Vermont Emergency
Medical Services
District #3 WebPage
District Board Minutes
VTEMSD#3 Board
Meeting Agenda for November 10, 2005
St. Michael’s College, Tarrant Center, Hall of Fame room @
1831 by the Vice Chair
INTRODUCTIONS (Adams)
·
Chris Bowles, NREMT-P from FACT
APPROVAL OF MINUTES (Adams)
·
Motion to approve October minutes (Kellogg/Baron). Motion
approved.
CORRESPONDENCE (Adams)
·
(Soons) From Mike Weinberg of Essex Rescue – policy question, see
Administration Committee.
TREASURY (McCabe)
- No report, still uploading software.
- VTEMSD#3 post office box in the works.
MEDICAL DIRECTION (James/Wolfson)
- QA program presentation:
- Chris Bowles presented information about FACT’s
investigation of a new EMS electronic database program.
- Dr. Wolfson –
- need to do QA; we are required to perform this
function
- requires e-database
- everyone needs to be on same platform
- FACT will be able to provide service, server
and training
- Win-win situation
- Any and all services may participate, at a
fraction of the independent start up cost
- Alternatively, services that choose not to
participate may enter data at FAHC-ED, thus covering QA piece
- Pre-existing systems hopefully will be
integrated. If not, you may switch or enter data at FAHC-ED
- (Jones) Tablet price for Lee is $1750. IBM
Marketing has indicated a price of $1500 may be an option for a
group purchase.
- (Plimpton) Is that the only associated fee?
(Bowles) No, licensing fees will apply; but no fees for the server.
Deferred costs include training and customer service. Vendor has agreed
to “train-the-trainer” so that FACT personnel may serve as a resource to
VTEMSD#3 services. Licensing fees could be thousands per year. There
are incentives for the vendor to provide significant discounts based on
large group purchase.
- (Pacy) A field trip to a service in Vermont is
planned to observe real-time usage of the proposed vendor. (Bowles)
Multiple ride-alongs and site visits are planned to investigate all
proposed vendors.
- (Ziter) Many agencies are municipally based whose
budgets have been pre-determined. Is there any flexibility? (Bowles)
Vendors absolutely need to provide discount to those able to commit
initially as well as for future budget cycles.
- (Putnam) What is your timeline for online with
FACT? (Bowles) Hopefully, live in 2006.
- (Ziter) Who is the vendor? (Bowles) Zoll. Web
based systems were found to be too slow. (Ziter) Calex uses Zoll and
has a very high regard for the system.
- (Wolfson/Pacy) Please forward questions to us. We
do not want folks to feel that this is something that is being handed
down in a mandate fashion. We would like to see the District move
forward as a group.
- (Ziter) Go to Zoll’s website and view the
tutorial. It is enlightening.
- (Bowles) Professional grant writers….exist at Zoll.
- (Wolfson) FACT will acquire this system. Any
services that want to participate can contact us and we’ll bring them
into the fold. All other services may begin to use this for free at
FAHC-ED. As budgets cycle, more services may join.
- (Plimpton) We need more accurate figures to
present to our memberships.
- (LAS) Which billing software is it compatible
with? Unsure -
-
Chris.Bowles@vtmednet.org;
Daniel.Wolfson@vtmednet.org; Tara.Pacy@vtmednet.org
- Medication Quality Assurance Program plans due. South
Hero, Richmond, Charlotte, Hinesburg and St. Mike’s are compliant. All due
Monday.
- Adding pulse oximetry to EMT-Basic – training session
pending.
- Medical or Traumatic Cardiac Arrest Protocol:
Penetrating Trauma discussed by FAHC Committee on Trauma as a result of
recent stabbing incident. Recommendation from FAHC Trauma Team – for
patients with penetrating trauma, contact online medical direction if
patient is greater than five minutes away from FAHC-ED and without vitals
signs, as chance of survival is <1%.
- Determining no signs of life:
- No vital signs
- Asystole in two leads – obviously we are not
currently interpreting EKG; is this something we need to move
forward on?
- (Ziter) Our protocol is that we do not apply
an AED for a traumatic arrest. (Jones) We can apply the cardiac
monitor.
- (James) We will amend the medical/traumatic arrest
protocol; it will be posted for review.
- (James) Radio Room facilitated orders – titrating D-50
is a typo. Dose is 25g.
- (James) Spinal Immobilization protocol will continue.
- (James) Vital signs on all patients.
