Benchmarking Public Safety in Worcester: 2012

The news is good for WEMS and Worcester. 


EMS TRENDS
Since 1991, UMass Memorial EMS has provided emergency ambulance services in Worcester at no cost to the City.11 The all-paramedic, hospital- based service operates a fleet of six ambulances staffed by 50 full-time and 25 part-time paramedics.
Over the last ten years, the EMS workload has risen and response times have declined (Chart 812 and Chart 9). UMass Memorial responded to over 30% more incidents in 2011 than it did in 2002. During the same period, its average response time to all incidents has declined by 55 seconds. Its average response time to so-called priority one calls (life-threatening injuries or illnesses) went down 3 seconds to 5:05.

UMass staff believes that improved response times in recent years could be the result of the employment in April 2009 of new global positioning system (GPS) and CAD (computer aided dispatch) system technologies. These allow dispatchers to view the exact location of each EMS vehicle, and automatically identify street routes and calculate drive times. Also, in 2009, UMass Memorial EMS added six field supervisors to the system for purposes of better quality oversight and better integration with fire and police services, and in 2010, it added a Quality Assurance/ Performance Improvement specialist to oversee the preparation and analysis of metrics as well as monitoring the performance of paramedics. These and other recent improvements, which total millions of dollars, were undertaken and fully funded by UMass Memorial at no cost to the City of Worcester.
It should be noted that, with the exception of cases of cardiac arrest, rapid response times do not necessarily enhance a patient’s survival chances.


The whole report here:
http://www.wrrb.org/files/downloads/ongoing/benchmarking/pub_safety/2012/benchmarking-public-safety-in-worcester-2012.pdf

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release

May 21, 2012

PRESIDENTIAL PROCLAMATION -- EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES WEEK, 2012

EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES WEEK, 2012
- - - - - - -
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION

Day and night, in communities across our country, men and women providing emergency medical services (EMS) stand at the front lines of our public safety and public health systems, ready to respond with care and efficiency at a moment's notice. During Emergency Medical Services Week, we honor their essential contributions to our health and safety, and we recommit to supporting all EMS personnel as they carry out their courageous work.

Representing a diverse array of professions and skill sets, EMS practitioners are united by their devotion to building a stronger, more resilient Nation. They serve in both the public and private sectors -- from the first responders, emergency medical technicians, and paramedics who arrive at the scene to 911 dispatchers, firefighters, law enforcement officers, and professionals throughout our health care system who work together to ensure those in need receive the highest level of emergency service. Thousands of Americans have dedicated their careers to saving lives as EMS practitioners; thousands more serve as volunteers, going above and beyond to sustain the health and safety of their communities. As they tirelessly pursue that critical mission, my Administration remains committed to working with partners across government and industry to strengthen our EMS system and bolster preparedness in homes and hospitals across America.

Emergency medical services personnel demonstrate a profound commitment to our country and to our common humanity. Day after day, they answer the call to serve -- to step into crisis and spark hope where it grows dim. This week, let us pay tribute to these selfless individuals and renew our promise to provide them with the support and services they need to protect their communities.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim May 20 through May 26, 2012, as Emergency Medical Services Week. I encourage all Americans to observe this occasion by sharing their support with their local EMS providers and taking steps to improve their personal safety and preparedness.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-first day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand twelve, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-sixth.

BARACK OBAMA

Rodney Witkos EMT-P/T

Providence St. EMS Station

Found this new blog

Painfully true:

http://www.doomdiary.com/


Rodney Witkos EMT-P/T

Shift Change

You're out of oxygen and don't have enough fuel to get any.

Merry EMS Christmas

Merry EMS Christmas

Christmas Day and I don't care
Workin' again, another gray hair
Carrying fat ass in my chair
It's a Merry EMS Christmas

Lots of calls, that's just my luck
Freezing my balls off in this truck
So you're drunk, like I give a F--k
It's a Merry EMS Christmas

Carrying a land whale on my scoop
Psych patient met us on the stoop
L'il old lady just cant't poop
It's a Merry EMS Christmas

Cannot wait to get outta here
Another late call is what I fear
Workin' Christmas again next year
It's a Merry EMS Christmas

Rodney Witkos EMT-P/T

Arlington St LODD

UMass Memorial CEO

From John O'Brien

December 9, 2011

With sympathy and acknowledgement

The Central Massachusetts community is deeply grieved by the loss of a Worcester firefighter yesterday. Our sympathies and support go to the family of Jon Davies, his colleagues who were injured and all members of the Worcester Fire Department (WFD). While our work often brings death close, it is never more tragic than when a public servant losses his or her life in the line of duty.

We are focused on the City's firefighters and their loved ones, yet I also want to recognize the very important role that our own UMass Memorial colleagues played in yesterday's tragedy. The fire was first noticed and reported at 4:20 am by one of our paramedics who was at our UMass Memorial Providence Street EMS Station, which is adjacent to the rear of the triple-decker that was quickly fully engulfed in fire.

After reporting the fire to our EMS Communications Center, three of our paramedics and our EMS supervisor ran into the burning building before the WFD arrived. Our team made its way to the second floor where they assisted a resident to escape. They then tried to re-enter the structure to continue to search but were deterred because of the intense heat and smoke. As they retreated from the building, the first WFD unit arrived, and our EMS supervisor informed the firefighters about a potential second person in the building.

Our paramedics then proceeded to clear the adjacent triple-decker of occupants for their safety. There were several families in this building that were roused and instructed to leave. They opened our Providence Street Station to these evacuated residents as well as to any WFD personnel that needed shelter, facilities, etc.

Once out of the building, our EMS supervisor became the leader of the medical branch of the incident, fully integrating into the incident command system with the WFD. Later in the morning, following the collapse of the building, one of our paramedics entered the building to perform CPR on Mr. Davies while his colleagues worked to extricate him from the rubble. Our paramedics transported both injured firefighters and the deceased to our University Campus.

All five of our night-shift ambulance units and one of our day-shift ambulances were involved in the rescue, on-site medical care and transport. Yesterday afternoon, our team remained on-scene with one ambulance and one supervisor on standby for the ongoing fire operation and investigation.

Although the immediate focus of community grief is, and should be, the ultimate sacrifice made by Mr. Davies this morning, it is with great admiration and pride that I acknowledge the heroism of our own UMass Memorial EMS employees, who noticed the fire, reported it, without regard for their own safety entered the fire building and helped save the residents, and then tended to and transported the firefighters.

I know it is particularly troubling for our EMS team to deal with the death or serious injury of a fellow public safety professional, especially one with whom I am sure most if not all of our field personnel have worked with side by side. The men and women of our UMass Memorial EMS deal with this type of stress every day, and I appreciate the opportunity to acknowledge their exemplary work. Truly, UMass Memorial Health Care staff members, no matter the assignment, exemplify the fact that we have the "Best People" providing the "Best Care."