National Emergency Medical Services Week brings together local communities and medical personnel to publicize safety and honor the dedication of those who provide the day-to-day lifesaving services of medicine’s “front line.” In our area of Sheboyan and Ozaukee County we have all volunteer members servicing our communities 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
Each year I like to highlight some of the important changes that have occurred in the past year. This year the most important change that has occurred in Sheboygan County is the implementation of Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD). This system, through a 911 dispatcher, prioritizes a request for EMS services and dispatches the proper services to an EMS call. For instance if a person calls 911 for a person who is confused in Random Lake, the 911 operator would dispatch both the Random Lake Ambulance and Orange Cross Ambulance. Orange Cross, a paramedic service, can provide a higher level of treatment. When the Random Lake Ambulance arrives on scene, the crew assesses the patient, and if they decide that paramedic care is not needed, they will cancel Orange Cross. If paramedic level care is needed, the patient receives it faster because Orange Cross is already on the way. In either situation the patient will never receive 2 bills for that call, they will only receive a bill from the ambulance service that took them to the hospital.
The second is that every Emergency Medical Dispatcher in Sheboygan and Ozaukee County must have 28 hours of training to be able to give life saving instructions before a First Responder or the ambulance arrives. The dispatcher can advise someone with chest pain to take chewable aspirin, how to do CPR, how to help someone choking, or even help someone to deliver a baby.
There are 2 nationwide initiatives to help save lives. First is the 5 Steps of Compression CPR. This effort teaches the basics of CPR by video if you are unable to take a class. The other initiative is the Stop the Bleed campaign. The military learned they could save the life of a soldier with a severe arm or leg injury by applying a tourniquet to stop the bleeding. Now every soldier and Law Enforcement officer carries at least one tourniquet. This initiative has spread rapidly across the country for public use. Anyone can carry a tourniquet when doing an activity with a risk for serious arm or leg injury such as hunting, using a chain saw, or riding a motorcycle. A tourniquet can save your life until an ambulance arrives and you can get to a trauma center. EMS providers are teaching the general public how to use the tourniquets. There are video links at the end of this article for both initiatives. Please reach out to you local EMS agency of you have questions or would like to learn more.
During this special week, please reach out to an EMS provider and thank him or her for their service to your community. The majority of them volunteer hundreds of hours each year to assure that you receive professional care when you need it the most.
LEARNERS MUST PRACTICE COMPRESSIONS AND KNOW THE STEPS BELOW:
* Check for responsiveness
* Call 911
* Push hard and fast in the center of the chest until help arrives
* Send someone for an AED
* Keep going until help arrives
CRITICAL STEPS TO COVER FOR STOP THE BLEED INCLUDE:
* Move to a safe area if needed
* Call 911 or have someone else call
* Have someone get a bleeding control kit if available, look near an AED
* Apply pressure to the wound with your hands
* Apply a dressing to the wound and press
* Apply a tourniquet 2 – 3 inches above the wound
* If bleeding continues place a second tourniquet above the first one
RESOURCES FOR OFFERING STOP THE BLEED TRAINING: Department of Homeland Security – Stop the Bleed BleedingControl.org * VIDEO from BleedingControl.org
COME SUPPORT THE RANDOM LAKE FIRE DEPT PICNIC AND PARADE JULY 27,28 AND 29 2018. NEW PARADE ROUTE THIS YEAR, STARTING AT THE RANDOM LAKE SCHOOL ENDING AT THE FIRE HOUSE SEE BELOW MAP OF NEW ROUTE. ANY QUESTIONS ON THE PARADE CONTACT RACHEL AT 262-483-1358 QUESTIONS ON THE PICNIC CONTACT BOB AT 920-946-9460
About Random Lake Fire Department:
Random Lake Fire Department proudly protects 2000 people living in an area of 50 square miles. We operate out of 1 station that protects a primarily rural area. Our department is a public department whose members are on a volunteer status.
We are a volunteer dept. of 45 members, 25 of which are FF/EMT.
Services Provided:
• Firefighting
• ALS Emergency Medical Service
• Vehicle Rescue (Extrication)
• Search & Rescue
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