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Superior North EMS
Proudly Serving the People of the District of Thunder Bay
2004 Volume 2, Issue 2
Visit our web site
www.SuperiorNorthEMS.com
HELP!
Director’s Corner
Response Times
DEPARTMENTS
Director’s Corner
-----------------1, 2, 4-6
Manager’ Desk
Western Manager
-------------------- 3
Eastern Manager
-------------------- 7
Staff on the Move
-------------- 13
Staff News
------------------ 14-21
Lighter
Side ------------ 22
Final Thought
------------------ 24
Congratulations to all who
make an effort in helping
reduce response times. Your
efforts are paying off. Since
2002, our district wide 90th
percentile response times
have decreased by one
minute and three seconds
(1:03) by going from 14:50
to 13:47.
One must
remember that it takes a lot
of effort to reduce response
times when looking at 90th
percentile. If you look at
averages, the impact is more
evident, but if you are the
taxpayer
waiting
for
paramedics,
you would
rather know that for 90% of
the time we get there in less
than 13:47 minutes than on
an average of time.
In
discussions
with
paramedics, there still seems
to be some confusion as to
the interpretation of what a
90th percentile is.
Some
paramedics seem to think
that this is the time they can
take to get to a scene. By
that logic, our response times
would then continuously
creep upward. To have a
90th response time of 10
minutes, you need to have
many, many calls answered
in the 6-8 minute range.
Because most calls are in
that range, they help
compensate for the 20
minutes calls out of town.
Each time a call is in the
30-50 minute range, you
may need dozens of calls
in the 6-8 minute range to
compensate
for
the
impact of that one long
call.
Graph 1 below helps
explain the relationship.
Although 10% of calls
over the 90th are not
factored into response
times, it is evident that
some calls do take a long
time to service and thus
would require many calls
below
the
6-minute
window to begin to have
an impact on overall 90th
percentile response.
The trend line indicates
an
average
moving
response time. To lower
the 90th percentile, a
system must find ways to
move
this
average
downward. This can be
done in a variety of ways,
from adding resources
like the PTU, the PRU,
and an additional 24/7
ambulance in Thunder
Bay, to adding on-site
hours in the District
stations that were on
eight hour shifts. Since
85% of Code 4s are in
Thunder
Bay,
any
modifications will have
greater overall impact if
applied in that system.
Other methods include
reducing the number of
transfers
to
keep
ambulances available for
emergencies, deploying
vehicles dynamically to
ensure
better
zone
coverage, (roaming or
station relocation) or
changing shift patterns to
ensure higher levels of
available vehicles during
peak demand.
A complete review of
Thunder
Bay’s
call
locations and response
times will be undertaken
in next few months. This
process will provide
directions to improve
response times further.
JOCELYN BOURGOIN
[email protected]
The Scoop
Page 2 of 24
Graph 1
Response Time & Trendline
Minutes
60.0
55.0
2002 90th Percentile
Calls over 90th Percentile
50.0
45.0
40.0
35.0
30.0
25.0
Trendline
20.0
15.0
10.0
5.0
0.0
05/11/2001
25/12/2001
13/02/2002
The majority of emergency
calls are in Thunder Bay.
Because of this volume, the
impact on response times in
Thunder Bay is felt across the
district. Since 2002, Thunder
Bay has reduced their response
times by 57 seconds. Since the
province set a response time
standard in 1996, the number of
code 4s has increased 45% and
is on track to go over 60% in
2004 based on calls from
January to July of this year.
Anyone wishing to understand
response times better, see
Brent’s article in this issue or
please don’t hesitate to contact
me.
Funding
Funding remains the greatest
04/04/2002
24/05/2002
13/07/2002
01/09/2002
challenge in this business.
Despite numerous meetings
with MOH officials, there has
yet to be a resolution to our
funding errors. Mayor Peterson
will be meeting with Minister
Smitherman to try to resolve the
impasse. A presentation was
made to the municipal league
on November 20th to inform
that we are no longer able to
contain costs at 50/50. Our
current ratio is now 60/40. The
unfunded portion invoiced to
municipalities is now over
$1.16 million dollars with the
City of Thunder Bay paying
$915,000 of the total. This is in
addition to their share of the
50% they must fund.
The Province has initiated
discussions with municipalities
across
Ontario
on
the
21/10/2002
10/12/2002
29/01/2003
Community Reinvestment Fund
(CRF). These discussions are
exploring all avenues to address
the concerns, including the
uploading of services back to
the Province. This has resulted
in rumours that EMS could be
“uploaded”. Municipal leaders
are split on the issue if EMS is
an Emergency Service or a
Health Care Service. Those
that believe it belongs to health
care want it uploaded and the
ones who feel it is an
emergency service prefer to
keep it municipal but want the
funding issues resolved.
In the past few months, some
very minor amounts have been
provided to assist with AVL
and GPS based locators. It is
hopeful further amounts will be
announced shortly.
Continued on Page 4
The Scoop
Page 3 of 24
Western Region - Manager’s Desk
Wayne Gates
the tournament every
year and provides some
great prizes of which I
have been the recipient
on many occasions.
WAYNE GATES
[email protected]
It’s been an interesting
spring and summer and it
sure went by quick.
Several new staff have
come on board this
spring and all have
successfully challenged
the A-EMCA exam.
Congratulations to all.
We will have three new
ambulances coming on
line in late December.
These are the new
Crestline Gas Type 3
units. We had staff and
management from both
the East and West region
fly out to the Crestline
plant in Saskatoon to
view the units and the
production process. The
quality and workmanship
of the units impressed all,
and the units will have
the upgraded lighting
package.
By now all 14 rural
station should have the
new MRX defibrillators
on line.
We are the
largest EMS service in
North America to go with
this new technology and
many EMS systems will
be watching to see how
these units hold up in the
field. The Thunder Bay
paramedics will continue
to use the Zoll units for
now but will be due for
replacement units in
2006. By that time we
should have the results
on how well the MRX is
performing.
