Information on the Small Pox Threat & What Smallpox Is?
Smallpox is a highly contagious virus that can be spread through the air and infects 30% of the people who are exposed to it. Once infected, there is no cure. None of our current antiviral medications is effective. Smallpox can spread from person to person and through infected blankets, linens, and clothing. Experts consider it a likely weapon of choice for use in a bioterrorist attack
Symptoms
Symptoms don't start until about 12 days after exposure to the virus. At first, it's like the flu -- causing an under-the-weather feeling of fever, nausea, vomiting, headache, and backache. Then, severe abdominal pain and disorientation can set in, as small, round sores erupt all over the skin. Statistically about 30% of people who become infected will die, and survivors can be left with permanent scars.
Vaccination's can prevent smallpox infection. The World Health Organization's worldwide vaccination campaign, began in 1967, ending in 1980. After the disease was officially declared "eradicated." In the U.S., Smallpox had been stamped out earlier, thereby childhood vaccination's ended in 1972.
There are only two official repositories of smallpox virus in the world: the CDC in Atlanta and the Russian State Research Center of Virology and Biotechnology in Koltsovo, Novosibirsk. Those supplies are used for scientific research and vaccine development.
These 2 Countries, however, are not the only locations of this deadly virus. Iraq is known to have begun growing and stockpiling large quantities of smallpox virus, that can be especially adapted for use in bombs and missiles.
Prior to Sept 11th, 2001 interest was rising in how prepared the United States is prepared in the face a bioterrorism attack. Now that the "unthinkable" has happened, the United States has been bolstering the Smallpox Vaccine Supply.
AED
(Automated External Defibrillator)
Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) kills more than 350,000 Americans each year. The American Heart Association estimates that up to 100,000 deaths a year could be prevented if early defibrillation was readily available in the first few minuets of a SCA emergency.
Life Support Systems are using the AED for its simple, easy to use operation , no matter what your prior defibrillation experience. The AED is rugged and reliable, offering safe and effective defibrillation in a wide variety of situations with various types of patients. Medtronic Physio -Control invented the first external defibrillator 40 years ago and today, it is the world's largest provider of external defibrillators.
Anthrax The Facts and Symptoms you should Know
Emergency Reaction of Chemical and Bilogical Incidents
Click the EMS Stars to go to the data
1.) A man falls while rollerskating and fractures his
olecranon process. Which artery should you assess first?
A. Femoral
B. Radial
C. Pedal
D. Carotid
2) An incomplete closed fracture that occurs only in
Children is known as:
A. an epiphyseal fracture.
B. a comminuted fracture.
C. a greenstick fracture.
D. a pathologic fracture.
3) The most reliable indication of an underlying fracture
is:
A. guarding.
B. point tenderness.
C. swelling.
D. the inability to move the limb.
4) The first step in caring for a young boy believed to have
an injured upper arm after a bicycle accident is to:
A. remove any clothing from around the suspected
injury.
B. check for a distal pulse.
C. cover all wounds with dry, sterile dressings.
D. apply gentle traction to align the limb.
5) The second step in caring for an upper arm injury is to:
A. remove any clothing from around the suspected
injury.
B. check for a distal pulse.
C. cover all wounds with dry, sterile dressings.
D. apply gentle traction to align the limb.
Ordinary people with no special training can save lives with the heart-jolting defibrillators that are being put in public places around the country.
Many heart specialists and others want to install these simplified, automated devices in airports, shopping malls, casinos, stadiums, schools and even homes to save victims of sudden cardiac arrest.
Several studies have examined the effectiveness of automated defibrillators in the hands of trained and designated staff members at casinos and other public places, Chicago's Study is the first to evaluate their use by untrained passers-by in real medical emrgencies.
Dr. W. Douglas Weaver of the Henry Ford Heart Institute in Detroit has stated,"I think there's enough evidence that these devices should be in every public place, and ultimately they ought to be in every home." The AED study, sponsored by the city of Chicago, has been published in The New England Journal of Medicine.
Sudden cardiac arrest -- from heart attacks, heart disease, accidents or other causes -- strikes about 250,000 American adults every year outside hospitals. About 95 percent die before reaching the hospital. People stand a much better chance of surviving if they undergo defibrillation, which restores a normal beat to a helplessly quivering heart, within the first few minutes of cardiac arrest. Ambulances often can have long response times and in some areas arrival may take up to 10 minutes, to be on scene with their advanced equipment.
AED's are easy-to-operate defibrillators that automatically detect the heart's rhythm and can decide whether the victims heart needs a shock. The AED's have been developed over the past 20 years and used by Fire and Police Departments.
These four-pound defibrillators were distributed like fire extinguishers in labeled glass cabinets at Chicago's O'Hare, Midway and Meigs Field airports. No bigger than the size of a toaster, this equipment carries the capability to record thier actions for later review.
In the Chicago two-year study, someone tried to use one in each of 18 witnessed cases of persons suffering from cardiac arrest. Eleven people were revived. Though some airport personnel were trained on the defibrillators, six of the primary rescuers in the 11 successful efforts were passers-by, largely travelers, with no connection to the program or experience with the machines.
Now the "International Council of Shopping Centers," are sating that many shopping centers are participating in the AED programs, the differnce to the Chicago program is that designated operators, usually security staffers are using the AED's. Issue's of liability and making sure people who use the equipment know how to do it properly are serious concerns for the Store markets. Illinois and many other states are adopting "Good Samaritan Laws," which offer varying protection from lawsuits for well-meaning rescuers. No one was sued during the Chicago airport study.
Rattled but apparently not badly hurt, the driver walked away from a car accident, finally going to a hospital only at a police officer's insistence. The driver was later shocked to learn that he had in fact sustained a life-threatening liver injury.
Fact: In the frantic rush after an accident, serious injuries can often can go undetected without close observation by emergency crews.
Ambulance History
From earliest times, people have required a means of transporting their wounded and sick. The first wounded were probably carried in a hammock strung between two poles. Other unique conveyances included human hooleys which were used in India; wicker cradles called mule panniers; and Egyptian camel litters. The Mojave Indians devised a litter comprised of a sheet of canvas between two poles carried on the shoulders of two men. A more formalized ambulance surfaced in the late 15th century, when Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain took an unprecedented interest in the welfare of their troops during their crusade against the Moors. Surgical and medical supplies were brought together in special tents for the wounded called ambulancias. The concept of the ambulance was developed further by a man named Dominique-Jean Larrey who had been appalled by the neglected wounded and poor medical conditions he had witnessed during France's war with the Austrians and Prussians in 1792. Larrey came up with the idea of mobile ambulances--light-weight, two wheeled vehicles which stayed with the troops and allowed surgeons to work on the battlefield, an idea he later refined for Napoleon during the General's Italian campaign. The evolution of the ambulance took yet another turn during the American Civil War when ambulances were too few, often late, and driven by civilian drunkards and thieves. A physician names Jonathan Letterman reorganized the field medical service to prove an effective ambulance service for the evacuation of battle casualties. In 1864, an act was passed in Congress entitled "An Act to Establish a Uniform System of Ambulances in the Armies of the United States," which spelled out who was responsible for each phase of the ambulance system.
