Celebrating EMS Week

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By Akindman

EMS Week is 20-26 May 2012!  It is a time to reflect on their accomplishments, services to their communities and sacrifices.

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During my Navy career, all hands were required to attend and participate in First Aid, Fire Fighting, and Damage Control training and refresher training.  Aboard ship, the EMS was known as the Medical Response Team.  First responders were those personnel in the immediate area (this could be you) – so understanding what to do was critical and could be a lifesaving activity.

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Emergency medical services (EMS) are a type of emergency service dedicated to providing out-of-hospital acute medical care, transport to definitive care, and other medical transport to patients with illnesses and injuries which prevent the patient from transporting themselves.

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Emergency medical services may also be locally known as a first aid squad, emergency squad, rescue squad, ambulance, squad ambulance service, ambulance corps, or life squad.

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The goal of most emergency medical services is to either provide treatment to those in need of urgent medical care, with the goal of satisfactorily treating the presenting conditions, or arranging for timely removal of the patient to the next point of definitive care. This is most likely an emergency department at a hospital. The term emergency medical service evolved to reflect a change from a simple system of ambulances providing only transportation, to a system in which actual medical care is given on scene and during transport. In some developing regions, the term is not used, or may be used inaccurately, since the service in question does not provide treatment to the patients, but only the provision of transport to the point of care. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_medical_services)

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Thank you to all of the First Responders for your dedication and professionalism!!

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Links:

http://www.jems.com/

http://www.emsworld.com/

http://www.ems.gov/

http://www.acep.org/emsweek/

http://www.facebook.com/National.EMS.Week

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In Case of an Emergency (ICE)

Keeping it Simple and Just do it!

ICE was first put into general use in Britain a few years ago and has since gone Global!  If  you have yet to do so - PLEASE do it!

It lets first-responders know who to contact if you are injured where every second save could be critical.

Couple ways of making sure medical providers are aware of these. Go online to Medids and get a Free Medical Emergency Information Alert Card, fill out the information and keep in with your driver’s license, provide copy to your ICE list, and keep it with you.  While you are online, visit ICESTICKER.COM.

Make sure that the folks you have selected to your ICE list know they are, and that the following information is available:

• Medicines –List all current medications you are taking, including herbal and organic supplements because they can and do interact with some medications.
• Allergies – List all known allergies, especially to medications, but also to foods.
• Doctors – Include the names and phone numbers of doctors or other medical providers responsible for your regular care.

There are several apps available online for downloading on just about all digital devices, take a couple minutes, do your search, download, install and complete the information – it could SAVE your life.

Always carry that information with you.