Western Mass Emergency Medical Services Committee, Inc.

Meeting: Regional Council

Date: June 13, 2002

Place: Dakin Conference Room, CDH

Presiding: Robert Hopkins, President

Called to Order: 10:12 a.m.

Adjourned: 11:10 a.m.

Attendance:

Present – Brian Andrews, Francesca Austin, Lucy Britton, Felicia Bycenski, Michael Clapp, Raymond Conway, Mary Cushman, M.J. Dinneen, Harriet Dyer, Dianne Field, Richard Gebo, Dan Harrington, Robert Hopkins, Roberta Hover, Lee Irish, Dana Johnson, Steve Manchino, Linda Moriarty, Linda Murphy, Barbara Pummell, Jeff Rawson, Wes Stevenson, and Laurie Tuper

Present by Proxy – John Hayden, Michael Perkins, and Michael Zlogar

Excused – None

Absent – Randy Cushing, Francis Dresser, Patrick Eline, Terry Goodrich, Ronald Hayden, Brian Keefe, Dave Keefe, David Neil, and Bruce Stump

Guests – Steve Cote, Lisa Herringshaw, Dawn Josefski, Brian Sutton, Dennis Tuper, and Seth Tuper

Conflict of Interest Statement: Upon reading this statement, Mr. Gebo, Dr. Dinneen, and Mr. Irish stated that they would abstain from voting on certain P/B waivers due to conflict of interest.

Minutes: A motion was made to approve the minutes as distributed. This motion was seconded and approved unanimously.

Committee Reports

Physicians Council Report:

Discussion –

Dr. Dinneen reports that the committee discussed diversion, and a meeting with Mary Lane Hospital will be scheduled during the summer. Also discussed was the issue of Defibrillation Credentialing and Paramedic Optional Skills. It was decided that it will be up to the Medical Directors as to how many check-offs will be done per year for defibrillation, and there will still continue to be one check-off per year for Paramedic Optional Skills.

The committee also reviewed P/B waiver renewal applications for Agawam Fire Department, North Adams Ambulance, Wilbraham Fire Department, and BHS Ambulance; and a P/I waiver renewal application for Longmeadow Fire Department. After review, it was agreed that all of these waiver renewal would be recommended for approval from Regional Council.

Finally, the committee discussed the draft for rescue airways, the Combitube and LMA.

Action – See New Business for vote on P/B & P/I Waiver Renewals.

Executive Directors Report:

Discussion –

On the State Level, Ms. Moriarty reports that there has been no movement regarding the new regulations. When the WMEMS office gets a copy of them, we will send them out. Ms. Josefski reports that at the State Training Committee, accreditation is still in draft format, but the plan is to start with ALS level. Also, the committee is looking at continuing education requirements and how our con. ed. system should look. They are considering breaking con. ed. into 5 categories and EMT’s will be required to have a certain amount of con. ed. in each category. Ms. Josefski stated that she is on this subcommittee, and they want to look at the quality of the con. eds, not the quantity. If anyone has any ideas, please contact her. The Training Committee is also looking at computer based testing. Once a student has completed and passed their practical exam, they will then go to a computer testing agency and take their written exam. Upon passing the written exam, the student will get their EMT Card that day.

Ms. Moriarty reports that the State MCI Comm. is still meeting every month, and they have gotten a first draft completed of their MCI plan. At the State Communications Comm., they were informed that money is coming down to DPH from 2 different organizations. The committee has broken down a list of needs across the state in hopes to receive funding for some of these. Regarding the State PIER Committee, they have rolled out the Heartsafe Community Project. This should be in the communities within the next couple of months. Ms. Moriarty reports that the State EMCAB meeting is tomorrow, and they will be going over the State Trauma Plan. Regarding the Medical Services Sub Committee, they will also meet tomorrow with stakeholders to go over the plan.

Mr. Manchino asked Ms. Moriarty if our continuing education credits will ever be accessible online, and Ms. Moriarty responded that they currently have a consultant looking at this, but not to expect anything for at least a year.

