment. Al would like to have time on next month’s agenda for a member of this team to come address the board.

-Al presented a report for John- Grant information should have been received. All applications must be postmarked by 3/31. An approved equipment list for this grant is posted and this is a 100% grant with no matching funds required.

-Module 1 and 2 class was approved by the district board. Please contact Becca at rswebb@globalnetisp.net for more information and to register. Module 1 begins 4/26. Module 2 begins 5/3. Tentative dates of Modules 3-6 have been decided. Ideally this series of courses will end in 2/05. EMT-B and EMT-I class updates- (Pat) all is going well.

-EMT-I ’03 - Please be sure when registering for this class to use the new registration form. Phone/e-mail registrations will no longer be accepted without a form and promise of payment.

Pat answered that he is planning on having a class that begins in mid-May and will end about July 1. The format that he is looking at is a combination of weekend and weekday classes. He asked the district’s opinion about inviting 17 year olds in their last semester of high school to join the class. There was much discussion about this including: parent permission, service affiliation, mentoring, and current/future technology center classes.

Jason reminded us to only call for orders if we have the personnel to carry them out. Recently an EMT-I who had not completed the exam and did not have a transitioned EMT-I with them had asked for orders. We need to be responsible if we are to be trusted with our new skills.

A discussion of the future long and short term goals of the district was held. Each person in the room was given cards to write long and short term goals on. We were able to discuss and sort the short term goals and sort the long term goals into categories. Attached is a document with the goals.

Meeting adjourned at 2106