EMSindy

Tragic Loss

2008-09-25T20:07:00.001-07:00

It is with great sorrow that we pass along our condolences to both the Wayne Township and Bargersville Fire Departments for their loss this morning. Paramedic Vania Shields, while on her way to work at Wayne Station 881, was killed in what has been described as a catastrophic crash. Please keep her family, both at home and in our services, in your prayers.

Stay Safe
Dee

Paramedic Of The Year

2008-09-21T16:54:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Don Seketa, The State of Indiana's Paramedic of the Year. Mr. Seketa is a long time employee at Wishard Ambulance. He is currently on Medic 03 in the Fountain Square area and works the Wishard A/B tactical shift. He serves as a preceptor for the IEMS paramedic program as well as a SWAT medic. He is a well respected EMS provider and is looked up to by everyone we know. They could not have made a more fitting choice. Again, Congratulations!

Stay Safe
Dee

New Boss

2008-09-17T01:13:00.000-07:00

Well, the new IFD Division Chief of EMS is Scott Isaacs. We honestly don't know much about the man, but if anyone out there can give us a heads up, we would be excited to learn more about him. Where do you see EMS going under the direction of Division Chief Isaacs?

Stay Safe
Dee

In Rememberance

2008-09-11T17:39:00.000-07:00

For those who we will never forget. On this day, on every day. For each EMT, Paramedic, Firefighter, Police Officer, and all the civilians they fought to protect. Seven years will not heal the pain we still feel.

Stay Safe and Never Forget,
Dee

Moto GP

2008-09-09T06:20:00.000-07:00

First year for motorcycle racing in Indy? Anybody heard what we can expect for this? How have other cities fared? Are there any plans in the works to deal with the added people and motorcycles in town? Can we get our dispatchers to pronounce motorcycle right by this weekend? For our friends at State & Washington: It is not Motor-sickle. LOL :)

Stay Safe
Dee

Doc In The Box?

2008-09-05T06:48:00.000-07:00

If you happen to see a white polo shirt, don't just assume it is an EMT or Paramedic your talking to. We hear that Wishard will soon be experimenting with a program whereas the trauma residents will be doing ride outs on the ambulances as true team members instead of just observers. Here is how we heard it, correct us if we are wrong. The Doc's will ride with a paramedic, and will only be allowed to work up to the paramedic level. The truck, which will operate on a tactical shift, will be placed in a box and take whatever comes along. The Doc's wont be able to drive and the Medic's who will work with them do so on a volunteer basis.
Quite frankly, if we have our facts straight, we think this is an idea that is quite refreshing. The more the doctors know about what we really face and do in the field, the more they will understand about how we think and act. We can foresee nothing but good things coming from promoting our profession to those that may someday be giving us direction.
What do you think about this plan?

Stay Safe
Dee

Budget Review

2008-09-03T11:51:00.000-07:00

Tonight at 5:30 PM in room 260 at the City/County Building. The Public Safety & Criminal Justice Committee will hold budget hearings on IMPD, IFD, Marion County Sheriff. Drop in and keep an eye on them if you can.

Stay Safe
Dee

South Bend Facing Cuts

2008-09-02T23:52:00.000-07:00

While we were gone, we were sent this by one of our fans.

http://www.wndu.com/localnews/headlines/26352284.html

Looks like South Bend Fire is looking at some serious cutbacks. The city is looking at a loss of $21 million due to lost property tax revenue. With the loss, the fire department is expecting to have to slash their budget by $4 million. This translates into roughly 50 firefighters. Medic's were mentioned in this article as well......down with the possible loss of crossing guards. Nice to see we still get the respect we deserve, even in South Bend.

Stay Safe
Dee

To Our Friends At Air Evac

2008-09-02T20:22:00.000-07:00

We are so very sorry for your loss and want to apologize for our late response. We have just found out about it on our return to the city. We are keeping you in our prayers.

Stay Safe
Dee

With Our Deepest Sympathy

2008-08-04T14:25:00.001-07:00

It is with great sorrow that we must inform you Captain Gary Henry, IFD, was killed while serving his country in Iraq. He will be missed. Please keep him and his family in your hearts and prayers at this difficult time.

Stay Safe
Dee

Here It Comes

2008-07-30T13:24:00.000-07:00

Looks lie Perry is coming on board with IFD. Like no one saw that coming with the new paint scheme on their new trucks and dropping the triple number on the trucks and the dispatches. No one has told us when they are coming, but we don't see it too far down the road.
Question here: What are they going to do for EMS? We dont see IFD maintaining the current arrangement with Rural Metro, and Perry doesnt have any ambulances. IFD Has a couple good reserves and a new truck on the way, but will that be enough for the increased area, or will this be an area of contention. Notice how no one mentions these small little details in the media? Of course not, EMS is overlooked again!
Please, no whining about the "contract" between Rural Metro and Perry. If Perry consolidates with Rural Metro, PTFD will no longer be an entity and cannot maintain a contractual relationship, and if the outgoing trustee signed the contract before leaving office, the new trustee cannot be bound by it.
If anyone knows the details on this, we would love to hear it.