Mr. Andrews then asked Ms. Moriarty if she had heard anything about problems with the ALS exams, such as OEMS having updated the skill sheets and students having difficulty due to “old” sheets.

Ms. Moriarty responded that she hadn’t heard anything about this, but believes that students are told that they can show the skills for the old sheets, or the new sheets, but they need to be consistent throughout the stations.

Action – None.

Treasurers Report:

Discussion –

Ms. Cushman reports that the checking account has a balance of $33748.32, savings account is $680.90, and the scholarship account is $5102.48.

Action – None.

Award Committee Report:

Discussion –

Ms. Hover reports that there were 6 save submissions this month and all were approved.

Action – The office to send out letters.

Communications Committee Report:

Discussion –

Mr. Andrews reports that the Hampden East Project is currently stalled due to the vendor. Mr. Cote has been contacting him regularly to check on his status. The committee is also checking into a project in Becket to remedy a communications hole in that area. Mr. Hopkins asked if we would have to pay for an engineering study, and Mr. Andrews said no. Mr. Hopkins then asked if the Region had paid for the Hampden East equipment yet, and Ms. Moriarty said no. Mr. Cote added that the combiner has been ordered and it should take 2 to 3 weeks to receive this. Currently, they are trying to push the VHF to next week because they are working on problems with the radio at Wing Hospital.

Mr. Johnson relayed to the council that there are problems in Franklin County again. Channel 340 is down again as the result of a storm. Mr. Shaw has visited the sites, and he is in contact with Mr. Dave Hansen. As a final comment, Mr. Andrews stated that for future reference the council needs to put a performance condition in all contracts, so projects are not delayed due to vendors.

Action – None.

PIER Committee Report:

Discussion –

Mr. Clapp is sorry to inform the council that nobody appears to be interested in this committee. The regular attendees are himself, Deb Clapp, and Steve Cote. The goal of a committee is to bring forward ideas, thoughts, etc., but without input from different organizations and services as to what is needed in their respective communities, they have no idea where to go with this committee.

At their last meeting, they discussed new projects for the Big E, such as presenting new information at the booth. Mr. Hopkins suggested that the minutes and the WMEMS website reflect the need for more members. With this, Mr. Clapp stated that the meetings are the third Wednesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. in the McCallum Building, CDH.

Action – Ms. Herringshaw to reflect in minutes that they are looking for new members.

MCI Committee Report:

Discussion –

Ms. Moriarty reports that there were 4 people present at the last meeting. Currently, they are working on integrating all of the county MCI plans into one. Also, they are always looking for new members. If anyone is interested, the meetings are held the last Wednesday of the month in the McCallum Building, CDH.

Action – None.

Training Committee Report:

Discussion –

No meeting was held this month.

Action – None.

Trauma Committee Report:

Discussion –

Ms. Cushman reported that the committee is currently working on a strategic plan to meet the goals that they designed in prior meetings. Ms. Cushman is pleased to report that they have had very good hospital representation at these monthly meetings.

If anyone is interested in joining this committee, the meetings are held the second Wednesday of the month in the McCallum Building at 8:45 a.m.

Action – None.

County Reports:

Discussion –

Hampden County: Mr. Manchino reports that he is still awaiting a financial report from CMED.

Hampshire County: Ms. Murphy reports that their EMS Award Banquet went well, and a special award was presented to the Huntington Lions Club Ambulance.

Berkshire County: Mr. Andrews reports that their Awards Banquet went well and their guest speaker was very good. Currently, they are working on MCI material, as the county has been approved for a state surplus equipment program. If anyone is interested in this program, please contact Mr. Andrews.

Also, there is construction currently ongoing at Berkshire Medical Center.

Action – None.

Quality Improvement Ad Hoc Committee:

Discussion –

Nothing, as this committee is still being organized.

Action – None.

New Business

Agawam Fire Department P/B Waiver Renewal:

Discussion –

Having received recommendation from Physicians Council, a motion was made to approve the Agawam Fire Department P/B Waiver Renewal. This motion was seconded and approved unanimously.