Ambulance board OKs program to help identify special needs
2018 In The News
MARYVILLE, Mo. — A new pilot program approved by the Nodaway County Ambulance District could aid first responders in emergency situations that involve treating kids with autism or other disabilities.
The program, enthusiastically approved at the NCAD board’s June 12 meeting, will provide embroidered, customizable seat belt sleeves to parents of children with disabilities. The sleeves slip onto the upper part of the seat belt and give a short summary of the medical condition of the passenger, like “autism,” “may resist help,” “non-verbal,” or other descriptors. It may also include the passenger’s name or other relevant details. On the backside of the sleeve would be a slot for a wallet-sized card with more detailed medical and treatment information.
“I think it’s a great thing,” said paramedic Jill Nielson, who presented the plan to the board and will handle its implementation. “It would definitely help us out on the street crew to be able to recognize that this kiddo is not talking to me because he can’t, not because he’s got a big, bad brain bleed. There’s just all kinds of benefits to being able to identify that.”
In addition, it would help first responders know what kind of special care might be needed for those passengers, or if any special equipment might be in the car that they would otherwise not know to check on.
The board agreed with Nielson’s suggestion to begin with a pilot program, offering the seat belt sleeves — free of charge — to members of Maryville Public Safety’s CASPER Club, a program rolled out last year. CASPER (Communication Awareness and Safety Procedures for Emergency Responders) members provide medical and other special needs information to MPS. During any 911 calls involving that member’s address or vehicle, the dispatcher will be automatically notified of that information and relay it to responders, who use it as a guide for interaction using special communication techniques.
Nielson estimated that there are currently only about 10 to 12 members of the CASPER Club, so starting with them would be financially feasible, she said. The board agreed that if a more reliable funding source could be located, in the future the service could be offered for free to anyone who wanted to take part, including adults.
The board approved an initial purchase of up to 100 of the sleeves at around $14 per sleeve, with additional approval required for more.
Mosaic supplies
Up until the purchase of SSM St. Francis Hospital by Mosaic Life Care this year, the ambulance district had purchased various medical supplies from the hospital.
Mosaic ended that arrangement, Director of Operations Bill Florea said at last week’s board meeting. Florea said they had been purchasing supplies through the hospital for “as long as I’ve been here.” He said he wasn’t sure why Mosaic had severed the relationship, but added that the hospital would continue to allow the purchase of some pharmaceuticals.
Joey Austin, a spokeswoman for Mosaic, told The Forum in an email that the company is “in the process of identifying a solution,” and hopes to announce how those steps will work soon.
In the meantime, the district is looking into other vendors.
Other notes
- The district hired a new paramedic, Trevor Beeler.
- Equipment obtained through a Homeland Security grant arrived for a mass casualty shelter. The shelter would be used as an emergency location for treating injuries during a disaster.
- Rescue teams have been working with the companies constructing wind farm projects in the area to practice responses in case of accidents during construction at the remote locations.
- Narcan training will begin for all area rescue teams when supplies arrive from the state, but the process has been delayed at the state level so far.
- A temporary patch on the driveway has been completed, but a contractor is still needed to do a more comprehensive repair.
- Training manager Jeff Hall submitted his resignation, effective July 1.