As you all know, my
former Supervisor Ernie
Kadikoff jumped ship
from the Western Region
to take on my counterpart
role in the East. We wish
him well in his new
position, our loss is
definitely a gain for the
East.
I would like to welcome
on board Nick Enders
who is the new platoon
I never got a chance to
get out fishing this year,
but around the stations I
hear the fishing was
good.
Here are the
results from the 2004
Thunder Bay Ted Gross
Memorial Fish Derby.
Walleye 8lbs - Cecil
Conrad
Lake Trout 15.15lbs Fran Polini
Pike 35 lbs - Kevin Kurm
Bass 3.3 lbs - Andrew
Todd
The big thank you to Don
Lemieux who organizes
Nick Enders, Platoon Supervisor
Western Region
Supervisor for B Platoon.
Nick has been actively
involved in EMS for 8
years, including First
Response
Team
Coordinator,
Urban,
Rural and Volunteer
EMS Services. Nick is
looking forward to the
new
challenges
this
position will offer. He
will also be taking on the
responsibility
of
equipment and supplies
for the Western Region.
I would like to wish
everyone a safe and
merry Christmas and a
special thank you to the
Paramedics who will be
working
over
the
holiday’s season. I know
when the 911 call comes,
the citizens of the
Thunder Bay and District
are going to receive the
best EMS care possible.
Page 4 of 24
The Scoop
Continued from Page 2
Ontario Municipal Benchmarking Initiative (OMBI)
Some very interesting work is being done by a group of municipalities to measure performance of municipal
services. EMS has been a leader within this group and I’ve been part of Ontario’s Expert panel for EMS. Their
final 2003 report has been tabled to the municipal CAOs. There is yet to be a rural model for most of these
measurements. The data for the City of Thunder Bay has been compared for the past two years and is now being
captured in a more relevant fashion. In most areas, Thunder Bay does not stand out significantly, expect for the
amount of transfers we perform. As was noted during council budget deliberations, the focus to reduce transfers
to have ambulances available for emergencies is a legitimate concern. Any future deployment plan must
consider reducing transfers (without reducing number of vehicles) as the next method to improve response times.
Percent of UTM Active Vehicle Service Hrs Used for Code 1-2 Calls
45.00%
41.30%
41.00%
40.00%
35.00%
30.00%
25.00%
20.60%
20.00%
15.00%15.30%
15.00%
10.00%
15.01%
11.96%
11.00%
11.40%
10.20%10.70%
8.70%
8.40%
7.20%
6.50%
6.10%
8.50% 7.80%
7.70%
5.30%
5.00%
0.00%
Brant
Durham
Halton
Hamilton
Niagara
% UTM Code 1-4 +8
Thunder
Bay
Toronto
Waterloo
York
Mean
% UTM Code 1-4
All this to say that EMS is now being analyzed from a performance and efficiency point of view. Although, the
actual indicators being measured will probably continue to be disputed for many years to come, for the first time
in the history of Ontario’s EMS system, questions are being asked and information is being shared. At some
future point, this process should lead to identifying best performances and provide guidelines on how to improve
the service delivery to the residents.
Emergency Preparedness
As many of you may be
aware, 2004 has been a
year of learning and
planning for emergency
preparedness.
SNEMS
managers have worked
closely with the City of
Thunder Bay Emergency
Management Coordinator as well as
with the Fire Department, for
Chemical, Biological, Radiological,
Nuclear (CBRN). SNEMS senior
managers are now a formal part of
the Emergency Operations Control
Group to handle any emergency in
the City. During the Thunder Bay
District Municipal League meeting,
all district municipalities were
advised of our interest in
getting involved with their
local planning committees
as well.
In 2004, we participated in
a three day emergency
management course and
subsequently in a major
paper exercise for the City
The Scoop
of Thunder Bay. The role
of EMS is now part and
parcel of any planning
within the City. Any major
incident requires we be
notified and we sit at the
central table as one of three
emergency services. EMS
is now a key player with
Fire and Police as well as
Public Health, depending
on the nature of the
emergency.
An
opportunity
also
presented itself this past
fall to become involved
with Cook County in
Northern Minnesota in
their planning for an
emergency terrorist event.
Numerous agencies from a
great
variety
of
jurisdictions
became
involved in a two day
exercise lead by the
Homeland Security Office
of Defence Preparedness.
SNEMS participated along
with CTB Fire Department,
Thunder
Bay
District
Health
Unit,
Canada
Customs,
US
Border
Patrol, Minnesota State
Patrol, FBI, First Nations
(called Sovereign Nations
in US), Minnesota Public
Health,
various
EMS
services, Grand Portage
Fire Department, etc….
The list could go on, but
this
represented
an
excellent opportunity to
learn how it is done south
of the border and to link up
with many cross border
agencies to facilitate a
response to major events.
The key lessons learned, is
that SNEMS would be a
key agency in any major
event south of the border.
Page 5 of 24
Few resources are available in
Northern Minnesota.
They also
were in awe of our integrated EMS
system, from one radio system, one
type of equipment, standard P & Ps,
provincial integration, joint air
ambulance communications etc.
These remain huge challenges south
of the border where each agency has
its own system and has little
inclination to form joint processes
with their neighbours.
As a
comparator, SNEMS is about 60%
of the size of the State of Minnesota.
We have one system while they
have 80 different jurisdictions in the
state. As we met with numerous
agencies, it became very apparent
how much more effective our
system was.
We often heard
comments of admiration at how
integrated and coordinated Ontario’s
health care was. Who would have
thought?
Our revised plan is now available.
There remains the need to address
local procedures, in rural and remote
communities. I would suggest that
paramedics working in
those environments review
the manual and offer input
to Norman Gale on how to
adapt the local sections to
meet their communities’
needs. A major exercise is
being planned for 2005 in
the City of Thunder Bay.
Any other district exercises
that anyone is aware of
should be brought to the
attention of your supervisor
to ensure we can keep our
option to participate open.
Orientation and training in
Emergency Preparedness
will be delivered to
paramedics
in
2005.
