Mass Casualty Incident Drill

As the old sports saying goes, “You play the way you practice.”  So in order to ensure our personnel are ready for a variety of situations, we routinely conduct training exercises so that our firefighters can practice a variety of skills under simulated scenarios.

On Monday, February 01, a Mass Casualty Incident (MCI) Drill was conducted in the 5^th Battalion.  The scenario was an active shooter situation.

Crews were initially “dispatched” for an unknown rescue at a local movie theater. Units “arrived” on the scene and found “victims” in foyer with gunshot wounds. Crews then retreated and built out what was an active shooter drill.

The MCI drill was conducted in cooperation with the movie theater manager, MCP, CERT members and MCFRS.

Forty-five role players were involved with moulage involved to ensure realistic “victims.” Fake blood, fake bone breaks, and fake gunshot wounds were simulated that could rival any Halloween costume!

Battalion Chief Dave Pazos reports that the drill went better than expected and crews did fantastic. Photos below. 

You’re Going To Do What!?

By: Master Firefighter Tim Burns

One of the new and helpful treatments brought to patients in Montgomery County is the EZ-IO intraosseous infusion system. This tool allows paramedics to place a needle directly into the marrow cavity of certain long bones of the legs or arms of critically ill or injured patients. This skill takes very little time to accomplish (often times significantly less time than traditional intravenous catheter placement) and speeds the delivery of necessary fluids and/or medications to the sickest patients we see.

As you can see from the photo, the EZ-IO device looks a lot like a drill, and it operates much the same. The needle sticks on the end of the gun and is “drilled” into the bone.

While the process may seem barbaric to a casual observer, actual patient testimony reveals that the pain associated with the placement of the needle is comparable to that of a normal IV placement. The infusion of fluid and medications through the device is what patients report to be most painful, and in Montgomery County we typically administer a numbing medication prior to the administration of anything through an EZ-IO.

The literature shows that successful placement of the EZ-IO can be accomplished with minimal training, with a high degree of reliability, and takes under 10 seconds.

Recruit Class 37 – Coming To A Fire Station Near You Soon!

Recruit Class 37 – Coming To A Fire Station Near You Soon!, a set on Flickr.

By: Captain Jason Blake

Recruit Class 37 is finishing their training at the academy and have received their station assignments. The "Grand Finale" of their fire/EMS training occurs over a long and physical demanding day that the recruit's family gets to see them in action. Recruits are assigned to riding positions on engines, trucks, ambulances and rescue squads with lieutenants and captains from the field. They are dispatched and respond to calls on the 56 acres of the academy. A wide variety of calls occur over an eleven hour time frame with everything from building and car fires, to sick people and assaults. Recruits even deliver a baby in a car. There are over 50 scenarios that occur and are very realistic with smoke, fire and moulage of victims that make the most seasoned firefighter to look twice.

Thank you to Chief Clemens, Captain Carter, Lt. McDonald, Academy Staff and Adjuncts for training the largest recruit class in the history of the department.

The Elders

Note: the below is from a blog written by Pam Boe who is a volunteer Paramedic and is married to one of our career Fire Captains.  This provides you a glimpse into other aspects of public safety life - continuing education and re certification training.  The learning and training never stop!  Our folks are always working hard to be prepared and ready to respond to all sorts of emergencies here in the county.

And some of our folks work hard to become, and maintain, certifications as instructors going that extra mile!  They not only teach a curriculum but they also pass along invaluable real world experiences that may help save a life one day!

Thanks to Pam and her blog, Mama Boe, for allowing us to "reprint" this here.

-Bill D


It takes an innate ability to read an audience to be a decent classroom instructor. Especially when your students are:
1) Adults,
2) Very Bright,
3) In your class mandatorily to maintain their certification, and,
4) Medics.



I don’t know that I would have the courage to lecture such a roughened, seasoned, bunch of extreme, living-on-the-edge-for-a-career kind of people.




(Heck I’m amazed I have the courage to show up at all, even just to sit in the back.)
But these guys do:



Joe, Adam, and Ty….Decades of experience between them. Hundreds of lives saved or healed for the better because of them, personally. Thousands of lives affected positively because of the medics they teach and train.

To be able to teach a subject is to have mastered it. To be able to teach it in a way that keeps the student not only interested, but also entertained, is a talent.

