| OCR Text |
Show Medics Prove Invaluable in I I 1981 26, CO (Continued From Page One) a rural area it is always necessary to have more EMTs certified because of the vast area to be covered and servic- As ed. EMT's in each community work about two days per week on an on call basis although in areas where there are fewer technicians they are sometimes needed for three days per week coverage. Technicians appear to have a teamwork attitude about them when called to serve and generally cover for one another readily if one EMT is unavailable to work a scheduled shift. Panguitch at the Panguitch airport but only during day light hours as the airport is not equipped with landing lights. Often an alternate pickup point is made at the Bryce Canyon airport which is equipped with runway lighting. One of the future goals of the county is eventual upgrading of facilities at both loca- resuscitaiton (CPR) once yearly. Their education continues year round with new information being constantly assimilated. The turnover rate in EMT personnel is relatively high. The job is a demanding one for most people and, frew remain beyhond three years. tions. pected to attend all classes. Recently a" class was held in Escalante with 30 trainees. The course extended over eight weeks, with participants atten-- 4 ding Friday evenings and eight hours on Saturdays. While training, future Radio communications in the county can also pre(150 miles sent a problem. Depending on weather conditions, the hospital radio in Panguitch can reach Wide Hollow Reservoir area near Escalante for ambulances traveling to Panguitch from the Boulder-Escalant- e vicinity. east-to-wes- t) Earned income is scant for EMTs The ambulance may be fortunate to sho count actual income more in the satisfaction they receive in doing the pick up radio communication once job well. EMTs are not reimbursed for again in the Henrieville area, but only their on call service or for training rarely, since usually it will be nearing expense incurred (travel, books, lost Red Canyon before once again wages, etc.) in their continual educa- establishing contact. A new repeater tional process. may be installed at Barney Top mountain to alleviate some of the problem if They do receive $6.25 for a local run hoped for grant funds materialize. in the Panguitch area or $15 for a run from Escalante, a trip approximately Presently, EMTs in Panguitch use individual pagers and the use of 5 hours in length, and $50 per trip for beepers will be possible in other transferring a patient to a Salt Lake City hospital facility, a trip averaging areas of the county also with improved radio conditions. around 12 hours. 4-- Travel time by ambulance from Currently, the emergency number for Boulder to Garfield Memorial Hospital reaching EMTs in Panguitch is With the improved planned in Panguitch takes about 4'? hours. Ambulances normally travel at regular communications throughout the counspeeds since emphasis is placed upon ty, that will become the number for the the quality of medical care given the entire county. patient enroute. EMT Acceptance In an urban area EMT service is Initially physicians and nurses may planned so that victims are no more have felt somewhat threatened by what 0 minutes from the nearest than they looked upon as upstarts. Where hospital. For rural EMTs, most and nurses had spent man criteria have to be modified to suit the physicians years learning their highly skilled special conditions. crafts, emergency medical technicians, In an urban area EMT service is with slightly over 80 hours training planned so that victims are no more were taking over some of the duties of 0 than minutes from the nearest their professional counterparts. hospital. For rural EMTs, most Time has changed all that and physicriteria have to be modified to suit the cians, nurses and emergency medical special conditions. technicians for the most part all share a Two trained technicians respond to common respect for one another. an emergency call at all times with EMT coordinator and physicians backup assistance always available 1. 