Stay Safe
Dee

In The Red

2008-07-29T05:29:00.000-07:00

Well, there is a lot of talk about the city budget, and none of it is any good. How will this affect those of us in EMS. For starters, we see the city tightening the purse strings on everything from overtime, fuel, equipment, take home vehicles (for the higher ups) to staffing.
One area that might rile a few feathers is when they start looking at duplicate services. I know what you are thinking, we really don't want to go there, but if we have our information right, there may be something to this. Health and Hospital Corporation is mandated to provide EMS service in all of Marion County. That is not to say each fire department is not free to provide it for themselves if they wish, but they are not required to. No where is it written that IFD has to provide ambulances. By operating ambulances, IFD is billing for the service they provide, but by being a fire department, they cannot be a for profit business. So, IFD is running ambulances, eating up a huge piece of the budget, but cannot do better than break even.
Wishard hospital can make a profit, and hold onto that money. The money could also be used to help finance the hospital, therefore decreasing the dollars needed from the city/county to pay for indigent care.
Then there is the billing end. If we are not mistaken, Wishard was granted special status a few years back in a bill, sponsored by Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN), that allowed it to bill medicare/medicaid at a higher rate. We have also heard that Wishard is eligible for certain federal grants for indigent care that the fire department is ineligible to receive.
Lastly, there is the IU School of Medicine. They pump a lot of dollars into Wishard, money that might not be there if EMS was taken over by IFD.
Say what you want, but in times of budget crisis's, you just never know. Talk all you want about service, hiring, training, response; but when it comes down to it, WAS has been around for a long time and IFD EMS is still very new.
We know there are going to be some upset people over this one, so let us have it. Just remember, keep it clean.

Stay Safe
Dee

Polyheme

2008-07-28T13:07:00.000-07:00

Jems online has an interesting update on Polyheme. For those at the Wiz that have been around long enough to remember it, you might be interested. Hope no one bought any stock in it. According to the article, it does not look promising.

http://www.jems.com/news_and_articles/news/blood_substitute_fails.html

Stay Safe
Dee

Vests

2008-07-28T11:20:00.000-07:00

Recently a couple of cameramen and a firefighter were shot at during a residence fire. We have heard that an EMS crew was standing right next to one of the injured cameramen at the time he was hit. The culprit claimed he was mad at the news because they didn't cover it when he was shot a couple of weeks before.
How many times have we been on the scene of a cardiac arrest, fatal shooting, or a domestic, and people started screaming at us.
How hard would it be to ambush an EMS crew? Call 911, make up some slight injury so you only get the B code response, then just wait for them to show up.
We hear that some of the inner city crews are floating the idea of vests. With the city sitting at 72 murders so far this year, what do you think? If you work in a bad area, would you wear one? Everyday if required? Do you believe the city has become violent enough to need this?

Stay Safe
Dee

Rate The Man

2008-07-22T03:41:00.000-07:00

The boys in white recently got a new man to run the show. Kevin Wilmouth has been in his new spot as WAS's Chief for a few weeks now and we are curious. Has there been any changes? Has anyone heard if he is planning any? How has the new boss been received by the troops? What is the overall concensus? Thumbs up or down?

Stay Safe
Dee

Hail To The Chief

2008-07-17T02:09:00.000-07:00

Well, the decision has been made and it looks like Interim Chief Sanford is "The Man." What does this say about the departments future in EMS?
Sanford has been known as a pro EMS guy and the old Warren folks swear by him. Will he be able to pull EMS out of the dungeon that the previous administration managed to get it into? EMS got a bad rap for running the departments overtime budget into the ground. It was in fact the lack of a serious budget combined with poor operational planning that landed it where it was. Not enough money and too few people to do the job.
What changes can be expected now that there is someone who actually knows something about EMS at the top. Will we see more respect?
On a closing note, referring to EMT's as "Ambulance Drivers" shows not only a lack of understanding as to what we do, but a lack of respect to those that work hard for certification.

Stay Safe
Dee

In Our Prayers

2008-07-11T06:22:00.000-07:00

We want everyone to include IMPD Officer Jason A. Fishburn and his family in their prayers. He was critically wounded in the line of duty last night while assisting in the apprehension of a murder suspect on the east side.

Stay Safe
Dee

Can You Hear me Now?

2008-07-08T07:11:00.000-07:00

Well, we have been on the digital system for over a day now. How is the quality, clarity, and reception? Any problems yet? Any concerns? For those of us who have used it, any comments?

Stay Safe
Dee

Crash

2008-06-30T13:05:00.000-07:00

We heard that an ambulance was hit over the weekend in the Camby area? We were told a car blew the light and broadsided it. Who was the service and is everyone ok?

Stay Safe
Dee

Pike Issues

2008-06-25T01:05:00.000-07:00

We have received an interesting email and we are looking for more information on this. Are there problems in Pike Twp. regarding certifications? Is Pike looking at changing how they do their EMS? We don't have all the facts so we won't go any farther, but we want more information. We don't have many contacts up there and we are very interested. If you know what we're talking about give us a little more.

Stay Safe
Dee

It's Good To Be Back!

2008-06-23T23:46:00.000-07:00

It is good to be back, and boy have we missed a lot. We had the opportunity to speak with some our friends in white this evening and they seemed to have a lot to say. In the time we were away, Wishard has added not one, not two, but three new supervisors. If we got our facts straight, they are going to be running two on each of their day shifts, one on each of their night shifts, and one each on what is known as the Tac shifts.
Does this seem like overkill when you look at the number of trucks they are running? Maybe; maybe not. The addition of the additional supervisors has kicked the rumor mill into high gear. The most popular one suggests that the extra supervisors are in response to the upcoming addition of 48 additional employees. If you have trouble connecting the dots, 48 employees would be equal to the number of civilian trucks under IFD. You guessed it, Wishard is talking consolidation again, only this time with EMS going the other way.
Well, what do you think about that?

