The service chronicles listed below were published in the Winter 2011 issue of the KEMSA Chronicle magazine or were submitted to Mary Napier, webmaster. If you would like to submit news from your service for publication in the magazine and on this website, click here to view the submission policy.

KEMSA MEMBERS 

Johnson County MED-ACT
Johnson County MED-ACT is pleased to announce the promotions of Brian Stevens to the position of Captain and Jon Batenhorst and Stephen Chick to the position of Lieutenant. Brian has worked at MED-ACT for 15 years, Jon for six years, and Stephen for three years. Lieutenants at MED-ACT provide the leadership on an ambulance crew and in the system and are the medical scene commanders. The Captains work with new people for their first year and also fill in for the two Operations Battalion Chiefs on their shift when they are on leave.

MED-ACT will be receiving six new ambulances around the first of the year. They will be Horton built units and mounted on an F-450 diesel chassis. The new ambulances are a departure from the E-450 chassis used by MED-ACT for decades. They include a new patient compartment design that allows almost all patient care to be accomplished while in a seat belt beside the patient on the curbside seat. This safety feature is part of all ambulances ordered by MED-ACT and its partner Overland Park Fire. The unit cost for these ambulances is $210,000 and includes a Stryker power cot. They were purchased under the Houston Galveston Area Cooperative purchasing program.

Because MED-ACT was only offered $3,000 each for its trade-in ambulances, it plans to offer them on Gov Deals in the first quarter of 2012. The policies of Johnson County allow them to negotiate the sale of property to another governmental agency. If you are interested in acquiring one of these ambulances, please contact Chief Ted McFarlane at tmcfarlane@jocoems.org. They will come with all emergency lights and siren and a manual cot. They should be ready for licensing with the proper loose equipment.

Labette Health EMS
Labette Health EMS is pleased to announce that Scott Higgins and Korey Lucian have been hired as full-time paramedics. Shawn Johnston and Kyle Helm have been hired as full-time EMTs and all are now on shift. Additionally, Labette Health EMS is pleased to congratulate Destry Lynn on being promoted to “C” Shift Captain (Shift Commander). Capt. Lynn has been with EMS for several years and has held both an EMT and paramedic position. Lucian and Helm were also added to the Kansas Task Force 4 technical rescue team.
In other news, Labette Health EMS just received and put in to service a new 17 ½ foot inflatable rescue boat to replace an aging unit. The new boat is more durable and has features that the previous one did not, such as a changeable seating arrangement to allow for backboard or stokes basket placement.

Finally, the EMS members of Task Force 4 have been evaluating medical equipment for purchase for the rescue team that can be used in a confined space and collapse rescue with an anticipated purchase in early spring. This equipment is light weight and can be used in a hazardous environment.

Life Touch EMS
Life Touch EMS recently purchased a new Chevy G4500 ambulance equipped with a ramp and winch system customized by Arrow Manufacturing and a Ferno ambulance cot, for ambulance transports of patients weighing up to 1000 lbs. Technologies such as this one have enabled EMS transport providers like Life Touch EMS to combat the detrimental risks of bariatric transports as well as during transports of neo-natal (newborn) incubators and balloon pump apparatuses (which are used for treating heart patients). The ambulance was showcased in the Smoky Hill Museum Street Fair parade on Saturday, September 24, before being put into Life Touch’s operations.

LifeFlight Eagle
LifeFlight Eagle has partnered with four referring and two receiving facilities in the Kansas City area to launch a program to refine the transfer-of-care process for stroke and STEMI patients. Launched on October 1, 2011, the Level 1 Cardiac/Neuro Program includes a streamlined transfer process guide and tools to improve efficiency at the transfer point. Prior to launching the program, LifeFlight Eagle provided education for the referring emergency departments and security/facilities departments, the receiving stroke and STEMI teams, and the LifeFlight Eagle medical crews. According to Sherri Dean, LifeFlight Eagle Vice-President of Clinical Services, “Initiatives like the Level 1 Cardiac/Neuro Program help us work with referring and receiving facilities to achieve our goal to decrease the length of time that time critical diagnosis patients are away from definitive care.”

