November 3rd Release of MERGINET.News!

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

We're pleased to bring you the latest additions to
MERGINET.News (November 2001 Vol. 6, No. 11).
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.

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FROM THE EDITORS:
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See MERGINET.News for a whole new batch of useful, interesting information.
As the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City approach, we bring you an overview
of public safety planning there. With bioterrorism at the forefront of
international attention, Jim Crabtree has written an excellent, succinct
primer about three terrorist-prone diseases: anthrax, smallpox, and plague.
This is the first in a series of upcoming articles Jim has written about
weapons of mass destruction. Jeff Kopito gives us a hard look at how
over-the-counter herbal remedies and supplements — such as ephedra — can
lead to emergency calls, and how you can raise your index of suspicion.
Also, Georgia Life Flight, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary, is
profiled by Tonya Schafer.

The MERGINET.News "09-11-01" section, posted during the initial days of the
terrorist atrocities, was an important vehicle for expression for many
people around the world. While we will always honor the outpouring, we feel
it is time to archive that section of the webzine. If you wish to see what
was written, it is available in perpetuity in our archives (easily accessed
in the search functions at the top of the webzine).

In our columns this month, Valerie DeFrance's series on "problem child"
students concludes. See NetCetera, by Laura Bennett-Kimble, to learn a few
ways to avoid the anxiety of urban legends. Harold Cohen has reviewed
literature about accurate triage by medics, and Mike Taigman reviews a book
titled, "The Tipping Point." See "Straight Talk 53" for some thoughts about
"lions and tigers and bears, oh my!" Vic and Vern are back, and want you to
"Stuff That Bag." And in Management Matters, John Becknell offers excerpts
from "EMS Best Practices" about how to shoulder criticism (for
administrators) and seniority (for managers). Tom Scott, in his steady
manner, makes suggestions for how to choose a billing service.

Take time, too, to click into our "Reader Helpline." This is where anyone in
the worldwide EMS community can help answer EMS-related questions posed by
our readers. You might be able to help! New to Helpline: a request from Ruth
Merton, in Austin, Texas, who asks: "For written and presented reports, my
students need specific statistics (worldwide!) for the use/success of
CPR/AED and cause of death. They also need specific techniques of CPR or its
equivalent from around the world. This request is urgent in nature due to
report deadlines only. Any information sent will be used for future classes
also. Thank you very much."

As always, feel welcome to send your comments, concerns, and compliments. We
reply to everyone who writes. — be in touch!

Welcome!
Kate Dernocoeur, Editor
Laura Bennett-Kimble, Managing Editor

New in this issue!

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Feature Articles
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>> Weapons of Mass Destruction: Three Specific Diseases
by Jim Crabtree, RN, BSN, MICN
The diseases that terrorists could use as biological weapons are not new.
Very little remains unknown about these bacteria and viruses, because many
of these diseases are centuries old and have been well studied. Let's look
at three of them: anthrax, plague, and smallpox.

>> Ephedra: Good Guy or Bad Guy?
by Jeff Kopito, EMT-D
He lay on his side gasping for air, an asthma attack robbing him of his
breath. Rashidi Wheeler, a senior safety on Northwestern University's
Wildcat football team in Illinois, had just finished a series of 24 sprints
in practice on August 3 when he collapsed on the ground. A teammate and
trainer helped him back to the bench, where the attack seemed to worsen.

>> Georgia Life Flight Celebrates 20 Years
by Tonya Schafer
Over the years, thousands of critically injured people have been flown to
emergency care by Georgia Life Flight, one of the state's most prominent air
ambulance services. Few of those cases stick out in Program Director Ralph
McDaniel's mind. But he will never forget one patient.

>> Utah Prepares for the 2002 Olympic Games
by Kate Dernocoeur, MERGINET.News Editor
On December 4, when the Olympic flame leaves Atlanta en route to Salt Lake
City, Director of Olympic Fire & EMS Brian Garrett will start his final
countdown. By February 4, when runners carry the flame across the Utah state
line, the emergency preparedness machine will be swinging into action for
the February 8 start of the two-week extravaganza. At that point, all the
ground work and planning will be essentially complete. If emergency
readiness were an event, Garrett and his colleagues should already feel like
gold medal winners.