Stay Safe
Dee

You're Not Forgotten

2008-06-16T00:02:00.001-07:00

With the recent flooding to the south, we have been a bit distracted from our daily duties. The place down there is about cleaned up, and when it is, we will be back and ready to go. We have a lot to go over, and we won't let you down. Until then.....

Stay Safe
Dee

Merger?

2008-06-08T05:16:00.000-07:00

Our friends over at indybravest are reporting an interesting rumor. It seems as though Perry and Beech Grove are considering a merger that may or may not be true, and may or may not include Franklin Twp. Since BG and Franklin Twp. run their own EMS, and Perry runs with Rural Metro, what will this newly formed FD do for EMS? FT currently runs with FF/Medics on the ambulances, and we don't have the slightest idea how staffing is done on the BG trucks. We also know that BG has a Wishard truck running out of one of their houses. How will that fall into the mix? If anyone has heard anything, we would love to hear it.

Stay Safe
Dee

Kudos

2008-06-08T04:46:00.000-07:00

We want to send out a big kudos to our brothers and sisters working to take care of patients in the extreme weather this weekend. Columbus Regional Hospital reportedly evacuated 98 patients yesterday and last night. From reports we've had they were moved to shelters and other hospitals via bus, ambulance and helicopter. From what we hear the CRH ambulances and every nearby helicopter was running well into the morning.
In Marion county, kudos to the crews on the south side, or those that were sent to the south side, during the worst of the storm and evacuation there.
We are proud of those that step up in the toughest of times to take care of the pubic we are there to serve.

Stay Safe
Dee

Awareness Humor

2008-06-05T23:46:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you can prove your point better with Humor than you ever could with boring facts!

Stay Safe
Dee

Chemical Restraint

2008-06-05T22:10:00.000-07:00

Has anyone out there had the opportunity to use the new chemical restraint protocol outlined in the latest update? How did it work? Was it hard to convince the Doc for the order? What hospital did the order come from?

Stay Safe
Dee

A Message To Our Friends

2008-06-05T06:38:00.000-07:00

You, our friends have been keeping our inbox full with questions and suggestions, but we want more. What is important to you? What do you want to hear about? We must remind you though, as much as we would like to, we can’t take all of your emails at face value on everything. If you have some information, we love it when you pass it on, and if we can ask around a little and can get the same story out on the street, we’ll put it out there.

Stay Safe
Dee

Wishard Gets A New Director

2008-06-05T06:35:00.000-07:00

Well, here is what we are hearing. It looks like Wishard Ambulance has found their new director. WAS people, we hear there will be some notification in the near future that Kevin Wilmouth has accepted the director position. We are somewhat familiar with him and we think this will be a good choice, but more importantly, we want to know what you think. We want to hear from those that know the man. What makes him tick? What should people expect from him? Is he going to be a figurehead, or has Chuck Ford really turned the service over to him to run? Is he the kind of guy that is going to come in and make sweeping changes, or will they be more subtle and gradual? How much authority has Ford given him to make the changes he feels necessary. What changes do you believe he needs to make and where should he begin? Well, here is your chance, speak up.

Stay Safe
Dee

Due Process

2008-06-02T01:56:00.000-07:00

Wouldn’t it be nice if EMS personnel were provided the same protections as our brothers and sisters in the police and fire services? We doubt that anyone has ever stumbled upon Indiana Code 36-8-3, also known as the police and fire tenure statue. It deals with due process before any department can impose discipline. We found an excellent article on this at http://www.pffui.com/news/fall_05.pdf Page 12, "Firefighter Discipline in Indiana"

Why are EMS providers not included in this Indiana Code? This might be a good question for your state legislators.

Stay Safe
Dee

Chief Sanford?

2008-05-31T20:35:00.000-07:00

Rumor has it Chief Sanford is going to go from "Interim Chief" to "Chief" in the very near future. We want your opinions on that. While we’re at it, we would love to hear from those that have worked with the man before. He holds the reputation of being very pro EMS and we are wondering what this will mean for EMS in the city. How will his appointment affect the fire departments EMS employees, and what does this mean for the Wishard crews? If he is willing, we would love to hear from the man himself on what his views on EMS in the fire service are. As always, he can post here or he is free to email us at deefibb@yahoo.com. Nothing like being included in the discussion.

Stay Safe
Dee

Philly EMS

2008-05-27T23:18:00.001-07:00

Could it happen here? Not likely, but maybe! Keep a few things in mind while watching this video.
1) Philly EMS is fire based.
2) EMS was ignored until people began to die and the TV stations started asking questions.
3) They refuse to appoint a person to the deputy commissioner level to deal with EMS.
4) With tight budgets a reality, who will be the first hired, or in the event of reductions in force, the first let go? The civilian paramedic or the merit firefighter.
5) The dispatch procedure in Philly is a lot like what we do in Indy. First come first serve.
6) Here, a 911 caller does not always get the closest ambulance. They get the closest ambulance from their EMS provider.
7) Some of the fixes they suggest are common sense, something severely lacking in our EMS system.

