CPR Courses to be Beginning Soon

After the first of the year we will begin offering CPR courses on a regular basis in the evening as well as weekends. You can come to us or we will come to you. We will post the schedule, the course description along with prices, and certifications. Stay tuned for details.

First Responder vs. first responding

I don't know whose crazy idea it was to come up with a new title for the former Emergency Care Attendant (ECA) but to replace it a few years ago with the accredidation of First Responder is a terribly confusing mess to those not in the educational and certification arena.

When a medically trained EMS member (Police, Firefighter or EMS) responds and arrives on a emergency scene first, it is called "first responding" (as a verb) meaning they are the "first on scene" or the first medically trained individual to arrive on the emergency scene. Their job is to identify, assess and report back, then stabilize the situation as best they can until more help arrives. Any of the above mentioned people can be a first responder on the scene. You can be a firefighter, a paramedic, an EMT-Intermediate, a police officer, etc.

This is easily confused by the name of the certification level of FIRST RESPONDER/Emergency Care Attendant (FR/eca) commonly referred to as a "freeca" or sometimes the eca is dropped and they are just referred to as a first responder (a noun). This level of training is a nationally certified emergency caregiver that is certified in more than CPR but not has much as an EMT. The primary differences are that the FR/eca does not work with as much equipment and are not certified to administer or assist with medications. They are fully certified attendants in the back of the ambulance, they are part of a crew, just as the EMT's.

They must be certified in CPR for Health Care providers. A FR/eca can attend the accredited course and be certified at the age of 16. This allows younger members to come in and learn the basic skills before becoming an EMT. An Emergency Medical Technician must be 18 years old to be certified. The only detail that needs to be considered is a "legal crew" according to the State of Vermont Department of Emergency Medical Services is comprised of two certified members of age 18 or great on the crew. (Ex: An EMT-B who is over 18 can not be partnered with only a 17 year old FR/eca in the ambulance. An EMT-B or EMT - I'o3 who is over 18 can be partnered with a 19 year old FR/eca, or an 53 y/o Fr/eca.)

The level of advancement for EMS in VT is as follows: First Reponder/Emergency Care Attendant, EMT-Basic, EMT-Intermediate, (EMT-I), EMT- I'03, EMT-Paramedic.
(The difference betweeen Intermediate and I'03 is more pharmaceuticals and responsibilities).
The curriculum was adopted in 2003, hence the EMT-I'03 certification.

Each has a course program with more hours in each level, practical skill development, decision making and responsibility and oversight of others.

I hope this has helped you understand the difference, as so many people seem to think a first responder (who holds a national certification) does not go in the ambulance, does not take shifts for as part of the medical team or is not part of a crew. They are. AND on that note, there are some FR/eca members out there that I would rather have as a partner than a new EMT-Paramedic fresh out of school!

If you have any questions or would like more information. Let me know and I'd be glad to give you what you need.

Cub Scout Pack 789 Comes for Visit

Local Cub Scout Pack #789 (Webelos II) came last night for work on their merit badges for health care with a lesson in Emergency Services. There learned about E-911 and how it works, including an activity where they wrote down their own 911 address and explained how to find the location if the numbers were not properly displayed at the property for identification.

They learned about how emergency calls to police, fire and ems are processed. They were introduced to CPR including a small skills lab where they demonstrated what they had learned
to determine responsiveness, an adequate airway, how to porperly ventilate a patient and how to check for a pulse.

We went to the ambulance station where they were given a tour of the ambulances and rescue vehicle. They asked good questions and are eager to assist our local squad if asked to participate as patients in an upcoming training excercise.

The Manuscript in Progress

To some of you, my closer peeps, know that I have been toying around with the idea of a writing project. Coming from many years of teaching in the EMS field, I get questions each year from students and peers that are interesting and sometimes make me think...hmmm, how DOES that work? My son had a very inquisitive mind growing up (and still does as a father with a child of his own now) always trying to figure out how things work or how it came to be that way. This continuing occurance leads me to the same thought processes. Coupled with the fact that as I go through the aging process and have an interest in geriatric physiology, I have decided to entertain this project, though in journal form and in the beginning of the research phase, this manuscript will be a cross between Erma Bombeck explains the aging process in a humanistic but medically correct, physiologically, with of course, a twist of humor. I will entertain any notions you might want to ask about or get the explanation about things they never tell you like why women lose their eyebrows and why men's continue to grow long enough to do the comb-over. And yes, Josh I will find out what happens to the inside of the bellybutton and what it is hitched to. I'll keep you informed of the progress. In the meantime, send me the questions you may want the answers to. I'll let you know how it goes....

CPR requests

It seems like the classified ad in the paper is getting some attention, The office is getting a few calls from residents checking out coming back to CPR after taking it a while ago. Hopefully this will become a regular thing where we can schedule at least one class a month, say the first or second saturday am of the month. This months requests are for children and infants.

Waitsfield Firefighters recertify in CPR

Last night's class was scheduled for 10 - 12 firefighters as part of their regular training. Last
year when we scheduled, only 3 men showed up. But last night it was a full class with 18. A good class, not used to sitting in a classroom situation, usually these guys that are up for recertification want to just come in, "pound it out", get the high sign they are done and go home, thinking,
"Good, got that over with and it's good for two years."

But last night we talked about the 911 addressing system, how to find those locations and more
about organ donation, the anatomy and physiology of CPR and the ramifications of inappropriate
airway management and chest compressions. It was a good discussion where everyone asked questions and got interested in the discussion and involved. The old timers (senior members that have been fighting fired for years) helped the young guys just joining and we talked about
working together with crews on scenes of ems and fire calls. They all thanked us for the class
and said they got alot out of it and look forward to coming back. Thanks to Kim Kathan for helping with the gang.

Tonight is Basic Life Support Training at the station where we will be tested in our knowledge base with EMS trivia.