Miami County EMS
Miami County EMS would like to welcome Jordan Busch, who accepted a full-time paramedic position, and congratulate Sean Belt on his promotion to A shift Lieutenant. Also, Brandon Ream, Nick Giebler, and Tiffany McVaugh have moved from Miami’s reserve squad to accept part-time EMT positions. Miami County EMS would also like to welcome the following new reserve squad members: Jayla Ellis, James Riggs, Jesse Cook, Travis McGuire, Denise Ritch, Casey Frese, and Jason Finley. They will be starting their academy on November 12, 2011.

Miami County EMS will be offering a National Registry Paramedic Refresher course at the Paola Fire Station located at 202 E. Wea in Paola. The course will be offered every Tuesday starting January 10 through February 28, 2012 from 0830 hours until 1730 hours each day. It is including the requirements for the National Registry Paramedic Transition in this year’s Refresher course.

Miami County EMS will be conducting an EMT Transition Course on January 28, February 4, and February 11, 2012. The class will be held at the Louisburg Fire Station, 205 S Metcalf, Louisburg, KS. The cost of the course is $75.00. If you are interested in attending or have any questions, please contact Lt. John Harvey at jharvey@miamicountyks.org or 913-294-5010.

Look for more information on these courses and the reserve program at www.miamicountyems.com.

Promise Regional Medical Center/Reno County EMS
Promise Regional Medical/Reno County EMS participated in the Promise Regional Medical Center Health Expo on October 15, 2011. The event provided the community with health care awareness and a number of free screening opportunities including blood pressure, blood glucose, blood lipids, cardiac risk assessment skin cancer, medication review, etc. As a department of the hospital, PRMC/Reno County focused its information about its operations and the services it provides. The Terry Traumasaurus costume was loaned to them by the Region III EMS Council and was a great way to connect with the kids. The event was held in the Meadowlark Building on the Kansas State Fairgrounds.

Sedgwick County EMS
Sedgwick County EMS is pleased to announce Kevin Hartley has been promoted to Captain, Operations Division. Also, congratulations and welcome to new employees. Accepting full-time positions are Bobbi Fischer, David Shinn, Justin Sleffel, and Drew Vogt. Accepting part-time positions are Justi Davidson, Gary Enos, Curtis Fleming, Scott Waddell, and Teresa Wier.

Saying good-bye is never easy, but this time it is especially difficult with the retirement of several long-time employees. It is nearly impossible to adequately or justly describe in a few sentences the value and innumerable contributions these dedicated individuals have given to the EMS profession and the SCEMS organization. With a combined 180 years of institutional knowledge and experience, they have had a positive, far reaching, and indelible influence on thousands of patients and numerous employees. Thank you and God Bless!
Retirements include:
Assistant Director Garry Tolle – 36 years of service
Major Greg Schuessler – 30 years of service
Lieutenant Craig Cannady – 27 years of service
Lieutenant Steve Albright – 25 years of service
Paramedic Brenda Albright – 21 years of service
Paramedic Greg Robison – 21 years of service
Lieutenant Mark Handzo – 20 years of service

The KEMSA Chronicle is pleased to accept submissions for the KEMSA Service Chronicles. Submissions should be no more than four reasonable paragraphs in length due to space considerations. The purpose of service chronicles is to share current news about your service rather than just describing your service. Examples of service chronicles include, but are not limited to: community events your service helped with, new equipment or vehicles, new staff members, promotions or changes, new certifications acquired by staff, educational seminars held, etc. We would also love to include photos with your service news.

In order to ensure the quality of our publication, editing for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and content may occur. Every effort will be made to ensure that the context of the submission remains the same. Pictures submitted with KEMSA Service Chronicles information are best reproduced at 300 dpi or greater.

To submit Service Chronicles and photos to the editor, send an e-mail to Mary Napier before the deadlines below.