Virginia Beach’s Chief Gregory Cade nominated to head USFA
In December, President Bush nominated Virginia Beach, Virginia, Fire Chief Gregory B. Cade to head the U.S. Fire Administration within the Department of Homeland Security. Cade formerly served as bureau chief of the Prince George’s County (MD) Fire Department and as chief in Hampton, Virginia. Cade must be confirmed by the Senate.
COMCARE: Emergency responder definition should include 911 emergency dispatch
COMCARE, a national nonprofit alliance of 100-plus organizations from the emergency response community dedicated to advancing emergency response and involved in the Integrated Patient Tracking Initiative (IPTI), is asking the Department of Health and Human Services to broaden the definition of an emergency responder to include 911 telecommunicators and emergency medical dispatchers. COMCARE’s actions were in response to the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology’s (ONC) Emergency Response Electronic Health Record Use Case, which describes the role of electronic health records (EHR) during emergency events.
ONC released the Detailed Use Case in November but did not include COMCARE and IPTI stakeholder key recommendations. The use case still begins with EMTs and does not incorporate vital patient information collected before the EMT’s arrival on the scene.
According to Jack Potter, M.D., director of emergency services for the Valley Health System and vice chair of the COMCARE Board: “It is crucial that the use case not only represent current information sharing needs and processes but also has the flexibility to allow for future and non-traditional scenarios. As it stands right now, this use case is ignoring the current (and rapidly growing) role of organizations and sources of data before the arrival of EMTs.”
Broadening the definition of an emergency responder to include 911 telecommunicators and emergency medical dispatchers would have the effect of starting the use case before “on-site” care, when the existence of a patient is first identified. This viewpoint challenges the often-held assumption that first responders are only those emergency response professionals physically at the scene of an incident.
The 911 telecommunicators and dispatchers may not be physically on-scene, points out Bob Oenning, E-911 administrator for the Washington State Military Department, Emergency Management Division, “but their direction to those at the scene does constitute treatment.” He cited the example of a baby delivered by the father under the complete direction of the 911 telecommunicator. These communicators are “highly trained and motivated members of the overall emergency services network (just like the officer, firefighter, and paramedic), and everything they do in the public safety answering point (PSAP) must be considered an important part of the documentation of the medical care given or not given to the patient or victim,” stresses Craig Whittington, ENP, 911 and special projects coordinator, Guilford Metro 9-1-1. “To not recognize this is not just a mistake; it is by far certain neglect in the overall documentation of the care given (or not given) to those who may need it in times of need,” he asserts.
FDA approves Cyanokit® for treating cyanide poisoning
The U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Cyanokit® (hydroxocobalamin for injection) for the treatment of known or suspected cyanide poisoning. Hydroxocobalamin, a precursor of vitamin B12, works by binding directly to the cyanide ions, creating cyanocobalamin, a natural form of vitamin B12, which is excreted in the urine. Advantages of this approach are that methemoglobin is not produced and the oxygen-carrying capacity of the victim’s blood is not lowered. Therefore, Cyanokit® is suitable for use in smoke inhalation victims. EMD Pharmaceuticals and Dey, LP, U.S. affiliates of Merck KGaA of Darmstadt, Germany, jointly made the announcement of the FDA approval.
The drug can be used in a prehospital or hospital setting. In the United States, most cases of cyanide poisoning are caused by smoke inhalation during closed-space structural fires. Cyanide may be produced by the pyrolysis (incomplete burning) of common synthetic or plastic materials as well as from natural materials such as wood, paper, and silk. Cyanide is increasingly recognized as a common and dangerous component of fire smoke, adding to the effects of carbon monoxide as a fire smoke toxicant. Cyanide poisoning and carbon monoxide poisoning most often occur together during a fire.
Christy Taylor, senior vice president of marketing, sales, and business development for Dey, LP, Napa, California, which will market the drug in the United States, notes: “Emergency responders will now have a way to treat people for cyanide poisoning immediately at the scene of a fire, an accident, or other emergency, as well as in the emergency department of a hospital.” The drug was expected to be available earlier this year.
Efficacy studies in animals and safety studies in healthy adults demonstrated that Cyanokit® is safe and effective in treating cyanide poisoning from smoke inhalation and other causes. The drug should not be administered to people with known hypersensitivity to hydroxocobalamin or Vitamin B12.
Cyanokit® has been used in prehospital and hospital settings for more than 10 years in France to treat cyanide poisoning resulting from smoke inhalation, ingestion, and other causes. Although recognized in Europe for many years, only recently has the risk of cyanide exposure in fire smoke gained wide recognition. Additional information is available from Lauren Tortorete, Biosector 2, at (212) 845-5609, [email protected]/.
Medtronic suspends shipments of external defibrillators
Medtronic’s Physio-Control unit indefinitely suspended shipments of external defibrillators and other emergency-response gear last month from its Redmond, Washington, factory. In an annoucement issued at press time, Medtronic spokesman Rob Clark said the suspension would address weaknesses, identified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the company, in “the overall quality system” at the Redmond factory. Clark said the quality issues are related to manufacturing processes and not any individual products, and no products are being recalled.
