See MERGINET.News's September 18 release now!

["Richard Bilger" <rbilger@merginet.com>]

We're pleased to bring you the latest additions to
MERGINET.News (September 2001 Vol. 6, No. 9).
You can view this issue online at:

http://www.merginet.com/index-news.htm
Select "MERGINET.News" or "Current Issue" from
the navigation menu's.

################## TRIBUTE ###################

This issue is dedicated to those with the strength and
courage to head toward mayhem while others flee....

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FROM THE EDITOR:
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This new week brings a time when the civilized world continues to grieve --
but it also brings a time to dig in once again to the tasks of daily life.
Although our world faces a long process to get going again, emotionally,
financially, logistically, and in every other way, the sun still comes up.
There's another day, and so we go on. As such, you are welcome to browse the
newest version of MERGINET.News, your worldwide web site dedicated to
emergency care. We have added a section of Editorials related to September
11, 2001, including one from terrorism expert and long-time EMS personality,
Paul Maniscalco. Would you like us to continue with an Editorials section?
Let us know.

Take time to read Jeff Robinson’s outstanding essay in Medic Life about his
grandmother’s death. See the sixth installment of EMS in East Timor, by Alan
Eade. And Peggy Rainone writes about her refreshing approach to “Grief: Don’
t Suppress It."

In our relatively new feature, “Helpline,” there are three new entries.
Jiriki, at South Australian Ambulance Service, wants to know if the use of
the Trendelenberg posture is helpful in hypovolemic patients. Michael
Riordan in Kentucky needs help figuring out why the computers that his
troops use are hot and bothered (the docking stations, mother boards, and
even the hard drives keep breaking!). And another reader has requested
assistance about overdoses. Click on Helpline in MERGINET’s left-hand
column, and see if you have answers for the questions your emergency
colleagues are asking.

>From our regular columnists, Don Hunjadi writes about tuition incentives for
drawing in volunteers (it helps if you’re in a college town!). Gwyn
Pritchard writes a great piece on airway management for the National
Association of Emergency Dispatch (NAED) -- note the new name! Karen Thurlow
offers an excellent primer on latex allergies, and Don Wetmore discusses
interruptions. John Mateus writes about a “New World.” Steve Wirth gives us
“Three Commonsense Steps to Avoid Litigation in the EMS Workplace.” And
managers will want to see John Becknell’s comments about the cost of event
coverage.

As always, please don’t be shy about sending us your Reader Feedback. We
always appreciate your thoughts and ideas. We also enjoy your compliments!
We write back to everyone as promptly as possible.

Welcome to the September 18 release of MERGINET.News!
Warm regards, Kate Dernocoeur, Editor

New in this issue!

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Editorial
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>> Tribute to The Victims of September 11, 2001
A Flash presentation created by country artist Pete Stringfellow in honor of
those fallen by this terrible tragedy and their surviving family and
friends. This is a not-to-be-missed addition to this very important issue.

>> Paul M. Maniscalco Responds
Among the prominent and vocal members of the EMS community for many years is
Paul Maniscalco — former president of NAEMT, terrorism expert since before
it was fashionable (with a book on the subject due for release shortly), and
former New York Fire Department official. When the terrorists hit the WTC
last week, I wondered many times whether Paul had been front and center as
he had been in so many other large-scale mass casualty events in "The City."
Gratefully, he was not there. His voice has not been silenced. Here is a
guest editorial by Paul to prove it!

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Features
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>> Grief: Don't Suppress It
by Peggy Sweeney Rainone, EMT-B
Traumatic events, including mass casualties, the death of a child,
life-threatening situations, or a line of duty death, have a profound impact
on the mental and physical health of emergency service professionals.
Without the benefit of coping skills, these men and women can experience
unhealthy side effects. Many pre-hospital caregivers experience stress, high
blood pressure, and depression, as well as disabling illnesses including
heart attacks, substance abuse, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

>> SafetyCampus.com: A Review
by Syd Canan
Imagine being able to go on-line on your own computer, spending a couple of
hours with an interactive program of impressive quality and resolution, and
being ready to try the hands-on portion of an adult CPR class, an infant CPR
class, even an AED class. Well, you can, and it's easy.