Precursors of Modern Ambulances
Most ambulance innovations took place during wartime, which were then adapted to civilian life. American hospitals initiated their own ambulance services during the late 1860s. Horse drawn, these ambulances had a moveable floor that could be drawn out to receive the patient. Beneath the driver's seat was a container with: a quart of brandy, two tourniquets, six bandages, six small sponges, splint material, blankets and a two-ounce vial of persulphate of iron. With the arrival of the automobile came a different type of ambulance, the first appearing in 1899, during World War I, many ambulances were adapted from buses and taxis. The world's oldest builder of ambulances is the Hess and Eisenhardt Company in Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1937, they sold the first air-conditioned ambulance built in America. Developed with the idea that the ambulance should be a pre-hospital emergency room, these precursors of the modern ambulance were filled with medicine cabinets, roof lights, and two-way radios.
Post World War II Advances
Ambulance service has not been confined to ground units. During the Civil War, train ambulances and steam boat hospitals were used, and street car/trolley ambulances were popular in some cities in the late 1800s. More recently, the Star of Life, a water cruiser, began to operate under the direction of the Coast Guard and Marine Police in 1976. And the "medi copter" is commonplace now, first coming into service as a means of evacuating combat patients in Korea and Vietnam, and now invaluable during natural disasters, such as the Johnstown Flood, when medical supplies required refrigeration and patients needed to be airlifted to hospitals.
Today's Ambulances
Today Ambulances come equipped with the most state of the art Equipment as well as amazing new technologies, ranging from defibrillators and monitors than can transmit a complete 12-lead ECG directly to emergency department to the latest in handheld computers.
The History of the Ambulance
TRAINING FOR WHEN
Humans have approx. 21 square feet of skin
During exercise we can sweat 2 pints an hour
Our muscles produce enough heat to boil several cups of coffee
We have enough carbon in our bodies to make 1000 pencils
Enough Phosphorous to make 3000 match heads
An Adult femur can absorb a 1/2 ton of pressure
Our hands have more parts controlled by more muscles than any other part of our body
We are capable of processing over 10,000 different smells
If every citizen in every city were calling everyone in the phone book (at the same time) it might come close to how many connections our brain makes in a second
"Courage is not the absence of fear, but the Mastery of it."
There are more than 155,000 Emergency Medical Technicians who that are Nationally Registered.
S T A T I S T I C S
Emergency Medical Services
Providers (approx.) 815,000
Number of Heart Attacks (1996) 1.5 million
Deaths Due to Unintentional Injury (1996) 93,400
Deaths Due to Motor Vehicle Crashes (1996)
Medical Expenses Due to Unintentional Injury $74.6 billion
Coronary heart disease is America's No. 1 killer.
Stroke is America's No. 3 and a leading cause of serious disability.
That's why it's so important to reduce your risk factors, know the warning signs, and know how to respond quickly and properly if warning signs occur.
Heart Attack Symptoms & Warning Signs
Stroke Symptoms & Warning Signs
911 Call is Critical in EMS
(What to Say )
You, as the 911 caller, are a vital link within the EMS system. The information you provide the dispatch operator helps EMS help you. The following lists the guidelines for communicating the 911 call:
• Try to remain calm — emotions can deter effective communications.
• Speak slowly, deliberately.
• Respond to all questions presented by the dispatch operator.
• Give a brief, concise description of the emergency, including: the nature of the illness, for example, chest pain
with difficult breathing; the mechanism causing the injury, for example, a fall from a 6-foot ladder; the number of patients involved and the types of treatment being rendered by bystanders or first responders.
• Know the complete residential or business address, including street number and community, especially if you are calling from a cellular phone.
• Assist emergency response to the address by ensuring the house number is visible from the street and turning on porch lights. You might send a bystander to meet the ambulance.
• Do not hang up until directed by the dispatch operator.
DIRECTIONS FOR CALLING 911
The U.S. government took a leading role in modern emergency medical care with the creation of the Highway Safety Act of 1966 and the Emergency Medical Services Act of 1973, which created guidelines and funding for training, equipment, and the implementation of Regional Systems.
6) The second step in caring for an upper arm injury is to:
A. remove any clothing from around the suspected
injury.
B. check for a distal pulse.
C. cover all wounds with dry, sterile dressings.
D. apply gentle traction to align the limb.
First-aid measures depend upon a victim's needs and the provider's level of knowledge, ability and skill.
Knowingwhat not to do in an emergency is very important and could mean the difference between life & death. For example; Improperly moving a person with a neck injury, can lead to permanent spinal injury, paralysis and death..
If the Brain is deprived from oxygen for 4
minutes or greater brain damage occurs.
First aid requires rapid assessment of victims to determine whether life-threatening conditions exist. One method for evaluating a victim's condition is known by the acronym ABCs, which stands for:
A - Airway-is it open and unobstructed?
B - Breathing-is the person breathing? Look, listen, and feel for breathing.
C - Circulation-is there a pulse?
Is the person bleeding externally? Check skin color and temperature for additional indications of circulation problems.
BLEEDING
The presence of blood over a considerable area of a person's body does not always indicate severe bleeding.
The blood may ooze from multiple small wounds or be smeared, giving the appearance of more blood than is actually present.
The rate at which blood is lost from a wound depends on the size and kind of blood vessel ruptured.
Bright red, spurting blood indicates injury to an artery.
While welling or steadily flowing, dark red blood indicates injury to a vein.
Welling or spurting blood is an unmistakable sign of severe bleeding. If a major artery ruptures, a person may bleed to death within a minute. Injuries to veins and minor arteries bleed more slowly but may also be fatal if left unattended. Shock usually results from loss of fluids, such as blood, and must be prevented as soon as the loss of blood has been stopped.
AIRWAY A B C
Bleeding control is most effectively handled by the application of direct pressure over the wound. Universal Precautions should be utilized by using latex gloves
MINOR CUTS, SCRAPES,
& BRUISES
TREATMENT
Wash with cool water and bland soap. Cover with a light protective adhesive bandage (such as a Band-Aid or Telfa strip).