- (James) Licenses were reviewed – 50% were missing as
of our meeting today.
- Last date for submission is Monday 11/14 at 1600.
- Any incomplete applications will likely be
delayed.
- (James) Quarterly reports: Re-instate OOS reports,
marry with ALS reports. OOS will be handled on a case by case basis with
Medical Direction. (Soons) Quarterly defib reports? (James) Deleted.
- (James) Discipline hearing at VTEMS has been delayed
until December. Reason for informing the group emanates from a discussion
with the FAHC-ED Physician Leader, Dr. Ruth Uphold. I requested
administrative time for the position of VTEMSD#3 Medical Advisor. Position
has been posted and will be open for interview.
FAHC (Helmken)
- EMS Room is nearly complete!
- Phones will go live 11/21
- Combination lock will be changed to the 7**** that
services call updates to.
- Soft goods and small equipment will be stored in
the EMS Room.
- Computers will be installed for data entry.
FireHouse will be installed, hopefully.
- (Soons) Radio reception concerns – (Pacy) Antenna
down; please test. (Richard) BFD has tested, no signal. (Pacy) That
information was not communicated to us, we will research this more.
There is a direct intercom from ED Comm Center to the EMS Room.
- Please give Tara and Gilbert suggestions.
- (Ziter) Ambulances parking for extended periods of
time. (Pacy) We are working on it. (McCabe) Where to move to? (Pacy)
Paving this week, assessing slope. (Goss) Transport ambulances
unattended for extended period of time. (Ziter) ED Comm Center can
assess. (McCabe) Back up lines needed…
- (Pacy) FAHC MCHV campus traffic survey: thank you for
completing this. There is a group of residents that live on East Ave and
the side roads that are very concerned about ambulances being stuck in
traffic on East Ave.
TRAINING (Ziter)
- FR-ECA (Ziter for Webb) -
unknown status
- FR-ECA (Putnam) – course
still open for sign up; begins 11/16
- EMT-B (Malone) – in progress,
going well.
- EMT-B (Ziter) – in progress,
going well.
- EMT-I (Goss) – home stretch,
this weekend is the Mega-Lab.
- Course approvals
- (Goss) EMT-B spring course
sign up by 1/17/05, contact Pat Malone at IREMS 656-3489 or
Patrick.Malone@uvm.edu
- (Ziter) EMT-I next April, TBA
- Upcoming trainings opportunities
- (Goss) Wilderness Module –
additional training to EMT-B; sign up with Pat
- (Goss) Rural EMS Town Meeting
– assembly Thursday 11/17 1900-2100 at UVM Medical Education, and Friday
11/18 1000 in St. Johnsbury.
- (Goss) EMT-B Refresher
inquiry – any interest for spring course (one Saturday per month for
three months).
- (Wolfson) Smoke inhalation
lecture for Richmond Rescue recently – lecture available to area
services, send inquiries to Daniel.Wolfson@vtmednet.org.
- Certification/recertification
issues
- EMT-B and EMT-I initial cert
exam will be Saturday January 14th, 0900 written and 1230 for
practical evaluators.
- EMT-B Recert - Wednesday
November 16th @ 1800, UVM-Rowell
- If you are sending
someone to test, send someone to evaluated. (Adams) Was that the
case? (Ziter) For the most part, yes. There were some that did
not.
- Equipment Purchase for District
#3 –
- Four defibrillators through
grant program - $1300 total. Funding is present within AED grant.
(Jones) Old or new grant? (Ziter) New. (James) EMS model? Or for home
use, available at Costco? (Ziter) EMS.
- Motion to purchase four
EMS defibrillators from Zoll $1288.66 (Ziter/Jones). Motion
approved.
- New equipment for District #3
–
- Proposals circulated
- Motion to approve
expenditure of $3200 to Boundtree for VTEMSD#3 equipment (Ziter/Kellogg).
Motion approved. (Baron) Latex free? (Ziter) Yes.
-
Training Committee:
-
Next meeting: Thursday January 12, 2006
at 1730, SMC Hall of Fame Room – all Training Officers should plan to
attend.
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT (Adams)
- Response List (Adams)
- (Butkis) Proposed matrix published September
2005. Only change is Underhill/Westford – Cambridge will be second in,
and then Richmond. Minor change. Everything else is clear. Williston
– no more zoned response, same services all the way across the board.
