Visit us at WWW.FFCA.ORG 11 DIRTY BUNKER GEAR IS NOT A BADGE OF HONOR It’s a disaster waiting to happen FREE PICKUP AND DELIVERY I\URLYNLHYJSLHULYZJVT ࠮  3795 NW 38th St, Miami, FL 33142 Eco-Friendly and NFPA Compliant firesoaps.com What is the most notable achievement your agency has reached in EMS services? Since becoming EMS Chief in 2014 the relationships between the county and fire departments have made tremendous strides. There is a transparent relationship that makes everyone’s job easier to accomplish. We as an agency have targeted several areas, from being better stewards of our resources to certifying as many of our city personnel and citizens as possible in CPR. As a county, we have recently purchased common medical bags from Stat Pack for all agencies in the county. Our goal is that these bags will provide a less stressful work environment when responding with other agencies. These bags are ergonomic and lighter and will reduce personnel injuries. These bags will hopefully reduce waste and ease inventory procedures. What is the most challenging EMS issue facing your department today? If you were to ask this question to each clinician in our department you would get multiple answers, but I believe a common response would be dealing with the repetitive responses made to local Assisted Living Facilities. There is a struggle to balance the most effective way to dispatch and handle these institutions. Do you have a working relationship with the hospitals and other healthcare institutions in your district/city/area? Pinellas Park Fire Department works very hard at keeping open communication and strong relationships with each of the hospitals in our district. One example, our local trauma center sends us pertinent correspondence. Could you comment on the topic of mobile integrated healthcare/community paramedicine and how fire-based EMS agencies could influence the delivery of comprehensive medical care to the community? This is a tough question, I believe there are many participants and moving parts when it comes to community para medicine, from insurance companies, hospitals, transport agencies, home health nurses, to fire departments. Every agency involved needs to be on the same page. Education on the patient’s part is a vital element in the system. Can and will it play an important role in the way the fire departments do business? The answer to that is most definitely. What are those changes and roles? I cannot nor do I want to sound like I can define them. EMS was designed for that first word “EMERGENCY”, so, there needs to be a balance and change in the way fire departments do business. The sole purpose of a Community Para Medicine program is to provide care to those who cannot care for themselves in the non-emergency setting. Can you describe what the future for the fire-based EMS services would look like in your opinion? • In Pinellas County, I see the reduction or elimination in Alpha response from FD units. • I see a more direct route of critical patients to definitive care procedures such as stroke, STEMI, and trauma alerts. • I see an urgent need for Health/Wellness awareness and an algorithm for EMS providers who need to seek help with work or personal issues. • I see the evolution of the Tech generation making large strides in the EMS business. We are already seeing the use of drones on the fire ground; look for them to come into play in EMS. I think body camera and real time integration of remote doctor to patient to paramedic care. We are already seeing Mobile Integrated Healthcare between patients and doctors with the backing of insurance companies. I see 911 dispatch using this to determine response modes. • The future of paramedic shortage is already here and the inability for institutions to educate personnel fast enough.