Before you watch this video, let us remind you that we are in no way comparing the Indianapolis systems problems to that of Philadelphia. However, if EMS remains the overlooked service as it is now, problems may escalate down the road. Our position is, as always, lets work to prevent problems before the become too big. Philadelphia is a perfect example of an EMS system that was overlooked for entirely too long.

Stay Safe
Dee

D-Day 3/31

2008-05-27T19:22:00.000-07:00

What happens to Wishard EMS as of 3/31/09?
Here is the way we got it. About a year and a half to two years ago, Wishard started asking its Paramedics to sign a request to have their certification dates changed to the same date. March 31st. They were also told that Wishard would be doing away with the Paramedic Refresher classes. Not to worry, they said, all EMS education would be done on duty from that point on. To date, from what we’ve been told, they have provided protocol review, some audit & reviews, a few hours of trauma, and ACLS. Whenever anyone would ask about it, they were told “Education is working on it.”
Now, fast forward to a couple of months ago. All employees are handed copies of the IEMS Paramedic Program schedule and told that they would need to get their education on their own. Nothing like 10 months notice to get 2 years of education.
Who dropped the ball here? Education was counted on to provide the in-service and management let them drop the refresher program before they had a new plan in place.
So, we ask again: What happens to Wishard EMS as of 3/31/09?

Stay Safe
Dee

In The Know

2008-05-27T17:15:00.000-07:00

If there was someone in politics wanting to learn about EMS in Marion County, who would you suggest they get in contact with? We want to know who YOU would trust to represent you and your profession? We'll take your suggestions and pass them on. We want to know who and why. Let us have it.

Stay Safe
Dee

I Am A Medic

2008-05-22T08:17:00.000-07:00

More For EMS Week

2008-05-20T05:03:00.000-07:00

Nothing like a little public service announcement.

IDHS/EMS Memorandum

2008-05-19T01:26:00.000-07:00

To: All Emergency Medical Organizations, Supervising Hospitals and Training Institutions
From: IDHS/EMS Operations
RE: EMS Provider Forum

The EMS Operations Division of the Indiana Department of Homeland Security will be holding provider forums around the state. These meetings will last approximately two (2) hours.

The topics to be discussed are:
Emergency Response Conference
Emergency Medical Dispatch Rules
NIMS and Grants
Emergency Response Trailers
Legislative Update
Restitution Fund
DPMU
General Rule Review

The forums are open to all emergency services personnel and will be presented by the IDHS/EMS staff. The dates and sites that will be facilitating these forums are:

May 22, 2008 - 1:00 PM
Center Lake Pavillion
Warsaw IN

June 4, 2008 - 12:00 PM
Porter Hospital, Stoner Auditorium
Valparaiso IN

June 10, 2008 - 10:00 AM
Riverview Hospital Education Center
205 Westfield Road
Noblesville IN

June 17, 2008 - 6:00 PM
Margaret Mary Community Hospital
Auditorium (Lower level, old part of hospital)
Batesville IN

June 24, 2008 - 1:00 PM
Spencer County Emergency Ambulance
701 Buffaloville Road
Dale IN

All times local time.

Stay Safe
Dee

EMS Week

2008-05-19T01:19:00.000-07:00

Have a safe and happy week!

Stay Safe
Dee

Treats

2008-05-15T13:19:00.000-07:00

We want to know what different services around the county are doing for EMS week. Anything creative, different, interesting? What do you enjoy most about EMS week? Let's try to keep this positive, they're not REQUIRED to do anything!

Stay Safe
Dee

Happy EMS Week

2008-05-13T23:20:00.000-07:00

This was sent in by a loyal reader tonight. Thanks for the pic.

Methodist wants to thank all the EMS providers during EMS Week. That is if you work from breakfast until dinner. To those of you that work overnight......Well, it's not like EMS is a 24 hour business or anything.

Stay Safe
Dee

Follow Up

2008-05-13T20:48:00.000-07:00

In a reply to Get Involved, we were asked, “What should we say?”
We need to address our concerns, bring ourselves to into the picture. When an issue involving public safety is discussed, we want them to know there are more than two sides to the picture. Fire, Police AND EMS.
Most of us found out a few weeks ago from an article in the Indy Star that Wishard was suppose to take over EMS in the old Washington & Warren areas post merger. That never came to be, yet how many knew for sure that was suppose to happen? There were rumors galore before that, but no one was saying anything. There was no inclusion of EMS providers in the process. There were discussions among the chiefs, but we were kept in the dark.
What lies down the road for us? We have a mayor who supports consolidation, and has said publicly that he supports consolidation of fire departments in Marion County. Should we, as EMS providers, just keep our mouths shut and hope that the union, the management, or the Mayor makes the best decisions about our future based on what they believe our value is?
Many people have whined and cried about the state of the Wishard fleet, but how many have stepped forward and addressed the issue with anyone who has the power to investigate it, let alone demand results?
How many people in the position of power know that Wishard trucks are required to sit outside of firehouses all winter, engines running to keep their drugs warm because IFD does not let them park inside?
IFD EMS has union representation, but we need to keep in mind who that representation is and where their loyalties lie. The L416, Indianapolis Metropolitan Professional Firefighters, a local of the International Association of Fire Fighters. If push comes to shove, do we count on them to work in our best interest even if it is contrary to what is in the best interest of the firefighters?
So, the question again is what do we say. We say we want to know where EMS falls into the Mayors consolidation plan. We say we want safe vehicles to respond in. We want inclusion in decisions that affect our future. We want the union to represent us just as aggressively as it represents firefighters. We remind them that EMS is a part of public safety and we should be included as such. We say we are here and we will be counted!