Supervisors and managers
will
be
trained
on
December 16th.
In the
meantime, paramedics are
encouraged to review the
manual and address any
questions
to
their
supervisors.
Continued on Next Page
The most satisfying work.......................Helping Others
The ugliest personality trait....................Selfishness
The most endangered species.................Dedicated Leaders
Page 6 of 24
The Scoop
Association of Municipal Emergency Medical Services Annual Conference
This year’s conference was held in Sudbury. Besides the ongoing frustration of the lack of funding, directors
discussed the need for better coordination. Exhibitors provided many examples of their wares.
Below: New mosquito safety vest for
paramedics. (The manufacturer has yet to
confirm that it can’t be used for trout fishing.)
Above: Paul Charbonneau and Jocelyn Bourgoin trying out a
new stair chair prototype with Mike Trodd on for the ride.
Below: New glove dispensers on the side door of
the ambulance.
Right: Decon tent with built in shower and
drainage system. Mobile stretcher is nearby. The
whole tent folds in accordion style for storage and
can be set up in minutes.
To all the new grads, CONGRATULATIONS, I'm sure you worked so very hard to get to this day and your
success is well earned. SNEMS made a commitment to so many people in the past few years with respect to
this process, it is comforting to share in your achievements.
I'd like to take this opportunity to wish each and everyone of you a safe and very Merry Christmas and Happy
New Year. To all those who are working on those special days, my hat off to you. We appreciate your efforts
and so do our patients.
Jocelyn Bourgoin
The Scoop
Page 7 of 24
Eastern Region - Manager’s Desk
Ernie Kadikoff
My recent career move is
one of great excitement
and
full
of
new
challenges; the vastness
of the eastern region goes
along
with
the
uniqueness
of
its
communities. In my first
tour of the region I was
quick to learn of the
distances
between
stations and how remote
some really are. One of
the most important links
we need to maintain is
communication between
the stations and the
eastern office along with
the flow of information
with the City of Thunder
Bay. The ease of my
transition into the role of
manager from platoon
supervisor
seemed
effortless due to the
support of the previous
manager,
Paul
Charbonneau,
the
administrative assistant,
Dawn Trabbish, and the
supervisors,
Theiann,
Dave, and Don.
The person we believe
ourselves to be will always
act in a manner consistent
with our self-image.
Brian Tracy
Another rewarding part
of my position is meeting
the paramedics of the
region and seeing how
their involvement with
EMS has affected the
communities they serve.
The
paramedics
participating
with
community events and
their strong relations with
the allied services greatly
improve
our
public
image. The profession of
a paramedic is extremely
high profile; I must say
the upstanding conduct
shown by the paramedics
I have met gives me great
confidence in our public
presentation.
My goal is to maintain a
high standard of patient
care, ensuring a highly
skilled paramedic arrives
at the side of any patient
needing our aid. While
doing this I hope to be
progressing forward with
new
skills
and
equipment, and always
ERNIE KADIKOFF
[email protected]
improving how to serve the people of our
region. As part of the Superior North EMS
management team I will strive to keep the
region up-to-date with information and changes
implemented by the corporation.
Looking back on the various positions I’ve held
throughout my career in EMS I must say this by
far
is
my
greatest
accomplishment.
Considering the great people I have to work
with, combined with the excellent support
provided from the Superior North EMS
management team, I do consider myself very
fortunate.
COMING UP
DUE NORTH 2005
April 22, 23, 24, 2005
Page 8 of 24
The Scoop
What is 90th Percentile?
Submitted by: Brent Cline
I am sure that most of us are
aware of what the 90th
Percentile response time refers
to, so at the risk of sounding
redundant, I will only repeat the
explanation for the purposes of
this article.
The 90th Percentile is the time
in which 90% of all emergency
calls are responded to, and is a
measure of time from which a
crew is notified (T2) to the time
they arrive on scene (T4). For
example, if the 90th Percentile
is 10 minutes, it means that
90% of all emergency calls are
responded to in 10 minutes or
less, and 10% of calls took
more than 10 minutes. This
information is taken from the
Addas database, which stores
information on all calls made in
the District of Thunder Bay.
Central
Ambulance
Communication
Centre
(CACC) enters all information
into this database. Currently,
there are over 250,000 records
of calls made from 1995 to
present.
What you may not be aware of,
however, is how the 90th
Percentile is calculated. There
is very specific criteria used in
this calculation. Listed below is
some of that criteria:
Dispatched Priority 4 - the call
went out as a code 4 and was
not downgraded.
Overall Priority 4 - this is
what the call was just prior to
T5 (crew departs scene)
1st Arrived Unit - the
ambulance must be the first to
arrive on scene
Service Type 1 - calls made by
Fire, Air Ambulance, and First
Response Teams are eliminated
The 90th Percentile can be
calculated after filtering the
data and eliminating all calls
that do not meet the above
criteria,. The remaining calls
are sorted in ascending order
based on the T2-T4 elapsed
times with the 90th call
representing the 90th Percentile.
Thus if we have 1000 code 4
calls that meet the above
criteria, the 90th Percentile will
be the response time of the
900th call.
As you can see, not all code 4
calls are included in the 90th
Percentile calculation.
The
90th Percentile is a very
specific measure of response
times and only includes calls
which are made in our district,
regardless of which station
handled the call. While the
criterion remains specific, this
measure can be applied to
determine the 90th Percentile
response time in a variety of
ways. For example, we could
use the criteria to determine the
response times for a crew, an
ambulance, a station or a
region.
Currently, the 90th
Percentile response time and
call volume information for
each station and geographic
municipality is posted on our
website,
www.SuperiorNorthEMS.com
under “About Us” “Services”
Romania News
A slip of the knife. . .
Paramedics in Galati were faced with the call of a lifetime this past weekend, after a man
cut off his own penis. Reuters (October 4) quoted the Rompres news agency as saying
Constantin Mocanu, 67, severed his member after he mistook it for a chicken’s neck.