Use of an antibiotic or antiseptic is optional. Avoid using alcohol.
Hydrogen peroxide kills some microorganisms by generating oxygen at the site of a cut, but it is a weak antiseptic. Stronger substances include iodine complexes such as Betadine and benzalkonium chloride (Zephiran).
Facial scrapes should be thoroughly washed to remove debris and, after treating with antiseptic or antibiotic cream, should be left unbandaged.
Treat bruises that involve bleeding into the tissue beneath the outer layer of skin with cold packs to reduce swelling.
For deeper cuts that go through the skin, control bleeding by direct pressure and elevation. If bleeding persists or recurs, the wound may need a doctor's care to be closed with tape or stitches.
First Aid Data on this site NOT intended to replace first aid and/or CPR training.
First Aid Data on this site NOT intended to replace first aid and/or CPR training.
First Aid Data on this site is NOT intended to replace first Aid and/or CPR training.
First Aid Data on this site IS NOT intended to replace first aid and/or CPR training. IT IS STRICKLY INFORMATIONAL
First Aid Data on this site is NOT intended to replace first aid and/or CPR training.
Choking
Choking occurs when the airway is partially or totally blocked by a swallowed object, i.e. when something goes down the windpipe rather than the food passage. The aim of treatment is to clear the blocked passage.
THE CHOKING VICTIM WILL CLASP HIS NECK IN AN INSTINCTIVE ACT, WHICH IS NOW RECOGNIZED AS THE UNIVERSAL CHOKING SIGN.
Act Quickly; speed is essential. Brain death can occur in 4-6 minutes.
Treatment:
Conscious Adult
Ask, "Are you choking?" If the victim can speak, cough or breathe, DO NOT INTERFERE - he is not choking.
If the victim cannot speak, cough or breathe, give upward abdominal thrusts. To do this, stand behind victim and wrap your arms round the waist. Grasp one fist with your other hand and place thumb side of your fist in the mid-line between waist and rib cage. Press fist into abdomen with 4 quick upward and inward thrusts.
Do not use abdominal thrust when dealing with a pregnant woman or over-weight victim. In these cases use chest thrusts - press on breastbone as in CPR.
Stand behind victim and place your arms under her armpits to encircle body.
Grasp one fist with the other hand, and place thumb side on the middle of the breastbone.Press with quick backward thrusts.
Repeat above sequence. Be persistent. Send for medical aid, call an Ambulance and continue treatment until help arrives.
Self Help
The above technique can be used successfully if a person is choking and alone. Lean over a chair or railing as you act to help release obstruction.
Unconscious Adult
Establish unconsciousness.
Call for Help". Get them to get an Ambulance, Now! Dial 911 in the US or your local emergency telephone number.
Open Airway and begin A of resuscitation procedure,
If unsuccessful deliver five abdominal thrusts.
Use finger probe in mouth to remove the dislodged foreign body.
If unsuccessful repeat these sequences. Be persistent.
Continue treatment until help arrives.
Child (as for adults)
If a child (1-8 years) is choking, proceed as for adult, depending on whether victim is conscious or unconscious.
Infant (up to 1 year)
If an infant is choking, turn infant face downwards supporting the body along your arm with hand supporting head and neck.
Ensure airway is open.
Deliver five back blows between the shoulders, then turn over and give five chest thrusts.
Remove object if visible.
Do not perform blind finger sweeps in infants and children. When obstruction is removed and infant is still not breathing and has no pulse start CPR.
Call help FAST
To prevent further complications, all cases of choking should receive medical inspection even if the first aid measure relieved the obstruction.
CONTACTING Emergency Services
Dial: 911
Your Emergency call will be answered with these possible questions:
Which Service Do You Require
Ambulance.
Fire Dept.
Police Dept.
Rescue.
Marine Rescue.
When the Emergency Service you need answers:
State: Your telephone number, the emergency control staff may need to call you back. ( You could get cut off )
State: The Address or Location were help is needed.
State: The nature of the Incident.
State: The number of people involved and If any are trapped.
State: Any known hazards, i.e.. Fire, Chemicals, Gas Leaks, Oil Spills, Overhanging Electric Cables, Mud & Rock Slides. .
Do: Give any directions and landmarks you know of, this will help speed up the response time to the incident.
Do: If you can, send someone to meet and guide the Ambulance back to your home.
Do: If the incident is in your home and it's dark, switch on all your "House Lights" or use your "Auto Hazard Warning Lights" outside your premises or near the incident.
Do: Lock or tie up any dogs and cats you have on the premises.
Do: Update the Emergency Services if conditions deteriorate at the scene.
Do: Inform the Emergency Services if you no longer require them.
"Don't Hang-Up Until You Are Told To"
Planing Ahead:
Make sure your house number or house name are clearly visible from the road. Take some time to map and write out precise directions to your property, stick the directions to the cover of your phone book, notice board or phone pad and don't forget to tell the rest of your family what you have done and why it was done. Remember the last time you had to give directions over the phone to John Doe the TV repair man, well try giving directions in an emergency when you're under pressure, shocked, or injured. So you see it makes sense to plan ahead.
Remember !
Emergency Medical Services respond to help you. Don't abuse the system or make false calls.
"The time you waste, maybe the time Lost when someone else in sick or injured time needed to survive.
Think about it
Panic Attacks
Panic attacks are brought on by social situations and activities perceived to be a threat to the person. The attack may be the person's first or they may have had an number of attacks before, attacks may recur repeatedly and rapidly, however; once these symptoms abate, moderate to severe anxiety may last for many hours.
The Symptoms Include:
Shortness of breath with rapid breathing (or smothering sensations).
Dizziness, unsteady feelings, or faintness.
Palpitations or accelerated heart rate ( feeling ones own heartbeat ).
Trembling or shaking.
Sweating.
Choking.
Nausea or abdominal distress.
Depersonalization or de-realization.
Numbness or tingling sensations ( pins and needles in the arms / legs).
Flushes (hot flashes) or chills.
Chest pain or discomfort. (Normally this is not a heart attack, but if chest pain persists have it checked out by a Doctor).
Fear of dying.
Fear of going crazy or doing something uncontrolled.
Not all the above symptoms will be present.
The Symptoms Include:
Shortness of breath with rapid breathing (or smothering sensations).
Dizziness, unsteady feelings, or faintness.
Palpitations or accelerated heart rate ( feeling ones own heartbeat ).
Trembling or shaking.
Sweating.
Choking.
Nausea or abdominal distress.
Depersonalization or de-realization.
Numbness or tingling sensations ( pins and needles in the arms / legs).
Flushes (hot flashes) or chills.
