Hands On Product Reviews April 2017

Pamper Your Feet

Socks. Many of us don’t give them a second thought and think of them as a nearly disposable item of clothing best purchased in bargain-priced six-packs. When you wear boots for 12, 16 or 24 hours at a time you appreciate anything that can make your feet feel good. Socks that are padded, moisture wicking, supportive and long lasting are hard to find. The new Experia Energy Socks from Thorlos wrap your feet in an exquisite supportive padding that still feels good after a long shift. Three levels of compression that increase blood circulation in the leg and arch wrap support of the plantar fascia tendon leave your feet energized. The CuTEC copper ion technology that’s incorporated into the sock’s cloth fibers provides exceptional anti-odor and antibacterial properties. Your partners at work and home will be most appreciative.

Experia Energy Socks from Thorlos

VITALS
Sizes: 6-8, 8.5-10, 10.5-11.5, 12-14 (men’s); 5-6.5, 7-9, 9.5-11.5 (women’s)
Colors: Black, royal, sky blue, purple, yellow, white, pink
Price: $29.99
www.thorlo.com
888-846-7567


Sterile IV Pathway

There are many specific items required to stock your vehicle for ALS service. Expensive items like the cardiac monitor, ventilator and IV pumps are typically given a great deal of thought, debate and trial before they’re purchased. Other items are often left to the lowest bidder. After all, if you’ve seen one IV drip set, you’ve seen them all, right?. Not so fast! The new Curaplex IV Tubing from Bound Tree Medical has a number of features useful to EMS. The MicroClave neutral displacement technology creates a sterile fluid pathway within the connector. This lessens the risk of bacterial contamination or infection during procedures. Curaplex IV tubing is available in multiple flow rates as well as a variety of connectors and extension sets.

Curaplex IV Tubing from Bound Tree Medical

VITALS
Flow rates: 10, 15, 60 drops/cc
Length: 8″-89″
Price: $2.02-$5.49
www.boundtree.com
800-533-0523


Dressing Plus Bandage

“Injured subject” calls can run the gamut from a simple abrasion to a major laceration or worse … but usually means we’ll be practicing basic first aid skills such as bandaging or splinting. One of the frustrations of proper bandaging is the requirement of a “third hand” (i.e., your partner) to hold the dressing over the wound while the bandage is applied with the proper amount of tension. The new Cohesive First Aid Dressing (CoFAD) from M4 Medical eliminates this need by integrating a hypoallergenic, nonadherent, breathable dressing pad incorporated directly onto a tough, flexible, self-adherent bandage. Since the bandage firmly adheres to itself, you also don’t need to fuss with tape and eliminate the worry and pain of removal.

Cohesive First Aid Dressing (CoFAD) from M4 Medical

VITALS
Sizes: 19″ x 1″, 29″ x 2″, 29″ x 3″,
39″ x 4″, 78″ x 6″
Colors: Blue, red, green, yellow, gray
Price: Varies by size
www.m4medical.com.au
+61-488-444-978


Body Camera Can Benefit EMS Ops

With assaults on EMTs and paramedics on the rise, is there a place for body cameras in EMS? Although the legal and ethical questions of recording patient actions, statements and treatments must be considered prior to use, the Transcend DrivePro Body 10 is an inexpensive, compact body camera option useful for recording operations and training events. Full 1080p high-definition automated video recordings stored in three-minute segments over a three-hour continuous period give you the ability to record and play back what happened. Low light situations automatically activate infrared LEDs. With just two buttons-power to start recording, and snapshot for frame capture-operating the DrivePro Body 10 is as easy as it gets.

Transcend DrivePro Body 10

VITALS
Dimensions: 3.48″ x 2.06″ x 0.77″
Weight: 3.81 oz.
Lens: Æ’/2.8, 160° wide angle
Record Time: Up to 3.5 hours
Price: Approx. $125.00
www.transcend-info.com/us
800-886-5590


Compact, Rechargeable Penlight

You reach for it to check pupillary response as part of every basic, complete patient assessment. But, darn it, where is your penlight? Is it in the bag, in the ambulance or in your pocket? It’s difficult to find a penlight that fits in a uniform pen pocket along with a pen for notetaking. Lights powered by AA or AAA batteries are often too thick and finding replacement AAAA batteries can be a search. The new rechargeable A8R from Coast fits the bill “¦ and the pocket. Despite its small size, the A8R will throw an unbelievably long beam of 65 feet and run for an hour when needed. Since a pupil check takes a few seconds, a monthly recharge with the USB powered charging cap will ensure that you’re always ready for your next assessment.

A8R from Coast

VITALS
Length: 4.25″
Weight: 0.4 oz.
Colors: Black, red, blue, green, orange
Charging: AC, DC, USB
Price: $50.00
www.coastportland.com
800-426-5858


Splint, Wrap & Go

Aluminum is a remarkable metal. In a thin, flat sheet it can be bent in a specific shape with minimal effort and easily cut with trauma shears. When creased along its length, it becomes rigid enough to splint a fracture. The new ActiSplint from Dynarex sandwiches a thin sheet of aluminum between two thin layers of foam for a compact, moldable splint that can be used to fit a variety of fractures. The 24″ length is ideal for arm splints and the 36″ length gives you the ability to support a fractured leg. The ActiSplint is also available prepackaged with a roll of Sensi-Wrap, which expedites application by eliminating the need to search for the wrap needed to secure the splint.

ActiSplint from Dynarex

VITALS
Sizes: 1.75″ x 3.75″, 4.25″ x 24″, 4.25″ x 36″
Weight: 6.3 oz. (36″)
Price: Varies by size
www.dynarex.com
888-396-2739

Meriden (CT) Car Crashes Into Bridge

Man, 20, Killed in Meriden (CT) After Car Crashes Into Train Bridge

A 20-year-old man died after police said a vehicle struck part of the Amtrak train bridge on South Colony Road head-on.
cobb (ga) blood products

Cobb (GA) Fire Crews Among First in State to Carry Blood Products

Under an initiative launched by the Cobb Fire Department Friday, paramedics will carry blood products to allow for emergency blood transfusions before patients are transported to the…