In this particular case, everybody wins. The teachers, for the mastery… the students, to grow their skills and knowledge… and the citizens they serve, for they will get better care for it.

Most people don’t realize how much work goes into and behind each and every 911 call that goes out. It’s not as simple as getting into an ambulance and picking the patient or victim up. Hours and hours of training go into it.

Why?

Because the medics want to do a good job?
Because the medics don’t want to be caught with their pants down?
Because the medics are afraid of litigation?
Because the medics have some kind of ‘Hero’ or ‘God’ complex?

No.

It’s simply because they care.

Ambulance Reimbursement: An Important Message from County Executive Ike Leggett to County Resident's

Dear County Resident:

I want to inform you of an important issue facing the County that could have an adverse impact on every County resident.

 

Many of you are aware that the November ballot will contain County Question A. The Question gives voters the opportunity to decide whether County Council Bill 13-10: Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Transport Fee, which passed in May, should remain law.

 

Under the law, the County would be allowed to recover ambulance transport costs from premiums already paid to insurance companies, Medicare, and Medicaid -- $14 million this year and $170 million over the next 10 years. All revenues would be dedicated, by law, to strengthen our Fire and Rescue Service. No County resident will ever get a bill for ambulance transport, co-pays or deductibles -- whether they have insurance or not.

The Montgomery Fire and Rescue Service will continue to serve anybody in need, regardless of ability to pay – whether rich or poor or in-between, whether County resident or not. Just like now. Nothing will change – except that our Fire and Rescue Service will have more resources in meet critical future needs for staffing, equipment, and to improve EMS response times.

Nearly every jurisdiction in the Washington region collects millions of dollars in ambulance reimbursements from insurance companies, Medicare, and Medicaid – with no adverse effects. (Click here to see the Washington Post story on Thursday, “Area Fire Chiefs Back Ambulance Fee: 911 Calls Unaffected”)

 

Our neighbors are using those resources to save lives – and Montgomery County should do the same. We cannot afford to leave this money on the table.

 
The League of Women Voters of Montgomery County agrees. So too does the Montgomery County Fire Fighters and Paramedics, Local 1664. Click here to see editorials in The Washington Post and in The Gazette newspapers supporting County ambulance reimbursement.

There are basically three choices:

1.  Approve ambulance reimbursement from insurance companies, Medicare, and Medicaid to bring in $14 million this year and $170 million over the next ten years;

2.  Reduce critical County services, including public safety; or

3.  Increase taxes.

I choose the first option. It just makes sense.

As I travel around the County, I meet many residents who have asked for facts and accurate information on the EMS Transport Fee. For more information, you can go to www.montgomerycountymd.gov/emstransportfee.

Whatever your perspective, please vote in the upcoming general elections as they are critical to our ability to maintain Montgomery County as the special place it is today to live, work, play, and age with dignity. In addition to voting in person on Tuesday, November 2 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at your polling location, you may vote by absentee ballot. Absentee ballot request forms can be downloaded here and must be returned by October 26, 2010.

This year, for the first time, you may cast your vote at any one of the Early Voting Centers inthe County between Friday, October 22 and Thursday, October 28 from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. (except Sunday, October 24). I urge you to consider joining the thousands of County voters who will be taking advantage of this highly efficient means of carrying out our civic duty.

Sincerely,

Ike Leggett
County Executive

New Volunteer Basic Orientation Class Starts With 43 People!

Montgomery County Volunteer Fire and Rescue Association held its latest Volunteer Basic Orientation Class which was the largest to this point! Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Fire Chief Richard Bowers stopped by to show his support and give the opening welcome to the group!

Forty-Three students from nine different volunteer departments participated in the training which is Nine weeks long on and was held on Friday nights. The classes included CPR and AED certification, basic Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Operations, basic fire ground operations, self contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and
Incident Command modules. SCBA is the air bottle the fire fighters wear on their back to provide fresh air. PPE is all of the other protective equipment you might see a fire fighter wear at a fire.

Classes are designed to provide new members with a basic level of training and understanding as they begin their path toward becoming an emergency responder. All of the students and instructors are volunteers.

If you are interested in volunteering any time from a few hours a month to one night a week, we have emergency operations and non-emergency support positions available throughout the entire county. No experience is necessary and all training is provided FREE. To learn more, please call 240-777-2238 or email fire.recruiting@Montgomerycountymd.gov