The future of LI EMS

[What's in our future?]

Sounds like REMSCO is looking to go paid.


Experts: Cardiac survival worse in Suffolk
Originally published: August 11, 2011 9:27 PM
Updated: August 11, 2011 9:58 PM
By KERY MURAKAMI kery.murakami@newsday.com

In Suffolk County, only 2 percent of people treated by EMTs for cardiac arrests in 2009 leave the hospital without serious problems, local emergency medicine experts told a legislative committee Thursday.
And the chances of surviving a cardiac arrest are worse in Suffolk than in other parts of the country, Edward Stapleton, associate professor of emergency medicine at Stony Brook University, told the county legislature's public safety committee.

Though studies have used different measurements, he said 5 to 10 percent of cardiac patients treated by emergency medical technicians in other places survive without neurological damage.

Stapleton cited King County, Wash., where the chances were about 50/50 last year that cardiac patients treated by EMTs survive, said James Apa, spokesman for the Seattle and King County public health department.
The numbers were part of an assessment of Suffolk's EMT system by the Suffolk Regional Emergency Medical Services Council, a body created by the state to coordinate emergency medical services. Stapleton chairs a working group of the council, which includes representatives from hospital emergency rooms, municipal and volunteer fire departments.
Bob Delagi, Suffolk's acting EMS director, said in an interview the numbers ignored improvements the county has made. Nassau County was not immediately able to say if they keep data on the survival rate of EMT cardiac patients. Stapleton and Edward Boyd, chairman of the Suffolk emergency council and former chief of the Southold fire department, said training more community members to do CPR could improve Suffolk's success.

Stapleton said a review of Suffolk EMT cardiac logs showed bystanders attempted CPR in 19 percent of the cases in 2009. Jim Fogarty, director of Emergency Medical Services for the Seattle and King County public health department, said the figure was about 60 percent in Seattle last year.
"The chances are that if someone collapses out here, someone is going to dial 911 or perform CPR," said Fogarty, who had been a paramedic in North Babylon in the 1970s.

Delagi said his division offers CPR training to EMTs, some of whom pass on the training to community groups. He acknowledged his division was focused on EMTs and did not offer CPR training to the public.

[Taxiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii]

Sounds like REMSCO is looking to go paid.


Experts: Cardiac survival worse in Suffolk
Originally published: August 11, 2011 9:27 PM
Updated: August 11, 2011 9:58 PM
By KERY MURAKAMI kery.murakami@newsday.com

In Suffolk County, only 2 percent of people treated by EMTs for cardiac arrests in 2009 leave the hospital without serious problems, local emergency medicine experts told a legislative committee Thursday.
And the chances of surviving a cardiac arrest are worse in Suffolk than in other parts of the country, Edward Stapleton, associate professor of emergency medicine at Stony Brook University, told the county legislature's public safety committee.

Though studies have used different measurements, he said 5 to 10 percent of cardiac patients treated by emergency medical technicians in other places survive without neurological damage.

Stapleton cited King County, Wash., where the chances were about 50/50 last year that cardiac patients treated by EMTs survive, said James Apa, spokesman for the Seattle and King County public health department.
The numbers were part of an assessment of Suffolk's EMT system by the Suffolk Regional Emergency Medical Services Council, a body created by the state to coordinate emergency medical services. Stapleton chairs a working group of the council, which includes representatives from hospital emergency rooms, municipal and volunteer fire departments.
Bob Delagi, Suffolk's acting EMS director, said in an interview the numbers ignored improvements the county has made. Nassau County was not immediately able to say if they keep data on the survival rate of EMT cardiac patients. Stapleton and Edward Boyd, chairman of the Suffolk emergency council and former chief of the Southold fire department, said training more community members to do CPR could improve Suffolk's success.

Stapleton said a review of Suffolk EMT cardiac logs showed bystanders attempted CPR in 19 percent of the cases in 2009. Jim Fogarty, director of Emergency Medical Services for the Seattle and King County public health department, said the figure was about 60 percent in Seattle last year.
"The chances are that if someone collapses out here, someone is going to dial 911 or perform CPR," said Fogarty, who had been a paramedic in North Babylon in the 1970s.

Delagi said his division offers CPR training to EMTs, some of whom pass on the training to community groups. He acknowledged his division was focused on EMTs and did not offer CPR training to the public.

If EMT’s and Paramedics / CC’s would resort back to OLD SCHOOL forgetting there toys and just scoop and run outcomes would be so much better. You are not a hospital you are meant to transport AKA Glorified Taxi

[Stopped Riding]

If EMT’s and Paramedics / CC’s would resort back to OLD SCHOOL forgetting there toys and just scoop and run outcomes would be so much better. You are not a hospital you are meant to transport AKA Glorified Taxi

This is why after 28 years as an active EMT I stopped riding - completely. I cant even begin to tell you how many patients dies within sight of the Stony Brook Hospital Tower. It got so bad for awhile that some of the "wanna be doctors" were even criticizing other wanna be docs for taking much too long on scene.

[Unregisteredemsemsems]

This is why after 28 years as an active EMT I stopped riding - completely. I cant even begin to tell you how many patients dies within sight of the Stony Brook Hospital Tower. It got so bad for awhile that some of the "wanna be doctors" were even criticizing other wanna be docs for taking much too long on scene.

Your story is all too familiar. Just last year we had a Para who was notorious for remaining on scene for far too long, he played his game once too often and the patient who was suffering chest pain on arrival, difficulty breathing five minutes later and was unconscious a few minutes after that - coded enroute and later died. The driver and the other two EMT's on board all quit within the next two months but not before voicing their concerns about this and a few other incidents. I remain as a FF but you couldn't get me on an ambulance unless I happened to be standing right there and it was someone I knew.