Stay Safe
Dee

Hey Greg

2008-05-13T20:32:00.000-07:00

Hey Greg
This was sent to us from an EMS provider who happened to catch the news about the recent Hillside fire over the weekend. Greg Harris, IFD PIO, commented in response to a question from a reporter that it was Mothers Day and a difficult day to lose so many lives. Capt. Harris commented on how difficult it was for the families, the community, and the firefighters.
No mention of how hard it was on the Paramedics and EMT’s who transported these patients. Again, EMS doesn’t count. What a slap in the face by Captain Harris.
We’ve also been asked to pass on a thank you to the police officers who drove the ambulances from the fire to the hospital.

Stay Safe
Dee

Maybe You Missed It

2008-05-10T04:49:00.001-07:00

We got this information as a comment on a previous posting. A friend from Communications let us know that they are down from the required staffing level of 34 to a total of 22 dispatchers spread out over 4 shifts. So what is the problem here?Schedules; benefits; work environment; recruitment? If we remember right, you guys are 416 and recently got a new contract? Is there a problem there?
How does this affect the ability of communications to provide service to, not only the citizens of the county, but to those of us on the street. Those of us who depend on someone being at the other end of the line when we key up our radios.
Come on, you can share with us.....just between friends.

Stay Safe
Dee

Get Involved

2008-05-09T12:43:00.000-07:00

Do you want EMS to languish in obscurity? Do you want EMS to remain in the shadows, always the forgotten little brother to fire and police? Well, how about getting involved. If you are IFD, when was the last time you went to a meeting of the CCC? How about a meeting of the Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee? For Wishard, there is a monthly meeting of the Board of Trustees for the Health & Hospital Corporation. Work an ambulance in the suburbs? Ever drop in on a township board meeting?
Don’t have time for a meeting, or if you are working that day, how about an email, letter or phone call. We need to let these people know we exist. We need to make them aware. Aware of not only our problems and concerns, but aware of what we do. How many people outside of emergency services know what our jobs entail?
If we don’t go after what we deserve, we deserve what we get. Step up, be counted, get involved!

Committee on Public Safety and Criminal Justice
The Honorable or Councilor (Name)
241 City-County Building
200 E.Washington St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204
327-4242

(R) Ryan Vaughn, Chair, rvaughn@indygov.org
(D) Vernon Brown,
(R) Bob Cockrum,
(R) Ed Coleman, edward.coleman@gmail.com
(D) Mary Moriarty Adams, mmadams@iquest.net
(D) Willaim Oliver,
(R) Marilyn Pfisterer, cpfist1061@aol.com
(R) Christine Scales, cscales_2000@yahoo.com

Health & Hospital Corporation
3838 N. Rural St.
Indianapolis IN, 46205-2930
317-221-2000

Matthew Gutwein, President and CEO
Board of Trustees
Jim Miner, M.D., Chair
Lula M. Journey, Vice Chair
Angela J. Green
David W, Crabb, M.D.
Gregory S. Fehribach
Marjorie H. O’Llaughlin
Robert Pfeifer, C.P.A.

Stay Safe
Dee

Internal Only

2008-05-08T11:48:00.000-07:00

Has anyone taken a look at the Wishard careers page lately? They have posted several “internal only” positions. The first is titled “EMS Operating Chief” and the second is “EMS Planning Chief.”
One has to ask, why spend good money creating new positions when they can’t even keep trucks on the road or adequate staffing levels of paramedics on the street?
What is up with the “Chief” title for these positions? Do they know something they don't want to share?
What exactly are these positions going to do, and who is doing it now?
What is Chuck Ford’s status with Wishard Ambulance? Is he removing himself from direct role in the service, or is he turning the service over to someone else to run entirely? Inquiring minds want to know.

Stay Safe
Dee

Siren?

2008-05-07T18:04:00.000-07:00

Where is the Siren program at? Anyone heard anything about this lately? Does everyone have their wireless cards? Is everyone in the system now? Has a new date been set for the startup? Inquiring minds want to know!

Stay Safe
Dee

Hypothetical

2008-05-07T17:59:00.000-07:00

We would like to hear your feedback on this little hypothetical. Say you have a truck that you believe is unsafe. Let’s say it has a flat dual, and the other tire on the same side is so low that it is barely off the ground. Now you call your superior and he tells you to drive it all the way across town to have it fixed. First of all would you do it knowing that your truck is, at that point, unsafe to operate? Next, if you were involved in an accident due to the faulty tires, who should ultimately be held responsible for it, you for driving a vehicle that was unsafe, or your supervisor for telling you to do so? If you refuse to operate a vehicle that is unsafe, and you are sent home for it, what would you next move be? Lastly, should anyone be disciplined for this?
Ok, so this is not really a hypothetical. From what we have been told, it happened. We have received 6 different emails on this, and they all told about the same story. Anyone want to guess what these geniuses have on the sides of their trucks? Great message to send here; don’t bring up any safety issues, it could cost you money.