10-2- 10-2- assistant at Garfield Memorial from fellow EMTs if needed. Helicopter or air rescue would be used EMTs are tion, and cardio pulmonary resuscitaviction to revive the tim. They also learn to use a bag mask for resusciation, a portable device which may be used inside or out of the However, once an ambulance reaches Panguitch, a determination by doctors can be made if the patient may need specialized treatment at another facility. Doctors may then communicate with Life Flight services out of Salt Lake City and have the patient evacuated by fixed wing aircraft. Pickup can generally be made in He checks the ribs for pain and listens with his stethoscope for lung sounds on both sides of the patients chest. He observes for distention of the abdomen or wounds in the abdominal area, and carefully palpates the four quadrants for tenderness or rigidity. where practicable, but it requires proper training in its use and a highly skilled technician to operate efficiently and The pelvic area, back, arms and legs safely so that the victim is assured of are cautiously examined for getting sufficient air. tenderness, numbness, sensation, The EMT trainees are instructed in wounds or deformity. the use of oropharyhngeal airways The attentive EMT always checks to which they carry with them in their see if the patient is wearing a medical jump kits. They learn to help an un- alert tag that would indicate some conscious victim with an obstructed special health problem. Periodically airway and a conscious victim with the the EMT checks his own hands for same problem. blood that could come from hidden As they train they become proficient wounds of the patient. with oxygen equipment and suction Extrication equipment. They learn to take a patients blood pressure accurately and Often when EMTs respond to an how to monitor it carefully, as well as automobile accident, they find one or take the rate of respiration and pulse. more victims trapped in the tangled wreckage. Extricating a victim takes EMTs learn to control all types of place in five stages: gaining access to bleeding from wounds and the proper him, giving lifesaving emergency are, and safe use of tourniquets. They study disentanglement, preparation for and practice bandaging various types removal, and finally, removal. of wounds in class until they become Their goal is to remove the car from proficient at handling even the most serious types. Flail chest wounds, suck- the victim, not the victim from the car. First move is to try to stabilize the ing chest wounds, and wounds to the eyes or abdomen are some of the more condition of the trapped patient by serious types they may encounter. They establishing and maintaining an airalso learn splinting of broken bones. way, giving artificial ventilation and controlling bleeding. At the Scene Treatment ex- They are issued name tags at their first class and these must be worn at all times while in the hospital and while riding in the ambulance. At the conclusion of the series of classes, the potential EMTs must successfully complete a written test. They are allowed only two attempts at the 100 question multiple choice test. A practical examination is also administered consisting of two CPR (cardiopulmonary resusciation) stations, a situational examination and a physad- basis. ministered on a pass-fa- il Trainees must also work one eight hour shift in a hospital emergency room. Garfield County trainees travel to a large Salt Lake City hospital to gain this experience where a variety of emergencies are handled in any one eight hour period. They must also spend a total of eight hours in an ambujance or medical assist unit.. If conditions permit, two fire hoses one for inside use and one for outside the vehicle. They cover and protect the victim from glass and sharp objects with blankets, towels or tarps. In any emergency EMTs perform a primary patient exam. In the course of this swift and methodical examination, EMTs determine first the state of consciousness of their victim, evaluate his respirations, check the pulse and check for life threatening bleeding. At the outset of training, each potential EMT is issued a yellow completion card to be signed off by instructors and clinical personnel during each aspect of training. Actual certification upon completion of the course requires about six weeks while the results of the tests are being processed. The trainee becomes a EMT upon receipt of his state certificate, identification card, patch and decal. , Hospital, Bob McCullough, says he is pleased with the progress of the EMT The course is a difficult and arduous organization in the county. It is a tight, . cohesive unit of dedicated one. More than one trainee has been workers who have worked hard to see heard to say, This is harder than that EMT service in the county meets anything I ever took in college! the standards set up for rural areas. James L. Hendrickson, Chief of Training Arduous Emergency Medical