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Adobe PDF, 24 pages, 2.02 MB
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!!