Mocanu told EMS workers he had gone out into his yard to kill the bird after the noise it
made kept him from falling asleep. Following the cruel cut, his dog promptly swallowed
the penis. Although the news service did not say what Mocanu’s exact status was, a
doctor indicated the injury was not life threatening. There is no word on whether or not
the penis was recovered.
Source: Paramedic News Network
The Scoop
Page 9 of 24
Predictors of Leadership
Who will be next?
Submitted by: Norm Gale
Manager, Quality Assurance & Training
One
of
the
most
important functions that
must be completed in any
organization
is
succession planning. The
long-term viability of
organizations and the
welfare of those who are
part of them is dependent
upon the grooming and
identification (at an early
stage) of leaders. The
time will always come
when the ‘torch is
passed’ and success in
that passing can best be
assured by choosing the
right people. While most
everyone agrees that it is
generally
better
to
promote from within,
rather than bringing in a
person from the outside,
there are times when
organizations
require
fresh blood, but those are
usually due to severe,
systemic problems. But,
to promote successfully
from within, one must
promote the right people.
Not all aspire to, or wish
to be in leadership
positions. Indeed, there
is no shame in having a
career as a professional
paramedic.
However,
those that do aspire to
become union leaders,
lead hands, supervisors,
or managers should be
encouraged
in
their
efforts. So, how to spot
those that may be so
inclined? There are some
criteria that could be
assessed as predictors of
leadership. People who
espouse many or all of
these qualities may have
a bright future as
supervisors or managers.
Those that possess, in no
particular order, these
qualities:
respect,
energy,
intelligence,
communications skills,
confidence,
loyalty,
judgement, and integrity
are well on the way to
developing
superior
supervisory, managerial,
and leadership skills.
To the untrained eye, the
cynic may appear to be a
natural leader, and it is he
/ she who may appear to
be most knowledgeable
about a particular subject
or problem.
But, the
cynical person likely
does not have the
requisite
tools
for
leadership, and is lacking
most notably, respect. It
is the cynic that criticizes
with
incomplete
information, and provides
that
criticism
to
colleagues and superiors
alike without engaging in
a critical analysis of
problem areas. Although
the staid old principle
applies: “Every soldier
has the right to complain
ASK THIS QUESTION DAILY
Which is stronger: my urge to grow or my resistance to
change?
and to be heard”, it is
those with leadership
qualities that work to
correct problems from
within, not from without.
Change must be a
positive force, not a
destructive one, and
respect plays a crucial
role in the process of
change and in developing
leaders.
Current and
future leaders must have
respect
for
their
colleagues, subordinates,
and the organization in
order to be successful.
Prospective leaders are
energetic. These people
do more than the bare
minimum.
This can
apply both at work and
away from work. Those
that
seek
additional
responsibilities or try to
learn more on the job, or
those that have other
responsibilities
away
from the job display a
degree of energy that will
serve them well should
they pursue a leadership
position.
It is well
understood that positions
in the union hierarchy are
bellwethers for future
managers. As much as
unionists are loathe to
"The final test of a
leader is that he leaves
behind him in other
men, the conviction
and the will to carry
on."
— Walter Lippmann
Whether you think
you can, or you
think you can’t, you
are right.
- Henry Ford
"Surround yourself
with the best people
you can find, delegate
authority, and don't
interfere as long as
the policy you've
decided upon is being
carried out."
— Ronald Reagan
"Leaders are problem
solvers by talent and
temperament, and by
choice.
— Harlan Cleveland
Continued on Next Page
The Scoop
Page 10 of 24
admit (or perhaps proud
of, depending on their
bent) a union leader often
evolves into a company
leader. Skills learned on
union committees are
valuable tools, and those
placed
in
difficult
positions as union leaders
have an opportunity to
develop
personal
qualities that serve them
well in all future
endeavours.
Activities
away from work, such as
teaching, committee /
volunteer
work,
or
demanding part time jobs
all provide fodder for the
development of the very
skills that are crucial
components
of
the
leader’s ‘toolbox’.
Leaders are often faced
with difficult problems.
The employment of
critical
thinking,
analytical, and deductive
reasoning
skills
by
leaders in order to
reconcile
these
sometimes complicated
issues is crucial to
success. However, it is
just not intelligence in
the classical sense that is
required, although the
ability to make sound
decisions based on the
information available and
the
importance
of
superior cognitive skills
cannot be understated.
But, what is often
understated is emotional
intelligence,
which
provides one with the
ability to steer through
difficult
personnel
matters
and
interpersonal
conflicts.
Emotional intelligence –
the ability for impulse
control, a sense of
genuine empathy, an
awareness of self, and a
talent for fostering and
promoting
teamwork
enables the leader to gain
the respect and trust of
the
most
important
people:
his or her
followers.
A leader that does not
communicate does not
lead.
Generally, oral
communications
skills
are
developed
first.
Those with good oral
communications skills do
not just deliver words or
messages,
but
they
establish
rapport,
a
genuine
two-way
communication.
Two
way communication is
important, but there is a
danger
–
the
communication must be
one way at a time,
without that, there is risk
of no one understanding
anything.
Good
communicators can often
be noticed at parties or
social gatherings. These
are not the people that get
everyone ‘organized’, or
provide direction for a
particular event, but these
are the more subtle
ones… those that not
only draw a crowd, but
hold a crowd. It is these
communicators that not
only tell stories, but listen
to stories. We’ve all seen
them, indeed, it is hard to
miss them and it is these
people
that
actually
communicate with others.
Next issue: confidence,
loyalty, judgement,
integrity, and what it all
means.
Thinking outside the box. . .
This is called an impossible object. Although it is
possible to draw it, it is impossible to build it.
Media Advisory - a warning to drivers who endanger fire fighters, police and paramedics. . .
December 13, 2004 - To increase safety, Ontario's Highway Traffic Act, Section 159.1 now requires motorists to
slow down and pass with caution when approaching a fire, ambulance, or police vehicle stopped with its red
lights flashing in the same direction of travel, either in a lane or on the shoulder of the road. If the road has two
or more lanes, the motorist must move over into another lane, if it can be done safely.