Chest pain or discomfort. (Normally this is not a heart attack, but if chest pain persists have it checked out by a Doctor).
Fear of dying.
Fear of going crazy or doing something uncontrolled.
Not all the above symptoms will be present.
Treatment
Don't get caught up in the panic (remain calm )
Make direct eye contact, and speak clearly and slowly.
Identify yourself if you're not known to the person.
Give short clear instructions.
Make calming gestures.
Allow the casualty some space ( don't crowd them in )
Minimize embarrassment and avoid an audience.
Get them to sit down, if they aren't already.
Sit with them at eye level
Encourage them to breathe normally. (talk them through the breathing cycle)
Inhale, take in long slow deep breath. (breathe with them)
Hold breath for 2 seconds.
Exhale slowly, (pucker your lips like you're going to kiss)
Tell them to relax in a clam voice, just before they reach the end of exhalation.
Start a new breathing cycle while telling them how well they are doing.
Continue encouraging them to breathe normally. Try these breathing exercises on yourself first! (sitting or lying down)
When you feel you're on top of the situation, organize transport for the person if they want to
go home or call an Ambulance to take them to Hospital. Don't abandon them.
DAVES EMS HEADQUARTERS
EDUCATION & RESOURCES Pg1
Fractures
A fracture is a broken or cracked bone. It may be diagnosed by being felt or heard, by pain, difficulty in moving, tenderness, swelling, bruising, deformity or symptoms of shock.
The keynote of first aid treatment is to prevent movement.
Treatment:
* Difficulty in breathing, severe bleeding and unconsciousness must be dealt with before broken bones
* Treat all fractures in position found if possible. If removal to hospital is imminent, gently support the injured part by hand, place the casualty in a comfortable position, and support with rolled up blankets.
* If transportation is delayed, immobilize the injured part by securing it to sound part of the body with padding and bandages - as illustrated, arm to body, leg to leg).
Treat for shock
Sprains
This is an injury where the ligaments and tissues around a joint are wrenched or torn. It will show itself in pain, tenderness, swelling and bruising.
Treatment:
* Rest and support the injured part in a comfortable position.
* Carefully expose the joint and apply a cold compress.
* If the ankle is sprained, apply figure of eight bandage over the foot and seek medical help.
If in doubt about the injury, treat as fracture, and seek medical aid
The AHA association estimates that 40,000 more lives could be saved annually in the U.S. alone if (AED) defibrillators were more widely available thereby reaching victims of sudden cardiac arrest.
The AHA Association Estimates that 40,000 more lives could be saved annually in the U.S. alone if (AED) defibrillators were more widely available thereby reaching victims
of sudden cardiac arrest.
First Aid Data on this site is NOT intended to replace first aid and/or CPR training.
1. Most adults who are in cardiac arrest will be in what rhythm when first monitored?
a.) asystole
b.) ventricular tachycardia
c.) normal sinus rhythm with ventricular ectopy
d.) ventricular fibrillation
2. What is most commonly injured during a fall from a height in a pediatric patient?
a.) extremities
b.) abdomen
c.) head
d.) chest
3. For which one of the following viruses is there currently an effective vaccine?
a.) delta hepatitis
b.) hepatitis B
c.) hepatitis C
d.) human immunodeficiency virus
4. Which area of the spine is most susceptible to injury in a rear-impact motor vehicle crash?
a.)cervical
b.)thoracic
c.) lumbar
d.)sacral-coccygeal
5. Proper immobilization of a forearm (radius and ulna) fracture involves splinting which of the following?
a.)elbow and fracture site
b.)fracture site only
c.) wrist and fracture site
d.) wrist, elbow and fracture site
Emergency Medical Technicians are an important part of the EMS system. They work on ambulances, fire rescue squads, on industrial response teams and in hospitals. Some EMTs even perform patient assessments for insurance companies. Most metro-area career fire departments require EMT licensure of all applicants. The skills you learn as a Basic EMT form the foundation for the rest of your EMS career. EMT Specialist and Paramedic courses build on the basics, and add exciting new treatment options.
6. A burn that reddens the skin but does not cause blistering is a:
a) Third-degree burn.
b) Second-degree burn.
c) Full thickness burn.
d) First-degree burn.
7. A brain contusion is considered more serious than a brain concussion because:
a) It causes unequal pupils.
b) There is always an accompanying skull fracture.
c) Physical injury to brain tissue is involved.
d) Most patients do not survive contusions.
8. If you suspected a significant spinal injury in the area of the mid-cervical spine, you would expect to observe:
a) Significant swelling in the area of the injury.
b) The patient to be breathing only with his diaphragm.
c) The patient's blood pressure elevates.
d) The patient's pupils to dilate.
9. Procedures for neurological assessment of patients with possible brain or spinal injury should be followed in a certain order. Which of the following procedures comes first?
a) Assess the patient's level of consciousness.
b) Note speech patterns.
c) Observe the patient's pupils.
d) Note breathing patterns.
10. According to the Rule of Nines, which of the following areas is estimated to comprise 9% of the body area?
a) Infants head.
b) One leg.
c) Front of trunk.
d) One arm.
High Blood Pressure
In 1995, high blood pressure killed 39,981 Americans and contributed to the death of about 190,000. It is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
Also known as hypertension, high blood pressure is often called "silent killer" because, in most cases, it has no warning signs. That's why it is vitally important to have your blood pressure checked regularly, to follow your doctor's instructions and to stay on your medication and to take it as prescribed.
The following dietary and lifestyle choices can help control your blood pressure:
•Reduce your weight to ideal levels for your height.
•Decrease your sodium intake to less than 2000 milligrams a day.
•Make sure your diet is rich in fruits and vegetables.
•Exercise regularly.
•Be moderate in your drinking.
•Reduce stress on and off the job.
•If you are smoking, stop.
THE STAR OF LIFE
Each of the six "points" of the star represents an aspect of the EMS System. They are:
•Detection
•Reporting
•Response
•On Scene Care
•Care in Transit
•Transfer to Definitive Care
The staff on the star represents Medicine and Healing.
The #1 Killer of Children under age 14 is Preventable Injury
The information on this page is not meant to replace the need to learn first aid by an accredited training programing such as from the American Heart Association and Red Cross etc.
The human nose can remember 50,000 different smells
The human female is physically capable of producing as many as thirty five children in her lifetime.
Blood type A can receive blood types A & O safely.
Blood type B can receive types B & O.
Blood type O can receive only O blood but are "universal donors" because O is acceptable to all other blood types.
Blood type O is the most common blood type worldwide.
Sensations of pins and needles is caused by an impairment of blood circulation.
About every seven years, your body replaces the equivalent of an entirely new skeleton.