Stay Safe
Dee

Fleet Services

2008-04-23T09:34:00.000-07:00

We recently had the opportunity to listen in while some Wishard crews were discussing the current state of their service. Now we will be the first to admit that employees will usually bitch about what is wrong while overlooking what is right. With that being said, we think they have some valid concerns with their ability to provide service with their current fleet.
The biggest complaint was the lack of back up trucks. From what we have gathered, there was a lack of back up trucks prior to the fire at their old garage on Rural. Since the fire, the number of backups has reached a critical point. They have said that when a truck breaks down, they are sometimes forced to close trucks because they have nothing to replace them with. This has reportedly hit hard on the preventative maintenance of the trucks that are running since they cannot bring them in for routine service. We have even heard that when the truck they maintain in Decatur Township broke down recently, Wishard was forced to use a back up Decatur ambulance in order to keep medics down there.
The lone bright spots in the gloomy picture they painted; they heard that they are getting 2 used ambulances, and there are 2 new trucks down south somewhere waiting on the boxes to be put on.
Where does the fault lie here? Was the Rural fire the root cause of the problem? The Wishard people didn't think so. According to reports after the fire, only a couple of ambulances were lost. Is there a problem with the maintenance department? Does the fault lie higher up? Why has the service slipped to the point of buying used ambulances, and having trucks waiting for boxes? Poor planning, lack of urgency, lack of direction? Any ideas here?

Stay Safe
Dee

Our Prayers Go Out

2008-04-22T05:12:00.000-07:00

I would like to apologize to those of the local EMS community for our absence. We are back and ready to go back to work after an extended time taking care of some family business out of town.

We would like to start out by passing on our prayers to an IFD firefighter who was the apparent victim of a robbery last night on the west side. In a struggle, he was able to disarm his attacker, but not before being shot in the neck. We hear he is in stable condition at Methodist.

Beware

2008-04-10T22:44:00.000-07:00

We just got an interesting note from from one of our friends here in the city. We don't know ALL the facts, so we will only report what we know. Apparently there is someone here in the city trying to ride out on ambulances who is a convicted child molester. We hear he tried to tag along with a Wishard crew recently and was caught. Apparently he was warned against doing this again, but everyone still needs to keep an eye out. If you have a student or guest rider show up that you are not familiar with, check him out before you let him anywhere near your truck. It is always better to be safe than unemployed.

Stay Safe
Dee

Two In A Row

2008-04-09T00:55:00.000-07:00

For the second day in a row, The Star goes after problems with IFD and again points its dirty little fingers at EMS.

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080409/OPINION08/804090326/1291/OPINION08&GID=gsIbeWVy0naep3jFe561OusZ4qAQnjjaoxKq2pPJlHo%3D

For the second time, they have mentioned that the township EMS was suppose to be merged with Wishard, but they again fail to address why it didn't happen.
One thing is for certain, it can’t happen now. IFD EMS has representation, in the form of 416, and Wishard has AFSME, which claims representation rights for Wishard (yet has signed cards from only a few). The benefits are a world apart, the hours vary as greatly as the benefits, and the management structure speaks for itself. What is a Mayor to do. Jack up the prices and delay maintenance. Good call!
As an afterthought, why has The Star waited until this week to address a problem that has been festering for a full quarter? Don’t suppose it has anything to do with FDIC. Nothing like bad press for a fire department from it’s hometown newspaper when there are about 20-30 thousand firefighters in town. Are they going out of their way to embarrass our brothers and sisters over in suppression?

Stay Safe
Dee

Today Is The Day.......

2008-04-09T00:30:00.000-07:00

Or is it? Today Mayor Ballard will give his first State of the City Address. Will EMS appear anywhere is his address? We doubt it. Fire, with the recent budget woes and the pending nationwide search for chief, may be a hot topic. The huge accomplishments in rearranging IMPD may certainly get some good press. When it comes to us though, it is our prediction that EMS will be ignored by His Honor. It’s not like we are a part of public safety or anything.
Face it brothers and sisters. Ambulances are not as sexy as police cars and fire trucks, and while the problems with EMS in this county will persist, we don’t expect Mayor Ballard to feel that we are worthy. In our humble opinion, we will be lucky if His Honor acknowledges us during EMS week next month.

Stay Safe
Dee

Front Page News

2008-04-07T19:56:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of indystar.com, the headline reads “Surging overtime strangles IFD budget”.
The article, http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080407/NEWS/80407048 , states that IFD has already doubled the entire OT budget for the year, and is on the pace to end up $2 million in the red.
One of the contributing factors cited by The Star, EMS. “IFD planned as if the township ambulance services would merge with Wishard Health Services, Greeson said, which would have allowed a reduction in employees.”
At least we know what Bart had up his sleeve in regard to EMS in Marion County. What we don’t know however, is what went wrong. Why didn’t it happen, who hung up the deal, or who dropped the ball here. Is this still being considered as an option?
One of the solutions for fixing the problem? Increasing the Ambulance fees. The going rate, according to IFD is $365 - $625, depending on the level of care. How much will they go up? If this does not generate the required revenue, will there be reductions in EMS?
Again, I ask Mayor Ballard and Public Safety Director Newman to step forward and address the state of Marion County EMS with us, the people who provide it every day. We shouldn’t have to be blindsided by this type of information from The Indianapolis Star.