Earlier this year, Medtronic recalled 1,924 LifePak 500 external defibrillators due to 54 incident reports about a malfunction in the model that caused the units to display a “connect electrodes” message even when the device was properly connected. The Redmond facility in which the devices were manufactured was previously owned by Physio-Control, a Washington company that first commercialized the defibrillator. Manufacturing in the facility was shut down for an entire year in 1992 after an FDA inspection raised questions about its quality-control procedures. Two years ago, Medtronics recalled about 87,000 units of another implantable defibrillator after the discovery of battery failures.
NFPA hosts Urban Fire Forum 2006
At the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) Urban Fire Forum (UFF), held October 19-22, 2006, at the NFPA headquarters in Quincy, Massachusetts, Chief R. David Paulison, undersecretary/director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and a senior member of the NFPA Metropolitan “Metro” executive board, presented an overview of the FEMA/Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Other topics discussed at the Forum included the National Incident Management System (NIMS); resource typing and incident management teams; firefighter health, safety, and wellness; protective equipment; 700 MHz and the Public Trust Spectrum; home fire sprinklers; preparing the next generation of leaders; hazardous materials and homeland security; and potential revenue opportunities.
In addition to the nine-member Metro executive board, the core group of the UFF, 11 chiefs of departments from some of the largest fire departments in the world, attended. For additional information, contact Russ Sanders at (502) 894-0411.
DHS: High-risk cities must have interoperable systems by end of 2007
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, speaking to state and local homeland security officials at a Washington, DC, meeting in November, said the country’s 35 highest-risk cities must have systems that permit first responders to communicate in a disaster by the end of next year, according to a Newsday report. Chertoff added that every state must have such a system by the end of 2008.
Chertoff was to issue public scorecards to the highest-risk cities within a few weeks, after press time, to help them prioritize the improvements needed for regional systems that would enable communications among police, fire, and emergency groups. Incident command managers should be able to communicate within one hour. The goal, Chertoff said, is to develop a comprehensive alert system that can reach 85 percent of Americans within 10 minutes. www6.lexisnexis.com, Nov. 29, 2006
LA chief resigns in wake of discrimination lawsuit
William Bamattre, former chief of the Los Angeles (CA) Fire Department, resigned and was to leave the department January 1 as a result of a lawsuit filed by Tennie Pierce, 51, a black firefighter, who sued the city because of a 2004 incident in which his spaghetti sauce was laced with dog food at the station house.
Pierce, a 20-year career department member, said he was humiliated by the incident and subsequent taunting. The department had disciplined two white captains and one Latino firefighter.
The City Council had accepted a recommendation to award Pierce a $2.7 million settlement. However, two radio show hosts posted photographs of Pierce online engaging in an apparent hazing, which created a racially divisive debate among top levels of the city’s government. Bamattre was given the position in 1995 because he was committed to addressing the culture of the department that had been cited for complaints of discrimination and racism. He had noted that the culture did not want to change and that he had relatively few tools at his disposal to eradicate the behavior, saying the maximum punishment he could impose was a 30-day suspension. www.chicagotribune.com, Dec. 02, 2007
WUI Fire Program strategic plan aimed at reducing fire losses
The National Wildland/Urban Interface (WUI) Fire Program “represents a long-term commitment to promote community-wise responsibility in the use of technology, policy, and practices that minimize the loss of life and property to wildland fire independent of firefighting efforts,” according to its “Strategic Approach: 2006-2009.”
Directed by the Wildland/Urban Interface Working Team (WUIWT), residents, businesses, community leaders, and firefighters share site-specific assessment and analysis methods for reducing fires and safely fighting those that occur. The program’s components are the National Firewise Communities USA Recognition Program, the Firewise Web site, the National Communications Strategy and Plan, the development and dissemination of WUI information resources, and WUI program support and development. Each year, a work plan outlines specific activities for the year. The complete strategic plan is available on the NWCG Web site: http://www.nwcg.gov/teams/wuiwt/wuiwtadm/StratPlan 2005-2009.pdf/.
NGA issues guide for public safety interoperability
Strategies for States to Achieve Public Safety Interoperability, developed by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center), guides governors in how to share information using radio communication systems to exchange voice and data on demand in real time, when needed and as authorized. For information, contact John Blacksten at (202) 624-7787.
National Fire Academy to offer Volunteer Incentive Program courses in Alabama in April
Applications are being accepted for a special offering of the National Fire Academy (NFA) Volunteer Incentive Program (VIP) to be held at the Noble Training Center at Anniston, Alabama. The following four courses will be offered April 22-27, 2007: Fire Cause Determination for Company Officers (M811), Management Strategies for Success (Leadership I, II, III) (M824), Presenting Effective Public Education Programs (M826), and Command and Control of Incident Operations (M831). Information on the courses and student selection criteria are at the U.S. Fire Administration Web site at www.usfa.dhs.gov/.
