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Dominic Silvestro, EMT-P, EMS-I | From the January 2013 Issue | Monday, January 28, 2013

GALLERIES

Hands On January 2013

Check out the latest products and innovations in JEMS.
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FEATURED IN TECHNOLOGY

Hands On June 2013

2013 JEMS Hot Products from EMS Today

Hands On May 2013

Heavy Is Dumb in the Field

Hands On March 2013

Hands On February 2013

How the Changing Digital Landscape Affects EMS

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Products reviewed in Hands On January 2013 include:

T3 Tactical Triage and Auto Rescue Tool from StatGear;
LifeBox50 from Faretec;
RDS 1110-P Room Decontamination System from AeroClave LLC;
Universal Tourniquet Pouch TMK-UTQ from Chinook Medical Gear Inc.;
Base Board Spine Board 35850 from Iron Duck;and
iPad and iPhone Cases from LifeProof.

Please see the gallery for complete product information and reviews.

Hands On January 2013

Multifunction Rescue Tool

When you combine the foldable pocket knife concept with a rescue tool, the feature combinations are endless. StatGear’s T3 Tactical Triage and Auto Rescue Tool has many of the key tools you may need in a rescue situation folded into one compact, easy-to-use tool. The outside of the tool features an LED light for illuminating a dark area or assessing pupils. There’s also a spring-loaded steel tip window punch for rapid entry into a vehicle. Folded away inside the tool is a half-serrated 440C stainless steel blade for a variety of cutting needs. You will also find a 440C stainless steel hook blade for cutting clothes and seat belts. It also comes complete with a stainless steel belt clip and heavy duty nylon belt sheath for easy carrying.

Long-Term Cooling

It’s a challenge to keep cold therapy items cool in an ambulance, especially when vehicle power supplies are already being pushed to their limits. The LifeBox50 from Faretec is the next generation of EMS cold transport containers. Whether your emergency service is responding to a cardiac arrest or transporting units of blood, the LifeBox50 will keep your saline, medications or blood units at the appropriate temperature without the restriction of relying on a tethered power supply. The carbon vacuum insulated panels produce insulation values of R50. This insulation technology combined with the Pelican case can maintain core temperatures for 30–50 hours. It also contains also a digital thermometer (both battery and solar powered) that allows you to monitor the core temperature. The LifeBox50 comes in several sizes and colors, and custom units can also be designed to fit your needs.

Complete Decontamination

One of 2012 JEMS Hot Products identified from the EMS Today Conference & Exposition, the RDS 1110-P Room Decontamination System from AeroClave LLC is a safe and cost-effective solution to the question, “Is it really clean?” The process is a combination of Energized Hydrogen Peroxide (eHP) and Destroyer technologies. The result is a full-spectrum, 6-log sterilization that leaves rooms, vehicles and equipment germ free. The process takes approximately one hour to complete. It’s safe for electronic equipment. It can be operated by using either the remote eHP™ head or the AeroClave Portable Applicator. The unit is portable, lightweight and easy to transport, giving you the ability to disinfect your entire fleet and base station facilities. The RDS 1110-P takes the guesswork out of the disinfecting and sterilization process. Management tracking software is also included. You can work with the confidence of knowing that your vehicles and facilities are clear of bacteria and viruses after completing the cleaning process.

Rapid Tourniquet Deployment

Seconds count when a tactical medic, police or military unit encounters someone with severe bleeding. Rapid deployment of a tourniquet can mean the difference between life and death. The Universal Tourniquet Pouch TMK-UTQ from Chinook Medical Gear Inc. is a heavy duty, easy-to-use pouch that keeps your tourniquet on your belt for easy access. The TMK-UTQ fits most tourniquets on the market today, including the CAT, SOFT, SOFT Wide, RMT, SWAT-T, Ratchet, and TK-4. The dual attachment system on the back makes it both MOLLE and duty belt compatible. Other features include a Velcro closure flap with a red pull tab for easy one-handed access, elastic sides for a universal fit and a Velcro loop for patch attachment. Constructed of 1000 Denier Cordura nylon, it’s rugged and durable.

Refining the Backboard

If you’ve been in the field of EMS long enough, you probably remember someone in your station cutting plywood into the shape of a backboard and coating it with layer upon layer of polyurethane. Through trial and error, the backboard has gone through many improvements. The features of the new Base Board Spine Board 35850 from Iron Duck will add to the list of evolutionary changes to the backboard. This backboard is made from a tough, completely impervious rotational molded high-density polyethylene shell over non-toxic polyurethane foam and weighs only 16 pounds. Recent tests show this backboard provides the lowest deflection in the 400–500 lbs. weight class. The 14 oversized handholds measuring 6" x 2" will accommodate gloved hands. Ten optional composite pins can be placed in the lower third of the handhold so they’re out of the way when lifting a patient. A convex bottom helps facilitate extrication, log-rolling and lifting. The board is also 100% X-ray translucent.

Cases that Fit Our Environment

Most EMS providers consider their mobile phone to be an essential part of their uniform and turnout gear, so it has to be tough enough to take the same beating in the field—particularly in harsh weather and “dirty” environments. LifeProof has introduced cases for iPhones and iPads that can not only take a beating and be submerged underwater, but are also easy to clean after a messy call. The LifeProof fre case for the iPhone 5 is a sleek and thin case that gives you complete freedom to use your iPhone in any wet, dirty or rough situation. It’s the only true protective iPhone 5 case that’s waterproof to a depth of 6.6 feet and tested to military specifications (MIL-STD-810F-516.5) for its drop protection up to a height of 6.6 feet onto concrete. The LifeProof nüüd case for the iPad is water, dirt and shock proof, and features a totally naked screen that provides a perfect tactile response and visual clarity. The LifeProof iPad case protects iPad 2 and iPad generation 3 and 4 devices.