A first offence is a $400 to $2,000 fine, plus three demerit points upon conviction.
A second offence (within 5 years) is a $1,000 to $4,000 fine, possible jail time up to 6 months and possible
suspension of driver's licence for up to two years.
Please help your emergency services providers by using caution when passing police officers, paramedics or
fire fighters who have stopped on the roadside to offer assistance to motorists.
The Scoop
Page 11 of 24
Miscellany
New ideas for perks…
Employee perks aren't as common or as lavish as several years ago, when new Internet companies sought to lure
talent with juicy stock options and workplaces that bordered on gymnasiums, according to The Baltimore Sun.
But many companies still find that unusual extras help to motivate and retain employees in an era marked by
worker anxiety and sporadic job growth. For instance, a California software company gives all its workers
$5,000 (U.S.) bonuses that they can spend only on dream vacations. And an Indiana company gives employees
chances to win money at company meetings…
Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse…
Zimbabwe’s economic crisis continues to spiral out of control, with EMS in rural areas now having to contend
with ox-drawn ambulances. The BBC said the vehicles, introduced by President Robert Mugabe as a life saving
measure, were donated by the UNICEF after a government request. Health Minister David Parirenyatwa said
the units will be largely for pregnant women and children. Opposition spokesman Paul Themba Nyathi said the
Dark Ages measure was a worrisome one, given that government provided services are supposed to be more
technologically advanced. Annual inflation rates in the country currently sit at over 400 per cent, with
unemployment rates hovering around 70 per cent.
Academics and Fear…
Dr. Gregor Reid of the University of Western Ontario "wants Canadians to take a deep breath and swallow their
fear of bacteria," says a press release of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council. "During that
swallow, a person will take in thousands of bacteria (we ingest around 50 million every day!) but Dr. Reid
wants people obsessed with sterilization and cleanliness to know that's okay. 'We have at least 10 times more
bacteria in us than human cells, it's an integral part of us,' he says. 'You'd be dead if it was not for those
bacteria.' " He studies probiotics -- live microorganisms that help the body fight off disease….
Three
summers ago, University of Arizona microbiologist Charles Gerba conducted a workplace germ study in four
U.S. cities, including New York and San Francisco. He and his researchers took bacteria samples from 12
workplace surfaces. The No. 1 area for germs was desk telephones, which had 25,127 bacteria per square inch,
followed by desktops, with 20,961 per square inch. The cleanest surfaces were toilet seats, which had bacteria
levels of 49 per square inch.
This and That…
Beginning this October, St. John Ambulance volunteers in Alberta will be trained to assist patients waiting for
treatment at the province’s emergency rooms. That is the word from the Canadian Press (June 6) which said
Health Minister Gary Mar made the announcement yesterday. Mar, who said the initiative was part of a trial,
made the comments while opening a new $5 million training facility…
While surgical advances have
lowered the death rate from head injuries and traffic accidents, there has been no similar improvement when it
comes to bullet wounds, says Edward Cornwell, the trauma chief of Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.
"Over 70 per cent are dead on arrival," he told the New Scientist…
The average person experiences two to
three inexplicable twinges, pains or aches or other odd symptoms every day, says Dr John Wynn, a psychiatrist
who specializes in cancer patients at Swedish medical center in Seattle. Most of us don’t think much about
them and they go away… Adults blink 12 to 15 times a minute, which adds up to more than 10,000 blinks a
day, reports Britain's Focus magazine. "We blink because we need to keep our eyes covered with a film of
tears, without which they would dry out and become infected. However, the human tear film lasts almost 18
seconds -- which means we blink about three times more often than we need to… People can blink as little as
three times a minute when they are working with computers, which is why computer users often suffer from dry
eyes.
Sources: The Globe and Mail; The National Post; Paramedic Network News; EMS World; The Baltimore Sun
Page 12 of 24
See us at:
www.SuperiorNorthEMS.com
The Scoop
Your ideas, comments and suggestions are very important to us. The goal of
this newsletter is to share news within the District. Is there anything special
happening, in your area, at your station? We want to hear about it and so does
everyone else.
To share your news, provide suggestions and comments you can:
Send an e-mail: [email protected]
Send a fax: 807-622-2698
Call us: 807-625-3259
Go the www.SuperiorNorthEMS.com and check out our new look!
Robert and Mary Corbeil on the birth of their baby girl, Olivia Maryann,
born January 27, 2004. Rob is a part-time paramedic in Thunder Bay.
Andrew and Lynn Hirst, on the birth of their baby girl, McKenna Louise
Winter, also born on
January 27, 2004. Andrew is a part-time paramedic in Nipigon.
Melanie and Joe Bonfiglio on the birth of their baby girl, Emily Riane,
born on August 30, 2004. Melanie is a full-time Thunder Bay paramedic.
Jason and Sandy Stewardson, on the birth of their baby boy, Aiden, born
October 16, 2004. Jason works as a part-time paramedic in Conmee.
The Scoop
Page 13 of 24
Staff on the Move
Passing their AEMCA exam on Oct.
20/04 are:
Eastern Region
John Jackson-Hughes, Red Rock
Ted Neill, Beardmore
Francis Pope, Terrace Bay
Harry Ten Hoeve, Geraldton
Beardmore
Ed Fisher hired full-time on Aug. 29/04
Ted Neill hired full-time on Aug. 29.04
Geraldton
Ryan Charbonneau hired full-time on June 6/04
Harry Ten Hoeve and Henri Veilleux both hired
full-time on Aug. 1/04
Longlac
Laurie Patroluk hired part-time Oct. 24/04
Nakina
Bryan Couch and Jennifer Hamilton both hired parttime on Oct. 24/04.
Western Region
Thunder Bay
The following temporary
employees passed their
Advanced Emergency
Medical Care (AEMCA)
exam on June 9/04 and
were hired part-time on
October 10/04.