[Unregistered654]

Your story is all too familiar. Just last year we had a Para who was notorious for remaining on scene for far too long, he played his game once too often and the patient who was suffering chest pain on arrival, difficulty breathing five minutes later and was unconscious a few minutes after that - coded enroute and later died. The driver and the other two EMT's on board all quit within the next two months but not before voicing their concerns about this and a few other incidents. I remain as a FF but you couldn't get me on an ambulance unless I happened to be standing right there and it was someone I knew.

I'm not sure where you were riding, but this is a very unrealistic opinion. Paramedics allthough not doctors are highly trained first on scene medical providers, and yes while there are some who spend too much time on scene it is extremely unfair to group all medic's into the same catagory. Paramedics are capable of providing life saving care on scene when minute's count. As example the administration of Nalxone for unresponsive, overdoses, Dextrose for Hypoglycemia, Ativan for seizures, and so on. Not to mention, advanced cardiac care, pacing,cardioversion, medications for cardiac event, advaance airway manuvers, and on and on. So maybe you should reconsider you statement, and try riding again. You may just find your helping to make a difference!

[Unregistered911911911]

I've got to agree with 654. What can an ER do in a cardiac arrest that a paramedic can't do in the field? The goal is early resuscitation/defibrillation and the best way to do this is at the scene. The only time that scoop and run has been shown to improve outcomes in trauma. The thing no one is talking about here is response time. If someone in cardiac arrest has waited 30 minutes for an ambulance to get to the scene, scoop and run vs. stay and play isn't going to matter. They are dead either way. As someone who has grown up in the volley system, I hate to say it but it's probably time to increased the paid personnel and have the vollies as backup/extra.

emsemsems, if you and the rest of your crew were so concerned about the performance of this paramedic, did you report it to SCEMS or medical control?

[Amaaaaazing]

Medics & Doctors both take ACLS - same exact class. While REMSCO holds back a little, getting the right meds into a patient on-scene absolutely saves lives. Packaging, transport, triage delays (like that never happens) all delays that really don't help patient outcome. Maybe you can see SB's tower, but have you ever waited 15 mins for a stressed out / overworked triage nurse??

Study was done on this a few years back - measured cardiac survival rates where some got ACLS traetments on scene & some were load & go (CPR only) -
Those getting ACLS on scene lived about 12% of the time / none of the load & go cases survived. Study recommended that if no ACLS on scene: just pronounce. It doesnt work.
Remember, some folks will die anyway - sick people even die in the MICU, with tons of good equipment & highly trained people all around.

[JJ Medic 1]

Miss us yet ?????????

[Unregisteredtoiems]

Miss us yet ?????????

Yes! I wish the NS Medics were back. They were much more experienced and professional compared to the Tac Medics.

[Unregistered NS Medics]

Yes! I wish the NS Medics were back. They were much more experienced and professional compared to the Tac Medics.

Half of the Tac Medics are the old NS Medics just working for agencies part time.

[Nice,,,,,]

1/2 are the same medics

somewhat less equipped now, but who needs narcs, c-pap, etc??

[TRUTHUnregistered]

No true. Community Ambulance Company Tac Medic has Narcs and MFI one day a week. BayShore will have narcs soon. Every Tac Medic has C-Pap, the NS program did its job and made the ambulance companies become self sufficient, just takes time,

[toi illegal]

Yes! I wish the NS Medics were back. They were much more experienced and professional compared to the Tac Medics.

North shore should go to Islip town and ask How come EMS work does not go out for bid?? Why do you stick with the same agencies?? Something seems illegal. North Shore should take over go get em JJ

[Puhleese]

No true. Community Ambulance Company Tac Medic has Narcs and MFI one day a week. BayShore will have narcs soon. Every Tac Medic has C-Pap, the NS program did its job and made the ambulance companies become self sufficient, just takes time,

That's a start - just hope the day you need help is that 1 day of the week - you have a 1 / 7 (14%) chance of getting the treatments that might actually save your life.

[Unregisteredenoughbs]

So true. Community Ambulance Company is definitely NOT the end all, be all of EMS in Islip Township. And stop it with the BS self-serving public service announcements promoting CAC already little bald man. It's not always about CAC.

[back saver]

So true. Community Ambulance Company is definitely NOT the end all, be all of EMS in Islip Township. And stop it with the BS self-serving public service announcements promoting CAC already little bald man. It's not always about CAC.

Was talking to the head of safety at SSH, he said the only reason baldy was hired was because he was short enough to look for issues in low places and he realized how low he was

[For real?]

Seriously? You guys are going to turn a thread that actually contains some form worthwhile discussion into a bitching session about CAC? Go back to the CAC thread and continue your whinning there. Let's keep this one to a good discussion.

[UnregisteredJealously]

Jealously runs a muck in EMS hu...

[431674]

EMS Rules

[Unregistered-post]

A WNBC Cameraman was attacked by a Suffolk County EMS officer at a Haz-Mat seen in Bohemia New York. The cameraman was filming the aftermath of a chemical spill inside a commercial building that unleashed fumes. The accidental mixing of chemicals sickened 54 workers at a cellphone refurbishing plant in Bohemia.

LINK TO VIDEO - http://youtu.be/YWrnATMiCss

The cameraman did not cross any police lines and was within his rights to film. The EMS Person Is yelling at the cameraman that he will have him arrested and is trying to rip the camera out of the cameraman's hands. The camera was damaged during the confrontation. Suffolk police can be sean in the video and took no action agains the EMS office who attacked the cameraman. Police escorted the cameraman down the block and erected police lines to keep the media back.