EMS Committee Online Meeting Sept 7

EMS Equipment Committee Meeting Minutes
September 7th 2021
Online Meeting
Members present: Jeremy Pendergraft, Kelly Andersen, Rob Davis, Ryan Beckers, Richard Huntling, Sky Rodriguez, Francisco Lerma, Mike Doucette.

• We continued discussion concerning the trial results of the Binder Lift device. Mike Doucette offered the final synopsis of the 3 month trial conducted by our Committee. After discussion it was decided that this device is a “nice to have” and not a “need to have” device. It would not be fiscally responsible to move this device forward to present to DC Barna for consideration of budget approval for a large purchase to place on all Apparatus as a part of a standard compliment, or even just on ambulances. We are recommending to add the device to the Warehouse Ordering List for a special need consideration for a particular piece of Apparatus that would be subject to their individual budget consideration/approval. It is a device that did prove to be useful in specialized situations, but not enough to warrant it’s need on all Apparatus.
• We discussed the KingVision laryngoscopes deployment and lessons learned. Particular thanks to Miranda Mulhall and Ryan Beckers for their work to organize training on the device itself. Also thank you to Ryan Beckers, Andrew Ball, and Mike Doucette for their work in putting together a new organization to the Airway bag to accommodate the device and implementation of the changes. We evaluated that this process was successful, but we learned some organizational lessons when it came to personnel resistance to bag organization changes and the use of online resources to educate/implement changes without being physically present at their station.
• We discussed the current issue of some Duodote expirations. Through the discussion it became apparent that the placement of these medication devices is not standardized Department-wide and there is no deployment or implementation plan. We recommend that this issue as a whole be reviewed before considering whether we should purchase or replace the expiring devices. We, as a Committee, do recommend that we should probably have these devices on hand. They should be placed in strategically established locations throughout the Department with notification to all of the EMS BC’s to their respective Divisions as to the location and an established deployment plan if a situation arises. We will be assigning a Committee member to head up a project and discuss at our next Meeting.
• The ICEBOX has been deployed and placed in their standardized locations in all but Division 2. We are still waiting on that Division to approve the purchase of the bags so we can do the final implementation.
• We discussed the status of the Department-wide MCI training as a continuation of the OD 3550 Addendum. Due to staffing crisis levels and other logistical hurdles we have delayed this training until further notice. We will discuss with BC Gorman how/when we should consider moving forward.
• The PS Trax Department-Wide implementation is rapidly in progress. Final Divisional training is occurring throughout September.
• We discussed some questions/development regarding the Oxygen Cylinder Department-wide vendor progression. Pendergraft and Beckers met with BC Obier about some Cascade System concerns and alleviated some worries about backup plans if oxygen cylinder delivery supply chains were disrupted. We still recommend that until we establish through County Purchasing the agreed upon delivery service that Divisions may maintain a backup system that they currently use until they feel safe to break it down.
• We have prepared and submitted changes in query terminology (short/long name) for the Warehouse Ordering List in a draft form to the Warehouse staff and DC Barna. This included recommendations for removal and that in the future we can submit a name for an EMS item rather than it being randomly named. Our draft form included names that were mostly based on ICEMA device nomenclature rather than a vendor name or product number.
• The Committee recommends the NitroBid transdermal patch as the brand to meet compliance with new ICEMA requirements. The Warehouse will handle purchasing and vendor approvals and add it to the Warehouse Ordering list.
• After discussion and evaluation of the changes to SBCoFD ambulance operation that now includes BLS ambulances we have recommended that all ambulances are still stocked in their current configuration to allow seamless transfer back to an ALS capacity immediately when the staffing permits. Company Officers can remove narcotics from an ambulance being used as BLS and secure them at the station. It is noted that these narcotics must still be tracked and documented through current narcotic logging or digitally on PS Trax. Engine Paramedics running with a BLS ambulance will be required to bring their narcotics in these instances. There is also an option to place the Zoll monitor in AED mode to make these useable in a BLS capacity. We will not add AED’s to the ambulances being used in a BLS capacity.
• The Wash Down Directive Draft recommendations were returned to DC Barna for final presentation to the AC Group to progress towards adoption. Thank you to Steve Brandenberg for his work on this project.
• We will be putting together a trial of a digital/IR thermometer to consider replacing our current tympanic model. We will use a device with a similar price point to our tympanic thermometers and not the cheaper, less effective types seen purchased through the IMT. The trial will be conducted by Ryan Beckers, Mike Doucette, and Nick Torres.
• The vending machine implementation beta testing continues with David Fratus putting together and facilitating communications with Boundtree to smooth out hurdles with the proprietary software for re-ordering of inventory. We are also working with DC Barna and the Warehouse on consideration of a position that is responsible to deliver the reordered inventory. In the meantime, the lease on the building that was used for the IMT that ultimately purchased the vending machines has been discontinued so the vending machines will be relocated to stations throughout the Department for safekeeping until implementation is approves. Fratus and Rob Davis will continue work and updates on this process. Floor personnel will not put these devices into service without direction from DC Barna after all testing is completed.

Meeting adjourned at approximately- 1205 on 09/07/2021

All personnel who would request to communicate with the Committee or present any material you can contact any Committee member, or send an email to [email protected] to add it to the agenda or be invited to a meeting if needed.

Next meeting will be on: The next meeting will tentatively be on 11/01/2021. Online only.