Dawn Banning
Devin Doran
Jenny McLaren
Debbie Porter
Rhiannon Raynak
Ryan Ross
Justin Storm
Steve Zuluaf
Passing their AEMCA
exam on Oct. 20/04 are:
Lori Ann Albert, Upsala
Melissa Harper, Armstrong
Barbra Nelson, Upsala
Jason Stewardson, Conmee
Nipigon
Ashley Taisey hired part-time on June 6/04
Nathon Monk hired part-time on Nov. 21/04
Red Rock
Lindsay Hagglund hired full-time on June 6/04
Debra Bowerman hired part-time on Nov. 21/04
John Jackson-Hughes hired full-time on Nov. 21/04
Schreiber
David Ophek hired
part-time on Oct. 24/04
Passing his
AEMCA exam on
June 9/04 is
Henri Veilleux
Terrace Bay
Candace Campbell hired
full time
on June 6/04
Francis Pope hired full-time
on Nov. 21/04
Jason Desando will commence part-time
employment on Dec. 19/04
Armstrong
Steve Walker was hired full-time on March 14/04
Melissa Harper was hired on a part-time basis in Armstrong on October 6/04
(she was previously temporary in Thunder Bay)
Conmee
Therese Stamler was hired part-time in Conmee on August 1/04 (she
transferred from the Eastern Region - Geraldton).
Jason Stewardson was hired part-time in Conmee on October 10/04 (he was
previously temporary in Thunder Bay).
Shuniah
Lacy Perrier was hired full-time in Shuniah on August 29/04 (she was
previously part-time in Conmee).
Kyle Stamler was hired part-time in Shuniah on October 10/04 (he was
previously temporary in Shuniah)
Trevor Johnson is our representative on the City of Thunder Bay’s Wellness
Committee
Thunder Bay
Nick Enders was hired as Platoon Supervisor on December 5, 2004.
The Scoop
Page 14 of 24
A Moment With One Of
Our Paramedics
1.
What would you be doing if you weren’t a paramedic?
I’d be working in a mill in a dusty environment…
2.
What three people in history would you most like to
have dinner with?
Pierre Elliot Trudeau; Einstein; Marilyn Monroe
3.
What is the most embarrassing CD in your collection?
Ohhh… you’re getting personal man, my son would say my
Prince CD, but to me that’s not embarrassing at all…
so then it would be the Barry Manilow one.
4.
UFOs – real, imagined, or government hoax?
Real… and you know why? Because myself and another guy saw the same green light and no one else did, and
when we met later, we talked about it… so they do exist, oh yeah.
5.
What is the worst movie you’ve ever seen?
It was so bad that I couldn’t shut it off, I just had to watch, just the other day… what was it… Punch Drunk
Love, yeah with Adam Sandler, but this was ridiculous, and I told my son not to watch it, but he did and agreed
with me… it was the worst movie ever made.
Where Are They Now?
"It is time for us all to stand and
cheer for the doer, the achiever —
the one who recognizes the
challenge and does something about
it”
Vince Lombardi
"Achievement is largely the product
of steadily raising one's levels of
aspiration and expectation."
Jack Niklaus
Scott Merkley doing his placement with
the OPP. This is his first day on the job.
His posting will be Manitouwadge.
The Scoop
Staff News
Page 15 of 24
Nakina Station
New Stove/New Recruit
Amanda Redgrift and Chris Millington show off the new
stove in Nakina. The station recently underwent an
extensive renovation, upgrading the garage and adding a
CO/NO detection ventilation unit, galvanized floor
grating, tin wrapping on the walls, and relocating the
washer and dryer out of the garage. The rest of the
building received new flooring, two new windows, and
painting all around. In addition the existing kitchen was
modified to add a stove and full size fridge, two things
that the Nakina station never had.
And speaking of Nakina…
A sudden snow storm in Nakina
prompted this unique recruiting idea
however it is still undetermined how the
new medic will work in the summer.
Peoplesavers Program – EMS Week
Manitouwadge
During EMS Week 2004, Kathy Aiken was at the
schools presenting the Peoplesavers Program. Here at
Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School in
Manitouwadge, a JK/SK class is learning how to look
for dangers and call 911. The children had a good
time and it is amazing how smart they are.
The Scoop
Page 16 of 24
"School's out for Summer"
Harry Ten Hoeve and Henri Veilleux at their graduation
ceremony in June 2004 at Confederation College. They
would like to send special thanks to their instructors
Jeff Monas, Rob Plummer, Norm Gale, Andrew Dillon
as well as Peter Hiethorn, Sue Fall, and Kristie Hulse.
“Thanks a bunch and hope to make you all proud in the
years to come.”
On June 4, 5, & 6, 2004 Paramedic Paula
Verin from Marathon accompanied twenty
Atikokan Air Cadets and three of their
Officers to White Otter Castle. This was
Paula's second time joining them on a
weekend camping trip as their medic.
White Otter Castle is located approx. 70km
NW of Atikokan and is accessible only by
boat or float plane. The castle’s construction
was completed in 1915 by 60-year-old
Jimmy McQuat who alone built the fourstorey wilderness mansion. This included
hauling supplies across fifteen portages from
Ignace. McQuat drowned in 1918 and is
buried at the castle site.
It is a beautiful spot to visit. When you first
see the Castle’s red roof in the midst of miles
and miles of uninhabited forest it sends chills
up your spine.
As if Norm
could fit in this
shirt anymore.
Good sport and gentleman, Wayne lives
up to his obligation. It must be tough to
be a Leafs fan.
White Otter Castle
The Scoop
Page 17 of 24
Impact Program
Manitouwadge High School
EMS Week
Superior
North
EMSManitouwadge Station presented
the
Impact
Program
at
Manitouwadge High School in
conjunction with EMS Week.
With the assistance of the OPP
and Manitouwadge Volunteer Fire
Department,
the
Paramedics
responded to a drinking and
driving accident located at the
HighSchool. Five students were
involved.
One deceased on
arrival, the driver was arrested by
OPP and 3 others were
transported with serious injuries.