Services trianing in Salt Lake City says, Our standards A number of EMTs in Garfield Counare high and will remain high in ordef ' ty have been serving for three years or to maintain our place on the medical more with one member, Karen team and in the community. ? served Breinholt, Panguitch; having since the outset of the program in Utah. During the eight weeks training on weekends, potential EMTs read extenIn addition to serving two days per to prepare for each class. sively week on call, EMTs must spend 48 hours recertifying every two years and They learn mouth-to-mout- h must recertify in cardio pulmonary resuscitation, mouth-to-nos- e resuscita in more remote points of the county but at this time such aircraft cannot be accommodated in many areas of the county. At airports adequate lighting, refueling and communications are essential and often helicopters are much too far away to make rescue attempt feasible. Programs as he breathes in. ambulance. Physicians generally prefer that EMTs use the bag mask EMTs are evaluated by the instructor on their dependability, attitude, maturity and the ability to relate well to others. icians interview. These are Life-Savi- ng are loaded and ready, If the victims head or body is against the car, they use pads to protect them The pulse is counted, respirations from the sounds and vibrations of the counted, and blood pressure taken to rescue tools. provide the assessment of vital signs. In stabilizing the vehicle, they use Then, as soon as possible, a secondary survey begins. cribbing if they lift the car, so that it does not fall back upon the victim, or, if The patient,, where possible, is asked it is on its side, so that it does not fall his name and age and information is over. They never use a dry chemical sought about his current problem. His fire extinguisher inside the car with the chief complaint is ascertained, the victim. onset,, location, prior symptoms, drug If the door cannot be freely opened, allergies, any chronic illness, and types of medication being taken. they spread the door at the post to determine the location of the lock posts. Next, the EMT checks the patients must be head for lacerations, contusions, and Upon gaining access, EMTs sure to check that the victim is pinned skin color. He assesses the level of conin. They are advised to use a backboard sciousness according to the Glascow in removing the patient from the vehiComa Scale. He checks the pupils and cle. feels gently for any depressions in the skqll. He checks ears and nose, for. fluid K Recently, at training sessions held in or blood, and the mouth for foreign ob- Escalante, participants had practical jects or bleeding. experience in extracating a victim from a wrecked vehicle. The victim He observes and feels for areas of was EMT instructor Bob McCullough, tenderness and deformity of the neck. simulated an injured person trapHe palpates (or tests by touching) the who in a vehicle at the bottom of a cliff. ped clavicles and shoulders and checks for In groups of six, trainees had to work wounds, making certain that both sides of the patients chest expand normally their way down to the auto, conduct the patient exam, proceed to stabilize their patient and transport him back up the cliff by stretcher. Although a rigorous exercise, the workshop gave participants first hand experience and answered many questions textbooks could not. Use of MAST In last years helicopter crash near at least one of the victims was an EMT whose training, despite her own injuries, helped to save the life of a gravely injured pilot. Mt. Dutton, When rescuers reached the downed helicopter and its injured victims, they flew the pilot immediately to Bryce Canyon airport, where EMTs were waiting to transport him to Garfield Memorial Hospital 20 miles away. One of the first actions they took after discovering that the pilot was in severe shock and registering no blood pressure, was to utilize MAST. k MAST (Military Trouser) was first devised and tested for military use in the field under battle conditions and was found to reduce the number of deaths among those seriously injured. Anti-Shoc- MAST is a garment designed to correct or counteract certain internal bleeding conditions and hypovolemia (low circulating blood volume, usually indicated by a lowered systolic blood less than 60 mm Hg in the pressure young and below 100 mm Hg in older individuals), however caused. It does this by developing an encirclair pressure of up to two pounds per square inch or 100 mm Hg around