FEATURED IN TECHNOLOGY
- N.C. Uses Wi-Fi System for Patient Care Reporting
- Hands On February 2012
- WakeMed integrates iPhone into Virtual Medical Environment
- Southwest Ambulance Adds Solar Panels in Fleet
- San Diego Beacon Project Delivers Real-Time Patient Data
- Hands On December 2011
- Washington Hospital Center Uses Mobile App to See Cardiac Patients before Arrival
Fire-Resistant Fleece
For many years, EMS clothing was either comfortable or fire resistant, but rarely both. Safety-conscious flight crews had difficulty finding garments that met their criteria for comfort, warmth and fire resistance. The new Exxtreme Jacket from True North Industries addresses all of these concerns. DragonFur is a new material from True North that provides lightweight, breathable, wind-resistant, water-repellent warmth that’s also fire resistant. DragonFur is as soft as fleece but it won’t melt, drip or support combustion. Rip-Stop Nomex patches reinforce the forearm and shoulder area for increased wear resistance. Three exterior and two interior pockets provide ample storage and prevent overheating. You can also relieve overheating by unzipping the armpits.
Safe Pediatric Transport
Studies have shown that responding to pediatric calls is an area of concern for most EMS providers. In addition to the anxiety associated with treating critically ill children, we’re also tasked with transporting them safely in a properly secured safety seat. The problem is that consumer child-safety seats are too bulky to store conveniently in an ambulance. But the new Kidy Safe pediatric restraint system from Clarke Health Care Products offers you a way to secure a child to the ambulance litter while also storing the unit in a very small space when it’s not needed. Two adjustable straps secure the Kidy Safe to your litter. Designed for children ranging in weight from 9–36 kg, the Kidy Safe features two adjustable straps to secure the unit, and the five-point body harness secures patients during transport.
Maximize Floor Space
Although there’s room for improvement in ambulance safety, it’s highly likely that floor space will remain at a premium. The new 1760 Flip Seat from EVS Ltd. offers services comfortable seating that can add some flexibility to an already crowded area. The seatback features extra lumbar support and a built-in three-point seatbelt harness. The seat bottom is designed to flip up and out of the way when not in use, adding storage or facilitating cleanup. The seat is also made using seamless construction, which makes the required blood-borne pathogen cleaning much easier.
No Lights, No Power—No Problem
When the power goes out, the emergency lights and back-up generator come on … we hope. Now if the power, emergency lighting and the back-up generator all fail, the LightStation from Cyalume provides emergency light with just a simple lift of its cover. The LightStation contains four, six, 10 or 20 of the popular 10" SnapLights. All of the Lightstations, except for the 20 series, are made of fire- and blast-resistant steel, and all of the SnapLights activate when the cover is opened. The 20-light LightStation is made of strong plastic and has one SnapLight that activates when the cover is opened. This saves the remaining 19 SnapLights so you can distribute and activate them on an individual basis.
Versatile Warning System
EMS operates in a wide variety of vehicles. Sure, ambulances are our trademark response vehicles, but we also respond in cars, SUVs, rescue trucks, golf carts, gators, ATVs, snowmobiles, boats and personal water craft. Providing emergency lighting for this spectrum of vehicle shapes and sizes can be challenging, but the new LED PriZm II Duo Beam from Code 3 is up to the challenge. This compact light combines the advantages of LED brightness and low power draw with the familiar mini-lightbar housing. This feature provides multiple mounting options. Permanent magnet and mirror mounts allow you to place the LED PriZm II Duo Beam as the primary or secondary light source on vehicles of any size.
Quick Access Bag
Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) has provided multiple examples of how rapid deployment of special hemorrhage control items saves lives. Tourniquets, hemostatic agents and compression bandages are repeatedly shown to save lives and limbs in combat. The new DPI bag (deep penetrating injury) from the National Warrior League secures these high-priority items in a pouch that allows for rapid access by EMS providers. You can secure the pouch to your gear with Velcro, and retrieve items by simply pulling on a red tab that removes the entire front panel and provides instant access to the items that will save your life or the life of a patient suffering a severe, traumatic injury.
I’m a CEVO
It’s a critical call and both paramedics are needed in back with a patient. Your supervisor motions to the engine captain, and next thing you know—a firefighter slides into the driver’s seat and you’re off to the hospital. But driving an ambulance is nothing like driving a fire engine or police car. There are several unique aspects to operating an ambulance in a safe manner while en route to the hospital. This is even more important when the patient is critically ill or injured. The new CEVO 3 (coaching the emergency vehicle operator) ambulance course from Coaching Systems, LLC addresses these differences and provides potential ambulance operators with the unique skill set that we need to do the job successfully.