The average person will breathe about seventy five million gallons of air in a lifetime.
A human nose can remember 50,000 different smells
A human eye can detect over 10,000,000 different colors
Skin is the largest organ in your body. Even our eyes are covered by a thin layer of skin.
When you were born, you had 350 bones in your body, and after childhood 144 of these bones fused together.
The heart pumps over 300 quarts of blood an hour. Your heart will beat approximately 2,700,000,000 times in a lifetime. There are 59,951 miles of blood vessels in your body
Over sixty percent of an adult's weight is water
The oxygen intake of a person under 30 is twice that of a person over 80
The most common dreams reported by surveys are: 1. Falling. 2. Being pursued or attacked. 3. Trying to perform a task but repeatedly failing. 4. Work and school activities. 5. Sexual experiences.
Laughing and coughing put more pressure on the spine than walking or standing
It takes approximately 200,000 frowns to create one permanent brow line.
Bruises appear near the surface of the skin because capillaries burst, then the blood cells die off, change color, and eventually the body discards them.
It takes about 8 seconds for food to travel down the esophagus. The average time for your stomach to digest a high fat meal is 6 hours, as compared 2 hours for a carbohydrate meal. The average time for the digestion process in the small intestine is about 3 to 5 hours. This is followed by another 4 hours to 3 days in the large intestine.
The Need for Automatic Defibrillator in Public Places:
Today's Cost for an AED is about $1,200 each.
A&O - alert and oriented
Ant. - Anterior
APAP - acetaminophen
APE - acute pulmonary edema
app. - approximately
approx. - approximately
ARC - AIDS related complex
ARDS - Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome
ASA - acetylsalicylic acid/aspirin
ASAP - as soon as possible
ASHD - arteriosclerosis heart disease
a-fib - atrial fibrillation
BBB - bundle branch block
BGC/HBG - blood sugar
bicarb - sodium bicarbonate
b.i.d. - twice a day
bilat. - bilateral
bl. - blood
BLS - Basic Life Support
BM - bowel movement
bolus - an amount of medication given by intravenous push
ECG/EKG - electrocardiogram (EKG may be preferred for legibility)
EGTA - esophageal gastric tube airway
ED - emergency department
elix. - elixir
EMT-P - paramedic
EOA - esophageal obturator airway
EENT - "ear, eye, nose, throat"
ENT - "ear, nose and throat"
ER - emergency room
ET - endotracheal
ETA - estimated time of arrival
ETOH - alcohol
eval. - evaluation
exam. - examination
ext. - extension
Fem. - Female
Flex. - Flexion
Fx - fracture
GC - gonorrhea
GI - gastrointestinal
g- - gram
gm. - gram
gr. - grain
gravida - number of pregnancies
GSW - gunshot wound
gtt - drop
GU - genitourinary
Gyn - Gynecology
H/A - headache
HCTZ - hydrochlorothiazide
hr. - hour
HC03 - bicarbonate
HIV - Human Immunodeficiency
hgb. - hemoglobin
HHH - Hazel Hawkins Hospital
H2O - water
H2O2 - hydrogen peroxide
horiz. - horizontal
hosp. - hospital
H&P - history and physical
HR - heart rate
ht. - height
HTN - hypertension
Hx - history
ICU - Intensive Care Unit
IM - intramuscular
inc. - incomplete
incont. - Incontinent
incr. - increased or increasing
inf. - inferior/infusion
inspir. - Inspiration or inspiratory
I0 - intraosseous
irr. - Irregular
irreg. - irregular
IV - intravenous
IVP - intravenous push administration
jt. - joint
JVD - jugular vein distention
K7KC1 - postassium chloride
L - liter
lac. - laceration
lat. - lateral
lb. - pound
Lido. - Lidocaine
liq. - liquid
LLQ - left lower quadrant - abdomen
LMP - last menstrual period
LNMP - last normal menstrual period
LOC - loss of consciousness/level of consciousness
LR - Lactated Ringers
LSD - lysergic acid disethylamide
L-spine - lumbar spine
It. - left
LUQ - left upper quandrant - abdomen
max. - maximum
mm - millimeters
MAO - manoamine oxidase
MCA - motorcycle accident
meg - microgram
M.D. - medical.doctor
med. - medicine
mg - milligram
mgm - microgram
MHC - Mental Health Clinic
MI - myocardial infarction
MICN - Mobile Intensive Care Nurse
MICP - Mobile Intensive Care Paramedic
min. - minute
ml - milliliter (preferred over cc.)
MLP - Milpitas Fire Department
mm - millimeter
MOF - Mdffatt Field Fire Department
m.p.h. - miles per hour
MS - multiple sclerosis/morphine sulfate
M/S - Motor Sensory
MVA - motor vehicle accident
Na - sodium . .
NICU - neonatal intensive care unit
neuro - neurology or neurological
NC - nasal cannulae
neg. - negative
N/G - nasogastric
NKDA - no known drug allergies
No. - number
noct. - nocturnal
NPO - nothing by mouth
NRB - non-rebreather
NRBM - non-rebreather mask
NS - normal saline
N/V - nausea/vomitting
NSR - normal sinus rhythm
NT - nasotracheal
NTG - nitroglycerine
NTN - no trauma noted
o2 - oxygen
OB - obstetrics or obstetrical
OBS - organic brain syndrome
od - right eye
OD - overdose
OR - operating room
OPA - oropharyngeal airway
ortho. - orthopedic
OS - left eye
ou - both eyes
oz - ounce
P - pulse rate
P - after
PAC - premature atrial contraction
PAI - pre-arrival instructions
PALP - palpitation .
para - number of births,
paraplegic, paraperesic
PCC - poison control center
PCCC - Pediatric Critical Care Center
PCP - phencyclidine
PCR - patient care report
PE - physical examination
PEA - pulseless electrical activity
ped. - pediatrics
pedi - child
PERLA - pupils equal and react to light and accommodation
PICU - pediatric intensive care unit
PID - pelvic inflammatory disease
PJC - Premature junctional contraction
p.m. - afternoon
preemie - premature baby
P.M.D. - private medical doctor
pneumo. - pneumothorax
p.o. - by mouth
pos., + - positive
post. - posterior
post-op - post operative (after surgery)
pre-op - before surgery
prep. - preparation
p.r.n. - as often as necessary. .