>> Alan's Adventures in East Timor, Report #6: 20-year-old female with
Japanese B encephalitis and terminal prognosis
by Alan Eade
Some days ago we transferred a 20yo female from the Comoro airport to the UN
Military Hospital after a medical retrieval from the island of Atauro (23 km
north of Dili). The patient was unconscious, with a poorly controlled
airway. (Intubation by medical staff was unsuccessful.) The provisional
diagnosis was of cerebral malaria.

>> What is DMAT/DMORT?
by HHS Press
What are Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMATs) and Disaster Mortuary
Operational Response Teams (DMORT)? This article from the US Department of
Health and Human Services explains each team and their function.


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Medic Life
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>> In Her Own Words: A Semblance of Normalcy
by Valerie DeFrance
On one of the most terrifying and devastating days in American history,
thousands of us involved in emergency services felt completely helpless. We
are people of action, and we were overcome with an overpowering impulse to
take action.

>> In His Own Words: Dobutamine and Adam's Blanket
by Jeff Robinson
It was a sight familiar to any medical person. The gaping toothless maw, the
"positive O-sign" and the Foley bag. The prognosis: very grim. "Multiple
end-organ failure," the physician said. "We're not really sure why." He
never really said much else. The numbers on the chart said it all.

>> Are You Prepared to Handle a Patient with a Latex Allergy?
During the past several years, more information has become available about
latex allergies. However, some healthcare providers continue to use products
that could put their patients at risk for serious adverse reactions. Is your
unit ready to handle patients who declare that they are allergic to latex?
What about the patient who doesn't know she's allergic to natural rubber
latex (NRL)?


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Educators Corner
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>> Preparing for the New World of Health and Safety
by John Mateus
It's an exciting time for health and safety trainers. We are at a point
where technology touches almost all parts of our life. More and more we see
technical devices, processes, and innovations affect medicine, education,
and even recreational activities. Ten years ago a safety coordinator might
have ordered his first aid supplies out of a catalog with a relative degree
of comfort. In today's world of defibrillators and medical oxygen, of
complex jurisdictions and regulatory oversight, many companies need a little
advice on what they should have and how they should maintain it.


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Columns
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>> Airway Management in Difficult Situations
by Gwyn Pritchard, EMT-P
As we implement the Medical Priority Dispatch System in many countries, we
constantly see how effective the EMD can be in maintaining an airway by
following the recognized protocol. Many lives are affected daily by trained
and certified EMDs. However, every now and again the EMD is faced with
unusual situations such as airway management with severe trauma or long
response times.

>> Tuition Incentives
by Don Hunjadi
It's certainly not uncommon for EMS providers to pay for their workers to
attend EMS conferences, take additional training, or sometimes even obtain
non-EMS education. However, has your service ever considered using college
tuition assistance as a way to attract new help?


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Management Matters
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>> Law Bytes: Staying Out of Court: Three Commonsense Steps to Avoid
Litigation in the EMS Workplace
by Steve Wirth, Esq.
The focus on the legal side of your operation is best directed toward
preventing litigation from happening in the first place. It's certainly a
lot cheaper than the alternative, and it will help improve employee
relations. In most cases, the facts aren't what drive the desire for people
to sue. It's the way you treat them that makes the difference!

>> Interrupt Interruptions!
by Dr. Donald E. Wetmore
A lot of our daily responsibilities require us to deal with unanticipated
events. These interruptions aren't the problem. It's the unwanted,
unnecessary interruptions that keep us from focusing on what really needs to
get done. One strategy that I share in my Time Management seminars is the
notion that "a problem well defined is 95 percent solved." We need to
interrupt the interruptions!

>> For Operations: Calculate the Cost and Price of Event Coverage
by Lauren Simon Ostrow and John Becknell
Whether it's for the 4th of July parade, a marathon, a country music
festival, or the local high school football game, the request to provide
dedicated coverage for community events and mass gatherings is often heard
by EMS organizations. Covering such events represents real costs, whether or
not the organization charges for the service. For budgetary purposes and
strategic planning, the manager should know the actual costs and how to
price these services.

More online!

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Click here: http://www.MERGINET.com/index-news.htm

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fun to the all in EMS, Fire, Rescue and Emergency Medicine. Updated daily.
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