Highlights of the Dec. 18 Western Carroll County Ambulance District meeting were exploits of the first responders and EMTs. Holiday Island Fire Chief Bob Clave reported his crews responded to 39 calls in October and 35 in November, one involving a fatality. He said earlier in the day of the meeting his crews had five calls, three resulting in helicopter transport.
Eureka Springs Fire Chief Nick Samac remembered a time when his crews went six days without a call, but things have changed. During his busy two months, there were two calls that took the ambulance longer than expected to arrive. One call near Holiday Island was from a hard to find location made more difficult by confusion about the address. Another call, which took just over 16 minutes from departure to arrival by the ambulance crew, should not have taken that long but there were no road signs or address markers, and the patient had to be transported with lights and sirens. Samac said he would urge the county road department to install better signage and residents in remote areas to use green reflective address markers.
Mike FitzPatrick, representing Eureka Springs-Rural, said his crew responded to one mutual aid call in Berryville in which responders were on the scene at least 10 minutes before EMTs arrived.
Inspiration Point Fire Chief Ed Thompson said his station had nine calls each month.
Lynn Palmer, chair of the EMR Alliance, said help is on the way because four individuals just graduated from the EMT classes at ESFD. She also announced there will be a continuing education conference for EMRs and firefighters at ESFD from March 7 – 10, with more information on the ESFD website.
Opioid overdose blocker not without its own problems
Conversation turned to the use of Naxalone, also known as Narcan®, a medication administered to those who have overdosed on opioids. Palmer said she would be asking the commission to purchase a few dozen syringes for EMRs. Samac, however, said he had concerns with administering Nalaxone in a pre-hospital setting because the drug has the wonderful effect of counteracting overdose, but the patient wakes up irate and combative.
Commissioner Connie Deaton said she witnessed a patient who had of a dose of Naxalone, and in spite of several other people present, destroyed an emergency room.
Samac said there are strategies for using the drug, one of which is to stage at the scene, breathe for the person and wait for law enforcement to arrive. He said some people overdose on purpose and don’t want to be revived, although he said he would follow protocol every time if a patient’s heart had stopped beating.
Commissioner Al Selleck wondered given these circumstances why EMRs should even carry Nalaxone if the EMTs have it. Thompson insisted all his EMRs would be thoroughly trained, but he wanted Nalaxone on hand because it makes a difference in saving a life.
Chair Sam Ward said he preferred a nasal spray atomizer, which Samac agreed was easier to administer. Commissioners voted to purchase 24 Nalaxone doses, and there will be further discussion at the Feb. 19 meeting.
Finishing up
- Deaton distributed a draft form for review which a responder or firefighter who has been exposed to a hazardous substance could present at Eureka Springs Hospital. This form is part of an agreement between WCCAD and ESH for treatment for responders.
Next meeting will be Tuesday, Feb. 19, 4 p.m., at ESFD.