prox. - proximal
psych - psychiatry/psychology
pt. - patient
PTA - prior to arrival
PVC - premature ventricular contraction
q- - every/each
q.d. - every day
q.h. - every hour
q.i.d. - four times a day
q.o.d - every other day
R - respiration
resp. - respirations
RL - ringers Lactate
RLQ - right lower quandrant abdomen
rm. - room
R.N. - Registered Nurse
RO - rule out
it. - right
RUQ - right upper quandrant - abdomen
Rx - treatment; therapy
Tx - "treatment, therapy"
s - without
S/S - signs and symptoms
SC/SQ - subcutaneous
sol. - solution
S/P - status post
spec. - specimen
stat - immediately and once only
SL - sublingual
suet. - suction
SVIR - suspected violent injury report
sup. - superior
supp. - suppository
Sx - "sign, symptom"
S/Sx - sign and symptom
Sz - seizure
T - temperature
tab. - tablet
TBSA - total body surface area
TIA - transient ischemia attack
t.i.d. - three times daily
TKO - to keep open
tol. - tolerance
TPN - total parenteral nutrition
trans. - transport
T-spine - thoracic spine
U - units
URI - upper respiratory infection
UTI - urinary tract infection
vag. - vagina or vaginal
VMC - Santa Clara Valley Medical Center
"V/S, VS" - vital signs
w/c - wheelchair
WEL - within expected limits
WNL - within normal limits
W/S - "watt seconds, joules"
wt. - weight
X - times
y/o - years old
EMS Abbreviations
This is an image of what today's EMS Ambulances now look like in the New Millennium
This depicts EMS newest tool for patient transport "EMS Helicopters"
Today Full-time and Volunteer Fire Departments respond to Medical and Traumatic Emergencies as First Responders
In the New Millennium Law Enforcement's Role in EMS is quickly coming to an end with the exception of a few States.
The American Heart Association has Updated Emergency Care Guidelines for CPR
In 2005 New emergency care guidelines released detail many changes to cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) changes which include a new emphasis on chest compressions. The new guidelines will be placed on this page.
The most significant change to CPR is to the ratio of chest compressions to rescue breaths -- from 15 compressions for every two rescue breaths in the 2000 guidelines to 30 compressions for every two rescue breaths in the 2005 guidelines. The 30-to-two ratio is the same for CPR that a single lay rescuer provides to adults, children and infants (excluding newborns).
Airway and Oxygen Therapy
Opening the Upper Airway
A. Technique
1. Head-Tilt-Chin-Lift
2. Jaw Thrust
3. Use of Suction
4. Use of a Nasal Pharyngeal Airway
5. Use of an Oral Pharyngeal Airway
B. Techniques for Opening the Airway
1. Head Tilt-Chin-Lift Maneuver
a) Assess the need for the Head-Tilt Chin-Lift Maneuver
(1) Used when no neck injury suspected
(2) No matter what the patient condition, the airway must remain patent at all times
(3) Use of the Head-Tilt Chin-Lift Maneuver is temporary and must be replaced with an upper airway adjunct unless the patient begins adequate spontaneous ventilation.
(1) Place one hand on the victim’s forehead and apply firm, backward pressure with the palm of your hand causing the head to tilt backward.
(2) Place the fingers of your other hand under the bony part of the victim’s lower jaw near the chin. Lift the jaw upward to bring to bring the victim’s chin forward and the teeth almost to occlusion.
c) Examples of patients needing the Head-Tilt Chin-Lift Maneuver
(1) Any unresponsive patient without history of mechanism of trauma
(2) Cardiac arrest patients without signs of trauma
(3) Apnea patients without signs of trauma
1) Place one hand on the victim’s forehead and apply firm, backward pressure with the palm of your hand causing the head to tilt backward.
(2) Place the fingers of your other hand under the bony part of the victim’s lower jaw near the chin. Lift the jaw upward to bring to bring the victim’s chin forward and the teeth almost to occlusion.
c) Examples of patients needing the Head-Tilt Chin-Lift Maneuver
(1) Any unresponsive patient without history of mechanism of trauma
(2) Cardiac arrest patients without signs of trauma
(3) Apnea patients without signs of trauma
NAVIGATION MENU
Wind chills, although dangerous is not an actual temperature reading at all. They are a measure of heat loss that our body experiences when exposed to the wind. The colder the wind chills, the more dangerous it is.
A body gives off a layer of heat that protects the skin from cold temperatures. A strong wind can blow this layer away from our skin, taking away our natural defense to the cold. Thus, the wind chill temperature is the temperature that our bodies will feel when our skin is exposed to the cold temperatures and the winds of winter.
Wind chill is a great predictor of such dangers as frostbite and hypothermia. Being exposed to below zero wind chills can induce frostbite within five minutes. While wind chills below minus 20 degrees can result in frostbite within a minute of exposure.
Wind chill was created for this exact reason. In the late 1930`s scientists at the South Pole needed to find a measurement to give them an idea of when the weather conditions became too dangerous for prolonged exposure. They conducted an experiment with two buckets of 100-degree water. One bucket was left out in the wind, while the other was sheltered. Similar to our body’s skin, the bucket in the wind froze much faster as any heat it gave off was blown away from its surface. The original formula was changed in 2001. Major changes were made to where the wind measurements were observed and the amount of skin a person might have exposed.
The wind chill scale was originally based on winds measured from wind sensors 33 feet above the ground. The winds blow considerably faster at this height than at the surface. The new wind chill calculation uses wind speeds 5 feet from the surface. Additionally, the new formula estimates for only a person’s hands and face being exposed to the elements rather than the whole body, which was used for the old scale.
When going outside in dangerous wind chills, covering exposed skin should be your main concern. But even with your skin covered, wind chills can still be dangerous when exposed to them for long periods of time. The best course of action is to stay inside when these conditions exist. If you go outside remember to dress in layers, and minimize skin exposure.
Wind Chill Information and Data
Temperature Related Emergencies
Disaster - any occurrence that causes damage, ecological destruction, loss of human lives, or deterioration of health and health services on a scale sufficient to warrant an extraordinary response from outside the affected community area
Communications System - A collection of individual communication networks, a transmission system, relay stations, and control and base stations capable of interconnection and interoperation that are designed to form an integral whole. The individual components must serve a common purpose, be technically compatible, employ common procedures, respond to control, and operate in unison.
