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Southern Tier Regional Emergency Medical Services Council

Council Meeting, Thursday, May 8, 2008; 7:00 PM EMSTAR, Elmira NY

Present: Bob Rajsky, chairperson; Steve Bennett, Gary Blitz, Frank Brzozowski, Fred Crist, Linda Donley, Don Duvall, Patti Gressel, Bill Hawk, Bernadette Josbeno-Oakes, Bill Kennedy, Rick Kimball, Jim Kintz, Carol Lucas, Ann Repsher, Mike Smith, Maryann Sweely, Teri Symonds, Mary Ann Teeter. Staff: Judy Blair
Absent/Excused: J. Chrabaszcz, R. Churches, S. Churches, C. Cuyle, W. Huffner, H. Jerzak, A. Lewis, S. Manganaro, D. Molyno, D. Patterson, M. Sprague
Guests: Don McCarn, Judy McCarn
Item Description Action
Call to Order The meeting of the Southern Tier Regional EMS Council was called to order at 7:05 PM by Bob Rajsky, Chairperson. None
Correspondence and announcements The Department of Health Enforcement Notices were read:
  • Brian Pietrzyk, Amherst, NY, certification surrendered effective 2/15/08; violations of Part 800.15(a)(l) and (b), and 80.16(b).
  • Jason Norris, Brooklyn, NY, 1 year stayed suspension, 3 years probation, $2000 penalty for violations of Part 800.16(c) and (d)
Other correspondence/announcements:
  • Letter from Marjorie Geiger, Assistant Director of EMS regarding DMV seeking information about vehicle safety programs
  • E-mail from Martha Gohlke regarding EMS-C survey sent to some regional ambulance agencies: Erway, Rural Metro, Addison, Hatch, Cameron, Canisteo, Cohocton, Jasper, Pulteney, Troupsburg, Wayland and Wayne.
  • Golf Tournament, May 16
 None.
Approval of meeting minutes The minutes of the March 2008 meeting were approved on a motion by Mr. Crist, seconded by Mr. Brzozowski. None
REPORTS    
SEMAC/SEMSCo SEMAC and SEMSCo will meet at the end of the month. EMS Week begins May 18; the EMS Memorial ceremony is May 22. None
Training Committee Training Committee reviewed three sponsorship renewals:
  • EMSTAR for specialty courses. Motion to approve by Ms. Sweely, second by Ms Teeter. Passed.
  • Corning hospital, for BLS courses. Motion to approve by Ms. Gressel, seconded by Mr. Brzozowski. Passed.
  • Schuyler County, for BLS courses. Signatures missing. Approval recommended pending completion (Sweely/Bennett); passed
Instructor recommendations: For CLI, Frank Brzozowski (Sweely/Bennett); passed. For CIC, Teri Symonds (Sweely/Crist); passed.
Five course grades and evaluations were reviewed; most were very good. One class had a 1/3 failure rate because those students could not read. It was recommended that a pre-screening program be developed for BLS courses. Ms. Jewett was commended for her Notre Dame students.		 None
Systems Committee Systems Committee had no pressing issues this month. They continue to review AED and Epi applications. Mr Sprague has completed and filed the application for a communications grant, but we do not know the status of it yet. Erway Ambulance continues to provide Regional IDs. None
Public Relations The committee did not meet this month, but continues to provide recognition of EMS providers, and will meet prior to the September Council meeting. None
STREMAC STREMAC will meet on May 21, and will be reviewing the revised Regional policies, the updated ALS equipment list, and rapid sequence intubation. None
Quality Improvement QI is working toward providing stroke education for EMS and the public. None
Executive Committee The Executive Committee met and approved Daryl Tombs as Mr. Lewis' alternate. The committee also reviewed and approved the Council's operating budget for 2009, to complete the annual Training Template for the Department of Health. None
Critical Incident Stress Management The team had twelve activities in April, and they are working on a date - probably late August or early September - for a local training program. None
Other Business Stroke Care: Arnot, St Joseph's and Corning Hospitals are all stroke centers. There is a strong need to get the word to the public to recognize stroke symptoms and call EMS; too many are arriving too late at the hospital. There is an upcoming health fair at the Arena; Arnot will have information on recognizing the signs and symptoms of stroke.
Emergency Management updates: Bird flu is a real possibility in this area, when you consider the number of people who travel from this area to Asia and back, on business trips.
Nurses' Week - recognition of the nurses among us.
Recognitions:
  • Congratulations to Mr. Rajsky and Mr. Kintz on receiving the "EMS research project of the year" award for their part in "Are cardiac patients treated differently by paramedic students?"
  • Mr. Rajsky was congratulated on being the recipient of the Ron Kintz Award for Excellence in EMS from United New York Ambulance Network
  • Ms. Teeter was a speaker at the ENA conference in Saratoga, on "Prehospital care and induced hypothermia."
Utilization of IO: Ms. Josbeno-Oakes reported on a recent article encouraging the use of IO in adult patients. Mr. Brzozowski reported that IO is well-used in the Hornell area.
Newsletter: A regional newsletter was recently sent out by mail and e-mail to EMS Agencies, with recent policy and regulation updates; Council members will be added to that mailing list.
Conference: the Regional EMS Conference will be in October [October 25]; it will be an interactive event. Vital Signs is October 4-5 (pre-conference begins 10/3) in Buffalo.
EMS Teaching Day in Steuben County will be September 20 at Bath Haverling; the first speaker will be on stroke.		 None
Adjournment, next meeting Next meeting is scheduled for September 11 [note: the date has been changed to September 18]. Meeting adjourned at 7:45 PM on a motion by Mr. Duvall.