After the scenario, everyone
gathered in the auditorium where
Fire, Police, Paramedics, and
MADD gave a presentation on
how drinking and driving has
affected them professionally and
personally. The final blow to the
students was that the “deceased”
student read a poem about their
“prom night”. Many tears were
shed. A minute of silence was
also given to those who had lost
their life to drinking and driving
in
the
community
of
Manitouwadge.
Newly hired Thunder Bay recruits particpate in an A-EMCA exam
preparation session in May of this year.
(l-r) Jenny McLaren; Lacey Perrier; Justin Storm; Jason Stewardson; Ryan Ross;
Devon Doran ; Debbie Porter; Melissa Harper; Dawn Banning;
Rhiannon Raynak; and Steve Zulauf.
Page 18 of 24
The Scoop
Hot Paddles
2004 Superior North EMS Dragon Boat Team
Hot Paddles once again
made a splash at the
annual Dragon Boat
Festival held in Thunder
Bay on July 23 & 24,
2004. Because of the
team's effort Hot Paddles
came in 25th out of 100
teams and third in the
health
category;
definitely something to
be proud of. It must have
been due to all the
practice we as a team put
in – NOT! More than
likely it was due to a
group of people who just
wanted to have fun and
couldn’t help putting
their competitive best
forward.
Considering the summer
we had, it was very
fortunate that the weather
was great. We were able
to set up the official Hot
Paddles tent, originally
owned by Linda Smith
and
subsequently
purchased by Jocelyn in
2003 due to a minor
cooking
accident.
Unfortunately
for
Jocelyn, there were no
accidents this year so he
is still the proud owner.
This
year
Paul
Charbonneau and Bill
Lewis
handled
the
cooking and quite wisely
barbequed outside the
tent, and what a feast it
Please mark your calendars. Next year the
Thunder Bay Dragon Boat Festival is being held
July 22-24, 2005. Captains for next year’s event
are: Helen Letourneau and Annette Pasciullo. It’s
never too early to sign up.
was!
Again this year a special thanks is
extended to Ron Miron for printing the
tee shirts. They turned out great and
Ron added a special touch by putting our
names on our sleeves (that was real
handy after a few drinks in the hot sun).
As you can see we looked awesome.
Hot Paddles raised $1,617.00 for three
great charities - Catholic Family
Development Centre, St. Joseph's
Foundation, and the Canadian Mental
Health Association.
The Scoop
Page 19 of 24
2nd Annual Mother, Jugs & Speed Open
The weather held out for
us this year at the 2nd
Annual Mother, Jugs and
Speed Open. It was a
beautiful September day,
with winds favourable for
a few. Several new faces
joined the crowd of 28
and
little
to
our
knowledge, brought their
talents to challenge the
defending champions.
The scores were handed
in
and
we
soon
discovered that we had a
tie for first place. Art
Labelle
and
Darrell
Trabbish faced Pat Dixon
and Alana Odawa for a
playoff. From the 9th
green rose our victors
Darrell and Art. Pat and
Alana secured second
place followed by Helen
Letourneau and Elaine
Mackenzie in third.
The ladies’ longest drive
was taken, for the second
year running, by Fran
Polini and Sue Powell
took home the prize for
closest to the hole. Pat
Dixon won for mens’
longest drive, stealing the
title from last year’s
winner
Enn
Kurm.
Andrew Dillon put his
golf ball closest to the
hole on the 4th to collect a
prize as well.
Many tried but only two
participants qualified for
the putting contest final.
Silence fell over the
green as the gallery
watched Wayne Gates
rise
above
his
competition to win a new
set of golf clubs. In an
effort to pull a prank on
Wayne, Mr. Gates “the
prankster” found himself
outwitted by another
group of pranksters, who
shall remain nameless.
Have you found all of
your clubs yet Wayno?
Next year, we encourage
all skill levels to join us,
from the Tiger’s to the
Happy Gilmore’s. Don’t
let the “calibre” of
players intimidate you.
Everyone is out to have
fun and thanks to the
hard work of Alana,
everyone was able to take
home a prize. Thanks
also to Theiann Scherby
who so graciously hosted
the
barbeque,
and
breakfast
for
the
diehards.
Many years ago, in Scotland, a new game was invented. It was
ruled "Gentlemen Only...Ladies Forbidden"...and thus the
word GOLF entered into the English language.
Page 20 of 24
The Scoop
Child & Infant CPR - Nipigon
The Nipigon, Red Rock, and Beardmore
paramedics volunteered their time on November 6,
2004 to have a free Infant/Child CPR and Choking
Session for local residents. This topic was selected
because our area has experienced an obstetrical
anomaly. By the 2004 year end, there will have
been at least 70 babies born in our area. I don’t
particularly think that last winter was that cold, but
the number speaks for itself. Our medics felt that
this would be a good opportunity to tap into our
local resources and host this event.
We invited our base hospital physician, Dr. Robin
Kennie to speak to our participants about croup and
other common childhood illnesses. Our nurse
practitioner, Sue Powell, discussed the topic of
fever and addressed some questions from the
crowd. Our public health nurse, Marcia Mabelson,
delivered information about the new immunizations
and Constable Andrew Hirst captivated the crowd
with information and statistics about child car seat
safety. Did you know that 4 out of 5 child car seats
are not properly installed? Did you know that the
OPP have trained inspectors who will look at your
installation for you, if you call and make an
appointment? We received positive feedback from
the crowd, but I think we really won their praise
because we had great food and strong coffee.
Judging by the pictures you can tell we had fun.
Unplanned, Theiann borrowed a 5 month old child
for demonstration. (Note the child involved was at
no time at risk or in danger of being harmed,
although possibly stolen because she was so cute).
This endeavour would not have been possible
without the exceptional amount of support from our
volunteers. Many thanks to the guest speakers,
paramedic volunteers, volunteers, Thunder Bay
District Health Unit – Nipigon Office, and Superior
North EMS for their support.