Dispatch - Coordination of emergency resources in response to a specific event
Injury - the result of an act that damages, harms, or hurts; unintentional or intentional damage to the body resulting from acute exposure to thermal, mechanical, electrical or chemical energy or from the absence of such essentials as heat or oxygen
Injury rate - A statistical measure describing the number of injuries expected to occur in a defined number of people (usually 100,000) within a defined period (usually 1 year). Used as an expression of the relative risk of different injuries or groups
Mechanism of injury - The source of forces that produce mechanical deformations and physiologic responses that cause an anatomic lesion or functional change in humans
On-Line Medical Direction - Immediate medical direction to prehospital personnel in remote locations (also know as direct medical control) provided by a physician or an authorized communications resource person under the direction of a physician
Protocols - Standards for EMS practice in a variety of situations within the EMS system
Response time - The time lapse between when an emergency response unit is dispatched and arrives at the scene of the emergency
Rural - Those areas not designated as metropolitan statistical areas
PTSD is a condition that can affect anyone after a traumatic incident in which they fear for there life or go thru a horrible situation. The example I gave above with veterans is one of the biggest. It is also known as shell shock. But not only veterans can get this. Professionals in EMS, fire and police officers can encounter it any day in there job some has had to change jobs because of it.
The Oklahoma bombing effected many people would not be surprised if at least half of the involved did not have this to some degree. While the condition is commonly associated with shell-shocked war veterans, it is surprisingly prevalent among the general population as well. One study, in large metropolitan area, found about 11% of all women suffer from the condition, which may arise from any sort of causes, including rape, mugging, natural disasters and accidents.
Women have a higher rate of PTSD than men, when exposed to traumatic situations. Men are diagnosed at a rate of 19% and women at the rate 31% after a traumatic event. It is unclear why the gender gap is present. Some psychiatrists have suggested that the difference is due to women experiencing PSTD due to the trauma of loved ones, and it reflects women's tendency to be more connected in personal relationships. With many psychiatric problems, women simply seek treatment more than men, so perhaps the true incidence is the same.
Women have been shown to ruminate more on their problems, whereas men will tend to distract themselves with an activity. This leads to more depression in women. Maybe it leads to more problems with post-traumatic coping? People who feel like their actions matter during the crisis and that they can do something to improve their chances of survival are less likely to experience PSTD. Maybe women's socialization as more passive is a factor in this gender difference. Or maybe our smaller physical size really does give us fewer ways to be pro-active in some crisis? When women do have Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, their symptoms may worsen pre-menstrually.
Acute and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders
Acute stress disorder refers to the anxiety and behavioral disturbances that develop within the first month after exposure to an extreme trauma. Generally, the symptoms of an acute stress disorder begin during or shortly following the trauma. Such extreme traumatic events include rape or other severe physical assault, near-death experiences in accidents, witnessing a murder, and combat. The symptom of dissociation, which reflects a perceived detachment of the mind from the emotional state or even the body, is a critical feature. Dissociation also is characterized by a sense of the world as a dreamlike or unreal place and may be accompanied by poor memory of the specific events, which in severe form is known as dissociative amnesia. Other features of an acute stress disorder include symptoms of generalized anxiety and hyper arousal, avoidance of situations or stimuli that elicit memories of the trauma, and persistent, intrusive recollections of the event via flashbacks, dreams, or recurrent thoughts or visual images.
If the symptoms and behavioral disturbances of the acute stress disorder persist for more than 1 month, and if these features are associated with functional impairment or significant distress to the sufferer, the diagnosis is changed to post-traumatic stress disorder. Post-traumatic stress disorder is further defined in DSM-IV as having three subforms: acute1 (< 3 months’ duration), chronic (> 3 months’ duration), and delayed onset (symptoms began at least 6 months after exposure to the trauma).
By virtue of the more sustained nature of post-traumatic stress disorder (relative to acute stress disorder), a number of changes, including decreased self-esteem, loss of sustained beliefs about people or society, hopelessness, a sense of being permanently damaged, and difficulties in previously established relationships, are typically observed. Substance abuse often develops, especially involving alcohol, marijuana, and sedative-hypnotic drugs.
Panic Attacks and Panic Disorder
A panic attack is a discrete period of intense fear or discomfort that is associated with numerous somatic and cognitive symptoms These symptoms include palpitations, sweating, trembling, shortness of breath, sensations of choking or smothering, chest pain, nausea or gastrointestinal distress, dizziness or lightheadedness, tingling sensations, and chills or blushing and “hot flashes.”
The attack typically has an abrupt onset, building to maximum intensity within 10 to 15 minutes. Most people report a fear of dying, “going crazy,” or losing control of emotions or behavior. The experiences generally provoke a strong urge to escape or flee the place where the attack begins and, when associated with chest pain or shortness of breath, frequently results in seeking aid from a hospital emergency room or other type of urgent assistance. Yet an attack rarely lasts longer than 30 minutes.
Current diagnostic practice specifies that a panic attack must be characterized by at least four of the associated somatic and cognitive symptoms described above. The panic attack is distinguished from other forms of anxiety by its intensity and its sudden, episodic nature. Panic attacks may be further characterized by the relationship between the onset of the attack and the presence or absence of situational factors. For example, a panic attack may be described as unexpected, situational bound, or situational predisposed (usually, but not invariably occurring in a particular situation). There are also attenuated or “limited symptom” forms of panic attacks.
Important Information Regarding First Responder/EMS Asbestos Exposure
The courageous and selfless men and women who serve their community as first responders undoubtedly face a number of occupational risks each and every day. Whether they are firefighters, emergency medical technicians, or police officers, first responders devote their lives to serving others, and, more often than not, they are saving the lives of others at the risk of their own health and safety.
One of the dangers that first responders face is that of asbestos exposure, which may lead to the development of mesothelioma, a fatal cancer that has no cure. First responders may be exposed in a number of ways, but the most common method of exposure involves inhaling asbestos fibers that somehow became airborne. Asbestos fibers generally become airborne when asbestos-containing materials are disturbed or damaged, such as during a fire or an explosion. If inhaled, asbestos fibers can cling to the lining of the lungs for decades before an individual may begin to experience mesothelioma c cancer symptoms, including difficulty breathing, chronic cough, and the presence of fluid within the lung cavity.
Because well over 35 million residences and commercial buildings in the U.S. harbor asbestos-containing materials, first responders are at a heightened risk of asbestos exposure. There are, however, several important safety precautions that all first responders can take when assisting at the scene of a fire or explosion in a building that may have contained asbestos. For firefighters, it is necessary to wear a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) at all times while at the scene of an emergency, especially after the fire has been extinguished and cooling rubble and debris may still be releasing asbestos fibers into the air. Emergency medical technicians and police officers should wear a mask that covers their nose and mouth when responding to an emergency where asbestos may be airborne to prevent inhaling or ingesting errant asbestos fibers.
A diagnosis of mesothelioma (often referred to as asbestos cancer) is a devastating reality. By understanding and practicing important asbestos safety procedures, all first responders can greatly limit their chance of asbestos exposure, and ultimately decrease their chance of one day receiving a diagnosis of mesothelioma cancer.