both legs and the abdomen. It effectively slows or stops arterial bleeding, forcing any available blood from the lower body to the heart, brain and other vital organs in the upper body, and preventing return of the available circulating blood volume to the lower extremities. ing The MAST garment is a polyvinyl fabric garment constructed like a pair of wraparound trousers. In use the trousers enclose the body from the rib cage margin down to the ankles. The compartmentalized garment is inflated with a pump. one-piec- e, double-layere- d In the case of the helicopter pilot, Bob EMT trainer as well as McCullough, physicians assistant at Garfield Memorial Hospital, said he felt that the MAST device, along with EMT skilled care could be credited with saving the pilots ' life. Although still fairly new and expanding, it has been shown that the EMT organization, with trained personnel responding to the scene of an accident, has been able to reduce mobidity and motality rates overall. Yc Al Vo Vh w fJloiill, Pfoone c Brincj Richfield Reaper - Gunnison Valley News - Garfield County News 43 South Main Phone Phone 896-443- 1 -L-- FOR SALE JEEPS CARS TRUCKS 8 Available through i ; agencies, may sell for under ;$200.00. 602941-8014- Ex. No. 1917 for your direc-jtoron how to y (37) C (37) FOR SALE 1971 Opel. Need major repairs. Contact Zions Bank at purchase. (37) miles, 1979 Plymouth Champ, 4 sp, woverdrive, see at 175 N Main, Aurora, Utah or Toms Drive In, Salina. , 12, 13 Utah Fuel Co., Salina. Ask for Byron Shaver, 529-742- Call pd. Auto Body. (37) 13pd FOR SALE V-- (37) 12, 13c 896-441- - - 1978 loaded, Ford 20,600 ps, pb, ac, power moon roof. Electric window and driver Richfield. S, Call (38) 13pd 896-423- 5. - 1979 Ford FOR SALE pickup, SWB, good gas 3 or mileage. Call (38) 13pd 6. Chev xk seat, AMFM stereo, cellent cond, after quad. Call after 5 p.m. (37) 896-58- w8-trac- k ton, ex- 2 1979 13pd FOR SALE-1- Chev 4 977 x 4. $500 down and take Wrecking out Datsun 510, 1595 cc engine, 46,200 miles, 4 sp trans, $250. Phone 5th house E of Chicken Treat in Gunnison. (39) gl3pd Mazda pickup, - Salina 529-783- 9 CUT OUT AND MAIL IN YOUR AO YOU CAN MAIL YOUR AD TO: Richfield Reaper - Gunnison Valley News 43 South Main Phone 896-443- Richfield 510 South Man Phone 1 Gunnison FILL YOUR AD OUT iGJSi' iim liii snare, 2 Garfield County News - Salina Sun 115 North Main Phone 528-311- 1 ADS: 20 words for $3.00 minimum. 15c Pearl Drum Set: Base, $1250. Call 5 p.m. (38) Phone 676-270- 6 u 14 896-862- 1972 60 East Main vJtii'fiilriQI JL FOR SALE 1969 Chev ton pickup, good cond. Can be seen at 360 W 600 527-435- 8 'auto trans, engine. Call Southern pb, :government j; 1978 Plymouth Fury Salon, 4 dr sedan, w ps, pb, 318 V-engine, ac, has over 75,000 miles. Also 1976 Dodge xk ton pickup, ps, FOR SALE 1974 Plymouth Duster, ps, radial tires, slant 6, over 20 MPG. Call 3 after 5 p.m. or see at Cove Phone t si f(U SL i 2L- 115 North Main - Panguitch 528-311- 1 fJliiJjSJIlR JtiaMillR 3L. -L-- - Gunnison 510 South Main Richfield - Salina Sun - per word after 20 676-270- - Panguitch 60 East Main Phone 6 529-783- Salina 9 words, (each ad. each week) ON THIS HANDY MAIL-I- FORM AD TO READ AS FOLLOWS: . toms. Hi Hat, 2 crash cymbals. Great sound, $275. Call (42 ) 44fs 896-452- 7 bed, 5 sp, low mileage, w7 cabover camper. See Call at 175 N Main, Aurora, 8968771. (37) 12, 13, 14, 15 Utah. Call (38) pd over payments. 529-323- 0. Mm moo FOR SALE 1979 5 Sabaru Brat 4x4; (38) mpg. Call $3.00 Per Week $6.00 Per Week $9.00 Per Week 30-3- 529-752- 1980 Granada 2 Dr. sl3-14p- d AC Loaded $6350.00 Call FOR SALE Capri, 4 cyl., cond, 30 MPG, 1974 Ford 4 sp, A-- l $1700. Call 1958 CJ5, New Top- - Nice 1 FOR SALE Am. Call 1975 529-723- $2650.00 Trans Call (37) 896-440- Dodge Panel Van, good cond, luggage rack, ladder, 3 gas tanks, interior finished, 318 cu. in., $1700. (37) 836-233- n i'pd Name. 1 sl3pd (37) 896-628- 74 896-440- Buick, exc. cond., reliable, air, full power, 1977 Ford xk ton 4x4, exnew tires and batt., no cellent cond, Michelin dents. 1954 Chevrolet, radials tires. Will sell for nice orig. condition. $4200. Call after S p.m. 1968 896-477- 1. (37) 12tfc 896-580- (38) - 1976 DatFOR SALE sun pickup with camper shell. Exc. cond. Contact Glen Brown, Panguitch. 1 or (801) (38) pl2pd 676-236- Doug Penney 896-432- 6 Richfield Unit Address City, State, Zip Phone No Weeks to run Enclose cash, check or money order for each week ran. Ads must be paid for in advance or they will not be run. DEADLINE : TUES NOON |