Stay Safe
Dee

Ambulance Crash

2008-04-07T01:40:00.000-07:00

If it can happen there, it can happen here. An ambulance in Louisville KY crashed while enroute to the hospital with a patient on board. They were running with emergency lights and siren on when a pedestrian ran out in front of them. The driver swerved to avoid the pedestrian and struck a utility pole, a culvert and a fence. The patient later died at University Hospital as a result of injuries sustained in the crash.

http://www.wlky.com/news/15784212/detail.html

While we hate to hear that a patient died in the crash, we all must keep in mind that it could have been much worse. It could very well have been a multiple fatality crash.
With the recent ambulance crashes in and around Marion County, we all need to remember that we are one bad driver, or in the KY case, one pedestrian away from being a patient instead of a care giver.

Stay Safe
Dee

Catching Up

2008-04-07T01:25:00.000-07:00

Sorry for our prolonged absence, but when an emergency comes up, we gotta go. We have been gone for a week and there is a lot of catching up to do, so let’s get to it.
IFD Chief Greeson is leaving to go to the state fire marshalls office. With the departure of the top dog, keep an eye out to see who & where the replacement is. He, or even a she, might just hold a very big stake in the future of EMS in Marion County.
Rumors are flying about possible layoffs at Perry Township Fire Department. Will this be the usher for consolidation with IFD? If so, what will become of EMS there? Will IFD order a few new ambulances and hire more civilians? Will they drag Wishard down there? Will Rural Metro stay while they change over or will they be out the door on day one? Is it all just smoke and mirrors? Perry has claimed poverty for so many years, why believe them now.
We are hearing from our friends at Wishard that the Medusa SIREN program has been pushed back yet again. What we have heard so far, no cards for internet in any of the trucks; users who are not in the system due to never being put in or that the system has kicked back out; the guy running the show decided to go on vacation the week before it was to go online.
It is FDIC week. Our friends over at Indybravest have the schedule down for all to see.
For now, keep safe.
Dee

Friday Wrap Up

2008-03-28T11:41:00.000-07:00

Hey, Friday is finally here! Not that many of us do that whole Mon-Fri thing. We just want to take this time to wrap up a few loose ends and get ready to start a new week bright eyed and fresh.
We got an email from "Tom", I think he is the Medusa rep for Wishard from the tone of the email. Tom, we stand corrected. Wishard is going live with Siren on April 7th, not 4th as I had reported. "Tom" says that they are aware there are going to be problems and is ready to tackle them.
Has everyone been over the new Marion County Protocols? What do you think? Right direction? Wrong direction? Anyone want to weigh in on this? Anyone heard when each group is going to them?
Not our realm really, but keep an eye on the out of state search for a new IFD chief. If he/she comes from a department that has successfully merged fire/ems, or has a long track record of fire/ems, this could give you an idea of which way the mayor is leaning on our future.
Stay safe and keep doing what you do.

Dee

With Our Deepest Sympathy

2008-03-26T19:23:00.000-07:00

We would like to pass our condolences along to IFD Firefighter Trasey Graham on the loss of her sister in a tragic house fire early Wednesday morning in the 200 block of west 37th St.

Dee

An Open Letter to Mr. Newman

2008-03-24T13:43:00.000-07:00

Mr Newman,
As Public Safety Director for the City of Indianapolis, we, The Emergency Medical Responders of Marion County, are addressing this open letter to you. We have waited patiently while you have put forth on behalf of the Mayor, certain initiatives meant to correct the manpower and moral issues in IMPD that went unaddressed for so long. We stood by silently while Mayor Ballard talked openly about the consolidation of all township fire departments into IFD. Yet, to date, no one from city or county government has addressed the end goal regarding the future of Emergency Medical Services in Marion County.
While we know and have come to accept our place in arena of emergency response, admitting that EMS is not as flashy as burning buildings or live car chases, we feel that our role is just as, if not more, important than those we serve beside. After all, it is the fireman who rescues the family from the burning building, but it is EMS who fights to keep them alive from there.
Currently there is a “mixmash” of services and response areas in Indianapolis, with ambulances being provided by several township fire departments, IFD, Wishard Hospital and Rural Metro. The response areas are cut up, borders are far from consistent, and the needs of the public fall to wayside in favor of turf and old boundaries.
Just as the providers are a diverse group, the pay and benefits fall along a wide spectrum as well. With some services working 24 hr shifts, some working 12 hr shifts. The pay range among civilian vs. fire dept is very noticeable. Job requirements from organization to organization vary greatly. There is no consistency in insurance benefits, time off, seniority, representation (or lack of), or chain of command.
If the inconsistency in pay, benefits, shifts, schedules, and response areas were not enough, there is a wide disparity in equipment from provider to provider. While every fire dept. in Marion County currently has 12 lead capability on their EKG monitors, Wishard Hospital Ambulance Service is still looking for grant monies to pay for this. Also, since the recent fire at 4040 N. Rural, Wishard has been struggling to keep enough running trucks on the road to provide service.
Rumors as to our future run rampant, change often, and run the gambit of possibilities. The disparity in equipment, response area, pay, benefits, and hierarchy create chasms in our ranks. Morale in EMS in Marion County is at an all time low. The current system has pitted provider against provider, fire department against EMS, EMT’s and Paramedics against their own management. A decision must be made. Where is our future going to take us? What are the plans of this administration for EMS? Will we all fall under the reign of the consolidated county fire department? Will there be a 3rd service provider? This is our livelihood, or job, our passion if you will. We deserve to know in what direction we are headed. Mr. Newman, Mayor Ballard, enlighten us. Let us in on the discussion. Give us the opportunity for our voices to be heard.