For additional information regarding asbestos safety and mesothelioma cancer, please visit Mesothelioma.com.
Source: Jennifer Miller
Awareness and Outreach Coordinator
Mesothelioma.com
MINI HEART ATTACK BEST TREATED LIKE THE BIG ONE
Patients admitted to hospitals with mild symptoms may benefit from getting to a catheterization lab promptly
People who show up at a hospital with mild heart attack symptoms, but only ambiguous scores on medical tests, might still warrant emergency treatment, according to research presented at a meeting of the American Heart Association.
The new study, reported November 10 at the AHA’s annual Scientific Sessions meeting, suggests that getting some of these marginal patients into a heart catheterization lab within 24 hours causes no harm and sharply lessens their risk of having the problem recur over the following six months. People with chest pains arriving in an emergency room get attention right away — for good reason. After ruling out those who are having acid reflux pain or an anxiety attack, doctors use an electrocardiogram (EKG) to assess the person’s heart function and a blood analysis to reveal any damage to the heart muscle.
These simple tests, coupled with obvious signs of distress, are often enough to diagnose a person suffering from a heart attack. Those patients are wheeled into a catheterization lab, where doctors thread a line from a leg artery up to the patient’s heart to open the coronary artery blockage that is causing the heart attack.
But only about one-third of people who show up with some measure of heart distress have such clear warning signs of a heart attack, says Deepak Bhatt, chief of cardiology at the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System and an interventional cardiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. The other two-thirds have EKG scores that are not clearly in the heart attack range, and/or have blood tests that may or may not reveal warning signs.
Physicians have struggled with the best emergency plan for these in-between patients, Bhatt says, particularly
since many hospitals in smaller communities don’t have a catheterization team — which includes an interventional cardiologist, specialized nurse and technician — onsite around the clock. To delineate clearly who among these heart patients in the gray zone between a real heart attack and a potential one might benefit from immediate catheterization, Shamir Mehta, a cardiologist at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, and his colleagues randomly assigned 1,593 such patients to get drugs plus catheterization as soon as possible, but within 24 hours. Another 1,438 received only drugs at first, then catheterization at some point more than 36 hours later.
During the six months that followed, patients who had gotten early catheterization were 70 percent less likely to have repeat coronary blockage as were those who received late catheterization, Mehta reported. When the researchers analyzed these patients’ risk of death, heart attack or stroke within the six months of follow-up, they found that delaying catheterization didn’t significantly affect these risks, Mehta says.
But the researchers found a different story when they analyzed only patients who had two of three common risk factors for a heart attack — being over age 60, having some evidence of a blockage on their EKG or having one telltale blood reading that hinted at heart attack. These people still fell into the gray zone somewhere short of a heart attack. But those who received prompt catheterization were somewhat less likely to die, have a heart attack or have a stroke within six months as were similar patients who got delayed catheterization.
“Timing matters in unstable angina or small heart attacks,” Mehta concludes. The study showed no detrimental effects from early catheterization. There are medical guidelines for physicians trying to determine which of such patients should be moved quickly to a catheterization lab. “Frequently, all the messages in the guidelines are not widely appreciated,” says Sidney Smith, a cardiologist at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. “This is a very important trial,” he says, and it will likely bolster adherence to the guidelines.
The issue often arises in hospitals on weekends, when there isn’t a catheterization team on hand, Bhatt says. If a patient comes in on a Saturday night, he says, the question becomes whether to bring in a catheterization team that’s on call, “or wait until Monday morning.” It’s more than a matter of inconvenience, he says. “There are financial costs to the health care system.”
As they did in this study, heart patients routinely receive aspirin and an anticoagulant upon arrival at a hospital, says Gordon Tomaselli, chief of cardiology at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore. But these drugs don’t necessarily ease the problem, even in people in the gray zone, he says. The new study is likely to result in more of such patients getting into the catheterization lab early, particularly during working hours when there is a full lab staff on hand to handle the load, he says. “This study clearly says there’s no harm in a patient going in early” to undergo catheterization, Bhatt says. “I honestly don’t see the downside from the patient’s perspective.”
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Carbon-Monoxide Poisoning
Carbon monoxide is an intracellular toxin that causes cell death. When carbon monoxide binds with hemoglobin, the red cell protein that carries oxygen in the blood, it reduces the blood’s capacity to carry oxygen to tissues and vital organs throughout the body.
carbon-monoxide poisoning occurs years round but has a higher instance over the winter months when heaters, fireplaces, wood stoves and propane gas are used the the most. Most carbon monoxide poisonings occur in the home. Those who sleep in basement, or basements used for children play area's are often close to gas and other burners as well as water heaters and other sources that omit carbon monoxide.
Other sources of Carbon-Monoxide poisoning include exhaust from cars and trucks, small gasoline engines, lanterns and charcoal or wood burning stoves and fireplaces often used in garages that are not equipped with proper ventilation.
Carbon-Monoxide Poisoning Signs and symptoms:flu like symptoms, headache (both minor and severe), dizziness, disorientation, nausea and fatigue. Other more severe signs and symptoms include confusion, hallucinations and agitation. Carbon-Monoxide Poisoning is called the "Silent Killer" and properly so, CO Poisoning is frequently missed diagnosis, thereby returning to the toxic environment that caused their symptoms without repairs taking place.
Approximately 50,000 Americans annually are seen in Emergency Department’s with carbon-monoxide poisoning. CO Poisoning occurs more frequently in low income families, however CO Poisoning occurs in all income levels, and is not racially discriminate.
Single exposure CO Poisoning has the potential for long-term cardiac, neurological and psychiatric problems as a result of impaired heart and brain function. Therefore should you believe you are being exposed to Carbon Monoxide with symptoms call "911" immediately and move to a fresh air environment while waiting for Emergency Personnel.
NEW 2010
New CPR Guidelines
The American Heart Assocation has issued the following Guildline changes for CPR
New guidelines issued in mid October, 2010, state that rescuers should be pushing deeper, at least 2 inches in adults. Rescuers should pump the chest of the victim at a rate of at least 100 compressions a minute. some say a good guide is the beat of the old disco song "Stayin' Alive."
Under the revised guidelines, rescuers using traditional CPR, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, should start chest compressions immediately — 30 chest presses, Open airway then give two breaths. The change applies to adults and children, but not newborns.
A recently published U.S. study showed that more people survived cardiac arrest when a bystander gave them hands-only CPR, compared to CPR with breaths. However above is the new described CPR Technique.
S T A T I S T I C S
Burn Patients and Rules of "Nine"
Images Source: Blodgett Hospital Burn Unit Paramedic/Continuing Education
D. a pathologic fracture.
