VTEMSD#3 Training Committee Agenda – 11 October, 2001

Chair Greg Thweatt called the meeting to order at 1830 hours. 19 people were in attendance representing 4 District posts and 12 out of 23 services. Those in attendance were:

• Greg Thweatt EMT - I Coordinator, Training Committee Chair
• Debbie Baron District Board Chair
• Maureen Leahy District Board Vice Chair
• Jim Laskarzewski Training Committee Clerk, St. Michael’s (A)
• Gilbert Helmken (R) FAHC E.D. Nursing
• Jason Marshall (A) Charlotte Rescue
• Scott Flieger (A) Colchester Rescue
• Adam Wilson (R) Colchester Rescue
• Jim Kellogg (A) Essex Junction Fire Dept.
• Stacey Dudley (R) Essex Rescue
• Debbie Baron (R) Grand Isle Rescue
• Rod Moore (A) Milton Rescue
• Maureen Leahy (A) So. Burlington Fire Department
• Rick Bellows (R) So. Hero Rescue
• Shawna Lapierre (R) St. Michael’s Rescue
• Jenna King (A) UVM Rescue
• Allison Rimmer (R) Vergennes Rescue
• Stephen Fleming (A) Vergennes Rescue
• Kevin Wood (R) Williston Rescue
• Kate Soons (V) St. Michael’s Rescue
• Mike O’Keefe (V) Vermont EMS

None

Review Agenda: The chair briefly reviewed the agenda for the meeting adding to old business a report on a meeting of first responder instructors and IC’s.

Motion to accept minutes of Sep 13, 2001 meeting by Stephen, second by Jim K.. Motion passed.

Next meeting will be held on Nov 8th, 2001 at 1830 hours at St. Michael’s College. Greg will be absent.

Approved Courses:

Charlotte First Responder: 20 students; midway through course; Monday starts patient scenario based practicals; State exam will be combined with the Vergennes course.

Vergennes: On schedule to start Monday; 20 students.

Fall EMT-Basic and EMT-I: 2 exams complete. Winter/Spring course proposal planned for next month. Expected course start date of mid-January.

Keith Robinson’s once-a-week course has 13 enrolled. Contact Keith or Pat.

Refresher course: 6 calls so far, 3 applications pending, waiting to see if numbers increase.

Recertification Dates: October 18th or 15th. Many out-of-district EMTs calling, help will be needed each night with both patient models and evaluators. Assistants need to be at least 18years old. Need 18-20 people each night as a minimum. These nights will be for recertification exams only.
2002 recert dates have not been set yet, expect a couple of nights in February.

FAHC Case Review: November 20th, topic unknown.

Education for EMS Educators Conference, November 3rd, Stratton Mountain: (Mike) Brochures going out tomorrow and will be posted on the EMS department web site. Brochures being sent to New Hampshire and Maine as well. Variety of things being offered for those interested in EMS education. EMS educators have been asked to make presentations to their peers, more that half of the proposals to present have come from Maine. Should be a good sharing of ideas.

(Gil) Stowe Rescue is holding an EMT-I Refresher course on 10 November at Stowe Rescue . Combination of didactic and practical learning. Note went out recently on listserver.

Instructor Course application instructions: Greg discussed the draft that was distributed on the listserver and with the agenda. Kate asked if it would be overbearing to add an expectation to assist with district #3 training events? Greg pointed out the two places such reference was made in the draft. Only item not included is a timeline for submittal of items. If draft is acceptable we can begin using. Motion to accept draft as guideline for deciding to sponsor a n individual for the Instructor Course by Deb, second by Allison. Motion passed. Next Instructor course to begin the 3rd weekend in January 2002. Course is three weekends long with three weeks between each class.

First Responder Meeting, Sept 27th: Lee, Becca, Kate, Pat, and Greg met with First Responder course instructors and assistants to discuss the previous courses for problems, concerns, successes, and ways to improve future courses. Thoughts: Help instructors improve quality of practicals, have IC report back to District. Assess progress through quiz and exam; use the test generator that comes with the text; have IC review results. Clarified duties of IC, did not add additional work to instructor, Aim to improve overall course and provide continuity between courses.  Question to Mike about adding instruction of Bag-valve-mask and AED to ECA curriculum in light of new AHA CPR guidelines? Has not been discussed but may not add due to loss of standardization from national DOT level. State is considering dropping the requirement for CPR cards – see article by Mike in EMS Newsletter.  Group hopes to further clarify the instructor coordinator role at a future meeting. Ideas will be assembled and distributed for comment.

Mike O’Keefe discussing recertification paperwork/is sues: Bill Clark will be in next month to discuss the status of the QA project. Mike will be proposing this question at the Nov. 3rd training session – In addition to Instructor Coordinator should there be other levels of instructor in Vermont? Other levels exist in other States (e.g. NY). 

Exam schedule distributed. Ray Walker is in charge of processing recert paperwork, looking for 10-15 day turnaround for cards if all requirements are complete. Local recert dates/ pre-registered recerts: Oct 18th/24; Oct 25th/33; Oct 30th/2. Close to 100 (on paper) due to recert. Recert paperwork generally sent out a couple of months prior to recertification date. Maureen asked if "happy letter" still to be used? Yes. Oct 30th test date added to end of refresher course. If not enough people, date may be cancelled, contact Pat M. for the refresher course. 

Maureen asked about the recert process and paperwork for current Instructor Coordinators. – Program will be discussed on Nov 3rd. Considering an application process for those already certified. Some recertification process will be started by the State.  

Deb asked about the requirement for a certain number of recert credits to be taught by an instructor coordinator and the lack of available IC’s in her area. A sufficient number of IC’s must be available before this can be strictly enforced. IC’s present for the meeting offered to assist with trainings at any time.  Best time to submit C.E. sheets is either with "request for exam " form or at the exam. Either one of these ensures your paperwork gets filed appropriately.

EMT-I paperwork: Greg will follow-up with Sue about process for obtaining medical direction signature.
ECA recert: Recert every three years. Asked if retake of course is required or if C.E. credit system has been implemented. Ray Walker may have the answer. Modules need to be retaken every three years.

"Preparatory" includes any material from the first module of EMT-B.  

Timeframes for recert: example person EMT-B expires in Dec 2001. Person is no longer certified in Jan 2002. Person has up to one year to recertify with same expectations as set in December. Cannot perform as EMT until recertified. After Dec. 2002 the C.E. credit option for recertifying has expired. Between 1 and 3 years after expiration a refresher course must be taken. After three years, the EMT-B course must be retaken. Any extension must be filed before card expires.

EMT-I has 6 months after their card expires to recertify without new requirements. After 6 months the district must sign a form prior to recertification exam.

Status of old curriculum ECA’s: No change, no decision yet. Dan will have final say.  Notice sent for upcoming ECA expiration? No notice sent by State. Recert for ECA happens at the squad level. May be an option in the future?

Motion to adjourn by Maureen, second by Jim K. Meeting adjourned at 1930 hours.

Respectfully submitted,

Jim Laskarzewski, clerk

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Last updated: October 19, 2001