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Medic Life
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>> STRAIGHT TALK 53: Lions and Tigers and Bears
by Kate Dernocoeur
Going into wild places bears certain risks, as Dorothy, the Tin Man, and
Scarecrow knew when they bravely traveled into the deep forest along the
yellow brick road. The sinister atmosphere there caused one of them to
wonder: Are there lions here? Tigers? Bears?

>> NetCetera: Rumors of War: The Internet Fuels and Fights Anxiety
by Laura Bennett-Kimble, MERGINET.News Managing Editor
Anthrax. Crop dusters. Suspicious packages. Suspicious people. These times,
they are a-changing, and so are we. Urban legends used to irritate and amuse
us, now they fuel anxiety and frustrate law enforcement officials.
Fortunately, before we ever thought of September 11 as anything other than
National 9-1-1 Day, a few web sites were busily tracking and documenting the
rumors that fly about the Internet and land in our inboxes.

>> Runnin' Red: EMS Response Bag Developments
by Vic & Vern
For far too long now, EMS providers have been trying to design the perfect
"first-in-bag" or "house-bag." You know, the bag that needs to go everywhere
and has everything in it. And for far too long now, EMS providers have been
trying to stuff too many things into that bag!


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Educators Corner
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>> What Is Disruptive Behavior? Part Five
by Valerie DeFrance
This series has been a five-month examination of general information about
adult learners, potential causes for disruptive behavior, and solutions and
techniques for dealing with them. The focus on disruptive behavior exhibited
in the classroom in this series has been limited to a behavioral sense.
Problems caused by learning disabilities, disorganized study habits, and
like issues are not addressed.


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Columns
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>> Studying A Study: Assessing Paramedics as They Assess Patients
by Harold Cohen
The focus of this article — a study by Pointer, et al — is another attempt
to determine if paramedics can accurately assess and treat patients who may
be candidates for non-emergency department treatment or transportation. As
you read this review, keep in mind the issue of bias in research.

>> Book Review: The Tipping Point
by Mike Taigman
Have you ever run calls in a Cadillac ambulance? Do you remember
"Build-a-Board" immobilization devices? How about Hush Puppies shoes? What
on earth do Hush Puppies have to do with EMS leadership?


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Management Matters
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>> Ambulance Billing: Choosing a Billing Service
by Tom Scott
As my recent columns have conveyed, ambulance billing is a complex process.
The days of simply typing an invoice are long gone. Today you need a
dedicated staff and information systems to bill well. Because of this, I
recommend that all but the largest providers contract out for billing
service. So what should you look for when you want to outsource your
ambulance billing function?

>> For Managers: Seniority and the Return of an Ex-employee — A Case Study
by John Becknell
Difficulties in managing EMS workers often emerge from policies that aren't
clear. Consider the following case. A star paramedic resigned from a
120-person EMS organization to work for a nearby flight service. Because he
was well liked and considered to be one of the organization's best assets,
nearly everyone turned out for his "going-away" reception. However, after 10
months, the flight job did not turn out to be what the paramedic had hoped,
and he returned to ask for his old job back.

>> For Administrators: Shoulder the Burden of Criticism
by Lauren Simon Ostrow and John Becknell
When an EMS administrator faces a barrage of negative feedback, it's
difficult to simply ignore the criticism and walk away. A leader who is
sensitive and cares about the willing support of followers will pay
attention, but the criticism can also hurt.

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In the Literature
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>> What's new in EMS Magazine — November 2001
Life on Alert: Nation Remains Jittery as Threats Keep Coming. More....

>> What's new in JEMS — November 2001
JEMS editor-in-chief A.J. Heightman talks about the future role of EMS in
our new world of constant terrorist threat and how JEMS worked to prepare
EMS crews prior to the 9-11 attacks. More....

>> What's new in Annals — November 2001
Emergency Physicians Lead Research Efforts to Prepare Hospitals for Mass
Casualty Disasters

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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