Respectfully,
EMSindy

Help Wanted - IFD & Brown Township

2008-03-23T18:48:00.000-07:00

Sorry on the oversight, IFD is hiring Paramedics. We are hearing that IFD is hiring EMT's as well, but we haven't been able to find the link for it. If anyone can provide the link for this, we will be glad to post it. The paramedic position can be found here http://www.careers.vurvexpress.com/jobprofile.cfm?szWID=15465&szCID=69594&szSiteID=631&szOrderID=473574&szStart=1

Brown Township is in the mix as well. Hiring FF/EMT's, FF/Paramedics, and Civilian Paramedics. Courtesy of Careerbuilder.com

"Firefighter/EMT Firefighter/Paramedic Civilian Paramedics Brown Twp Fire & Rescue now accepting applications. Applications available at: Brown Twp. Fire Hdqtrs. 471 Old State Rd 67 N., Mooresville, beginning Monday, March 24. All applications must be turned in by Friday, April 18 at Noon.

Dee

Medusa Goes Live, Then Dead @ Wayne

2008-03-21T18:10:00.000-07:00

Well my friends, here is what I am hearing from my friends at Wayne Township Fire. They went online with Medusa today at 0700 hrs. By 2100, they were being called and told to go back to paper. The problems? Crew members log into the system and show up, but disappear later in the system. Run sheets that disappear then reappear later. Run reports that won't transfer from the first responding unit to the transporting unit, and run sheets that wont fax to the hospital when the patient is dropped off. To top it all off, apparently there are some "dead spots" on the west side near at least one firehouse that the system is lost in.
Wayne is currently running no more than 5 ambulances. What happens when IFD and Wishard go live? We see a lot of problems coming up?
Any problems we haven't heard about yet?

Dee

IFD EMS

2008-03-19T22:23:00.000-07:00

If you have read IndyBravest lately, there has been a lot of talk about the problems with the IFD Civillian EMS division. With everything new, there are bound to be problems, whenever there is change, there are bound to be people against it. Lets talk about some of these problems. What are your ideas? More staffing? Scrap the whole transporting idea and turn it over to Wishard or someone else who wants to do it? BLS transporting trucks with ALS squads on dual response? A third service EMS service in the county? Has the whole transporting EMS been more involved than anyone thought it would be? Is it worth the hassle? What are the higher up's in the department and the union saying about the EMS division? Let's hear it. This is the place & we are listening.

Dee

Up Coming Events

2008-03-18T23:06:00.001-07:00

I know, it is only March, but warm weather is just around the corner. Don't forget these upcoming events.

04/07 - 04-12 - FDIC, http://fdic08.events.pennnet.com/fl//index.cfm

05/04 - Opeing Day/Rookie Orientation, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, http://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/schedule/

05/18 - 05/24 - EMS Appreciation Week

05/25 - 92nd Running Indianapolis 500, http://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/schedule/

Dee

Wishard Going Live With Siren

2008-03-18T13:39:00.000-07:00

Our friends over at the Wiz are telling us that the medusa electronic patient care reporting system is turned on for practice. The system is scheduled to "go live" on April 4th at 0700 hrs. After that time, paper reports will be gone. We see a lot of start up issues ahead for them. Good luck!
Has anyone out there worked with this system? We would love some feedback form someone who has actually used it on runs.

Dee

Near Misses

2008-03-18T00:55:00.000-07:00

In the last few weeks, there have been a couple of ambulance crashes that could have turned out very badly. In the first, a Wishard ambulance struck a rolling arrow board on I65. One medic, one EMT and one patient taken to the hospital. Bruises and a possible broken bone. http://www.wthr.com/Global/story.asp?s=7998070 In the second, a Seals ambulance was stuck at the intersection of Raymond and Keystone, with the ambulance ending up on it's side. Ninety one year old patient and medic transported to the ER. Nothing serious from what I hear. http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008803170387
In both of these accidents, the crews as well as the patients were lucky to escape with only minor injuries.

Dee

Help Wanted

2008-03-17T23:54:00.000-07:00

The local hiring is on. City of Lawrence is hiring EMT's and Paramedics. Accepting applications until April 4th.

City of Lawrence Fire Department
4455 McCoy Street
Lawrence, IN 46226
317-547-4371

We hear IFD will be hiring civilian EMT's and Paramedics soon. As soon as we hear something, we will pass it along to you.

Dee

Welcome

2008-03-16T19:59:00.000-07:00

Here it is. IFD has their own site, Indybravest. IMPD has Indy Blue Rollcall. Now my fellow EMT's & Paramedics, we have our little place in the blogosphere, EMSindy. Our goal here is to give EMS providers their own forum, their own voice if you will.
I know we are all adults here, and even though it shouldn't be neccessary, we need to start with a couple of guidelines. First of all, lets keep it clean. There is no need to move a discussion to the gutter to get your point across. Next, always, ALWAYS, keep HIPPA in mind. The last thing we want is for this to be a place where confidentiality is an issue. For that reason, as well as others, comment moderation will always be on.
We welcome your comments, pro or against anything posted. If there is a topic you would like us to go after, feel free to drop one of us a line at deefibb@yahoo.com

Stay Safe
Dee