Submitted by Fran Polini
The Scoop
Page 21 of 24
Christmas Parade of Lights
Geraldton
Many thanks goes out to Henri Veilleux, Harry
Ten Hoeve, and Maree Ranta Ojala for
"decorating" one of Greenstone's ambulances for
the local Christmas Parade of Lights, held in
Geraldton on Saturday, November 20, 2004.
Of particular creativity was Harry's construction
of a platform to bolt to the existing bumper of the
ambulance and secure a generator thus giving the
group virtuously unhindered power to display
over 100 feet of lighting topped off with a
luminous candy cane grille.
The top photo is blurry cause it was darn cold
Brrrr!! but it shows the lights well.
Dave Wilson
Manitouwadge
EMS Week
1st Brownies Unit – Great Spirit District came to
visit the ambulance station during EMS Week 2003.
A special guest was on hand to give furry hugs to
the children.
The Scoop
Page 22 of 24
Lighter Side
Mr. Smith goes to the doctor's office to collect his wife's test results. The insurance clerk
says to him, "I'm sorry, sir, but there has been a bit of a mix-up and we have a problem. When
we sent the samples from your wife to the lab, the samples from another Mrs. Smith were sent
at the same time and we are now uncertain which one is your wife's. Frankly, the situation is
either bad or terrible!" "What do you mean?" "Well, one Mrs. Smith tested positive for
Alzheimer's and the other Mrs. Smith has tested positive for AIDS. We can't tell which is
your wife." "That's terrible! Can we do the test over?" "Normally, yes, but you have an HMO
and they won't pay for these expensive tests more than once in a year, so we can't repeat the
test until next year." "Well, what am I supposed to do now?" "The HMO recommends that you
drop your wife off on the outskirts of town........ If she remembers the way home, don't sleep
with her."
How to Avoid the Flu
You can take the doctors office approach.
1. Eat right! Make sure you get your daily dose of fruits and veggies.
2. Take your vitamins and bump up your vitamin c.
3. Get plenty of exercise because exercise helps build your immune
system.
4. Walk for at least hour a day, go for a swim, take the stairs instead
of the elevator, etc.
5. Wash your hands often. If you can't wash them, keep a bottle of
antibacterial stuff around.
6. Get lots of fresh air. Open windows whenever possible.
7. Get plenty of rest.
8. Try to eliminate as much stress from your life as you can.
OR .... Think about it, when you go for a shot, what do they do first?
Clean your arm with alcohol. Why? Because alcohol kills germs. So......
1. Walk to the liquor store (exercise)
2. Put lime in your Corona (fruit)
3. Celery in your Bloody Mary (veggies)
4. Drink on the bar patio (fresh air),
5. Get drunk, tell jokes, and laugh (eliminate stress)
6. Pass out (rest).
If you keep your alcohol levels up flu germs can't get you!!!!
A man came down
with the flu and
was forced to stay
home one day. He
was glad for the
interlude, because
it taught him how
much his wife loved
him.
She was so thrilled
to have him around,
that when a
delivery man or the
mailman arrived,
she ran out and
yelled, "My
husband's home!
My husband's
home!"
The Scoop
Page 23 of 24
Health & Well Being
New CPR Device
Scientists in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area
may be about to revolutionize EMS, after
perfecting a new CPR device. The Milwaukee
Sentinel (John Fauber/November 8) said the
machine, known as an impedence threshold
device, uses a ventilation bag, as well as a oneway valve linked to a face mask or ET tube.
The machine prevents air from going into lungs
during the decompression part of CPR. Because
of the vacuum created, an increased amount of
deoxygenated blood is drawn back from the
extremities. Blood pressure during CPR is
increased to 50 per cent of normal, while during
standard CPR it usually sits at about 20 per
cent. Intitial study results from a field test of
the device indicate 24 hour survival rates
among pulseless cardiac arrest patients more
than doubled over standard CPR patients.
Expanded research is expected to commence in
the new year.
-
Paramedic Network News
- November 9, 2004
Tips to Beat
Holiday Stress
1. Breath
2. Graze
3. Be thankful
4. Have fun!
5. Give
6. Eat healthy 90%
-indulge 10% Rule
Q. What is the only food that doesn't spoil?
A. Honey
Complete your Gift List
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
Patch up a quarrel.
Find a forgotten friend.
Write an overdue love note.
Keep a promise.
Release a grudge.
Lessen your demands on others.
Apologize.
Point out the one thing you appreciate most
about someone you work or live with.
The New Etiquette
"With a century of stunning medical advances under our collective belt, we've now been given this latest
flu-prevention advice: Wash your hands long enough to sing Happy Birthday twice," says The Seattle
Times. "
Thorough and frequent hand-washing is part of a new 'respiratory etiquette' public-health officials believe is
taking hold." Experts credit SARS with making people much more aware of respiratory diseases, the
newspaper adds.
"No longer will people be insulted if a proffered handshake is rebuffed, instead they will thank the germy
person refusing to shake. . . . Although the flu season is not yet upon us, already there are scattered reports
of people in meetings 'masking up.' "
Page 24 of 24
The Scoop
Final Thought
Put the Glass Down
A lecturer was giving a lecture to his student on stress management. He raised a glass of water and asked the
audience, "How heavy do you think this glass of water is?" The students' answers ranged from 20g to 500gm.
"It does not matter on the absolute weight. It depends on how long you hold it.
If I hold it for a minute, it is OK. If I hold it for an hour, I will have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a
day, you will have to call an ambulance. It is the exact same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it
becomes."
"If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, we will not be able to carry on, the burden becoming
increasingly heavier."
"What you have to do is to put the glass down, rest for a while before holding it up again." We have to put
down the burden periodically, so that we can be refreshed and are able to carry on.
So before you return home from work tonight, put the burden of work down.
Don't carry it back home. You can pick it up tomorrow.
Whatever burdens you are having now on your shoulders, let it down for a moment if you can.
Pick it up again later when you have rested. Rest and relax.
Life is short, enjoy it!!