The standard NFA student travel stipend will apply. Students not selected through the random selection process for courses at the NFA will be offered an opportunity to attend the Noble courses. An NETC General Admission Application (FEA Form 75-5), available on the USFA Web site, must be submitted. For additional information, contact the VIP program manager at (800) 238-3358, ext. 1402.
Fire departments urged to participate in “Human Behavior in Fire” project
The goal of the “Human Behavior in Fire Study” is to learn how people can survive without injuries in a house fire, according to collaborators Battelle Centers for Public Health Research and Evaluation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the University of Maryland Department of Fire Protection Engineering. The project is endorsed by the United States Fire Administration, the National Association of State Fire Marshals, and the National Fire Protection Association.
Kathy Tiefenwerth, Battelle study manager, says the results of the project will help to inform programs in how to educate people about safe behaviors during a house fire. These educational programs will support fire departments in protecting their communities. She invites fire departments of all sizes and regions of the country to participate by providing the project with referrals of individuals in non-fatal fires. It is expected that it would take participating fire departments a maximum of about an hour a week to participate, depending on the volume of calls.
Tiefenwerth explains that the HIPAA Privacy Rule provides comprehensive federal protection for the privacy of health information (PHI). The CDC Institutional Review Board has issued a HIPAA Waiver of Authorization for this project, which allows for disclosure of PHI by departments that are covered entities. The waiver may be obtained from Tiefenwerth at [email protected]. To participate in the project or for additional information visit www.firestudy.net/, or call Tiefenwerth at (866)-649-7124.
Congress approves Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act
The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act passed by Congress in December renews a bioterrorism law enacted after the September 11, 2001, World Trade Center and Pentagon terrorist attacks and creates the biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA). BARDA, according to the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), will coordinate the research and development of new vaccines. ACEP worked closely with the bill’s sponsor, Senator Richard Burr (NC). ACEP President Brian Keaton, MD, FACEP, explains that the legislation calls for developing an electronic, nationwide public health situational awareness system-syndromic surveillance-that will make it possible “to monitor the status of emergency department patients in real time,” something he said is “absolutely vital in times of a national public health emergency.”
ICC/FEMA/NIBS offer guide for earthquake-resistant residential construction
The International Code Council (ICC), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) have developed an easy-to-understand guide that helps homebuilders, code officials, contractors, and other non-engineers understand earthquake design requirements for homes.
The Homebuilders’ Guide to Earthquake Resistant Design and Construction is based on the 2006 International Residential Code (IRC) and includes recommended provisions of the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program and the FEMA-funded CUREE-Caltech Woodframe Project.
The document presents seismic design and construction direction for one- and two-family houses, including the principles of seismic resistance, the impact of earthquake forces on conventional residential construction, and detailed information on architectural considerations. It features discussions of masonry and stone elements, examples of typical floor plans for earthquake-resistant one- and two-story homes, excerpts of seismic requirements from building codes, and checklists for home builders.
The Guide replaces the Home Builder’s Guide to Seismic Resistant Construction published in 1998 by FEMA and the earlier FEMA and HUD version. The Guide ($13.50 for ICC members and $17 for nonmembers) is available by calling (1-800) 786-4452 or at www.iccafe.org/builderseismic.
The ICC is also offering the IRC CodeMaster for Woodframe Dwellings and Townhouses. The six-page laminated guide outlines a seven-step procedure for applying structural code requirements to wood-frame construction in higher seismic design categories in accordance with the 2006 IRC, including site and soil, foundations, roof and ceiling framing, floor framing, wall framing, and wall bracing. It is available ($9 ICC members; $12 nonmembers) at www.iccsafe.org/cmwoodframe/.
2006 Line-of-Duty Deaths
November 26. Firefighter Hector “Sandy” McClune, 76, Millerton (NY) Fire Department: heart attack.
November 28. Acting Lieutenant Thomas VanLiew, 52, New Brunswick (NJ) Fire Department: heart attack.
November 29. Firefighter Steven Solomon, 33, Atlanta (GA) Fire Rescue Department: burns sustained while working the interior of a single-story residential structure fire.
November 30. Deputy Chief Jeffrey Scott Hollingsworth, 38, Clement Fire Department, Autryville, NC: heart attack.
December 1. Firefighter Kent Furman Long, 44, Charlotte (NC) Fire Department: hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy.
December 1. Firefighter Leo Soderquist, 64, Axtell (NE) Fire and Rescue: heart attack.
December 8. Firefighter Thomas Joseph Hays, 25, Lower Merion Fire Department/Narberth Fire Company, Ardmore, PA: cause of death unknown at press time.
December 9. Firefighter Edward DeWitt Wilburn, 64, Deep Creek Volunteer Fire Department, McHenry, MD: injuries sustained from a vehicle accident that resulted from a medical emergency he suffered while responding to the station for a reported working mobile home fire.
Source: USFA Firefighters Memorial Database