(Jones) Why not split Williston for back up? (Jacob) Chief Morton felt
that SMR-Essex-UVM would provide more consistent response. (Ziter) Less
confusing on dispatcher. (Jones) Step backward. (Plimpton) Richmond
has discussed the issue with Williston FD; we are not in agreement.
(James) Consider distance versus response time. (Butkis) Committee
cannot consider distance only. (Pacy) Evolution of services has been the
result of a need. We, as a District, need to resolve our resource
utilization issues and consider utilization in the future. We do not
need 10 more ambulances, we need to use the resources currently in
place. (Butkis) We are discussing that very issue right now – example:
Cambridge primary into areas of Essex’ territory. Committee is
discussing this. (Putnam) Issue at hand tonight is back up list.
Primary is town designated. Historic perspective is correct, and input
should be obtained from town EMS officials. However, Board should make
sound recommendation regarding back up to town officials. (SBFD) What
is the response time for these agencies? Is it a major change?
Dispatch is a major factor in this District. (Butkis) What is law? (Soons)
District regulates secondary with input from municipalities. (Wolfson)
This issues needs more discussion. (Adams) For clarification, Williston
& Richmond have met? (Plimpton) They met, and Williston stated this is
how it’s going to be. (James) <Quoted rule from VT EMS Rules manual>
“…in conjunction with municipalities..” (Allen) Regarding Milton & South
Hero responding to the Sand Bar Bridge – the Town has the authority for
primary ambulance response. Why does the matrix list Milton 1, Milton
2, and Colchester, with South Hero as fourth? (Adams) This took place
years ago. (Lindquist) Richmond’s response is slow to Williston. Pull
response stats. (Goss) There are dispatch issues across the board.
(Putnam) Can we approve the response matrix as presented with the
exception of the Williston changes? <Lengthy discussion
ensued>…(Jacobs) Make it as simple as possible. No disrespect
intended.
- (Butkis) Suggest voting on matrix tonight for
approval.
- Motion to approve the proposed changes to the
matrix, exclusive of Williston, effective 11/17/05 at 0000
(Putnam/Kellogg).
- MCI/CCRPC (Adams)
- No report from Toby.
- Towns will be approached for review of emergency
preparedness plans.
- Toby’s position will be ending in January, 2006.
December will be his last meeting.
- LEPC (Barber)
- HSU/Grants (Adams/Jenkins)
ADMINISTRATION (Soons)
- Policies
- EMT-Intermediate (1990 vs. 2003) Policy – no
discussion.
- (Harmon) Can LAS I-90’s from other Districts
operate in District #3 as I-90’s? (James/Ziter) District #3
protocols apply for transports that take place within VTEMSD#3.
- Medical versus Traumatic Arrest Protocol: clerk
rec’d correspondence inquiring about omission of lividity as indication
for non-transport. Appears to have been an admin/typo. Motion to
include lividity with rigor mortis as indication for non-transport (Ziter/Baron).
Motion approved.
- ALS Intervention Quarterly Report – example of
report posted on list serv.
- Out of Service Quarterly Report – reinstate.
- Service License Renewal Application Review
- Membership issues – several services listed
members with expired certification as active members.
PUBLIC INFORMATION (Ziter)
OLD BUSINESS (Adams)
- (Soons) Legislator meeting
- Meet and greet
- Include all of Vermont District Chairs and
Training Coordinators
- Develop agenda
- (Pacy) Flu shots are not available via the VDH. Pacy
is looking into FAHC Employee Health to extend. Go to your primary care
provider. More is coming.
- (Ziter) go to person
- (Baron) ordered, (Wolfson) Yep, 40 @ $500.
- (Pacy) previously free via FAHC, not so much now.
Continue through VDH.
- Bird Flu Exercise (James)
- 11/01/05
- Is FAHC on the response matrix? Transporting
patients to FAH; activate MCI? (Pacy) What is urgency of moving – that
dictates plan. (Soons) Table to Resource Committee. (Goss) Relocating
FAH patients. (Adams) FAHC Emergency Operations Plans take this into
account.
NEW BUSINESS
- No new business presented
- Motion to adjourn at 2024 (Baron/Ziter). Motion
approved.
- Next meetings:
- Administration
Committee meeting Thursday 12/8 @ 1730 – SMFD
- Resource
Committee meeting Thursday 12/8 @ 1730 – Hall of Fame
Respectfully submitted,
Kate Soons, Clerk
VTEMSD#3
katesoons@adelphia.net
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