Regional Emergency Medical Services Council

ADIRONDACK - APPALACHIAN

REGIONAL EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES COUNCIL

2920 STATE ROUTE 30

PO BOX 212

SPECULATOR, NEW YORK 12164

TEL. (518) 548-3535

FAX (518) 548-7605

E-MAIL:

WEBSITE: www.aarems.org

M I N U T E S

The regular monthly meeting of the Adirondack-Appalachian Regional Emergency Medical Services Council was held on Thursday, March 20, 2014 at the Holiday Inn, Johnstown, NY.

Secretary, Philip Mulleedy, presiding.

MEMBERS ATTENDING:

William Beevers Brian Knapp

Sidney Chase August Leinhart, MD

Jill Dunham David Markowitz, MD

John Farquhar Joyce Mulleedy, RN

Patricia Green, RN Philip Mulleedy

Yvonne Hart, RN Thomas Pasquarelli

Stephen Hood Michael Swartz

Richard Kersmanc (alt.) Gary Wickes

ABSENT AND EXCUSED:

Edward Brandt Jared Gilston

Andrew Cuccinello Howard Hime

Patrice Delameter Lewis Jones, RN

Cynthia Dunham Dana Weygand

John Early Mark Zeek (adv.)

ABSENT:

None

GUESTS:

Anthony Agresta - Lieutenant, Amsterdam Fire Department

Michael DePasquale - Battalion Chief, Amsterdam Fire Department

Joseph Farrell - NYS-EMS

Dwayne Gallt - Flight Paramedic, Life-Net of New York

Howard Huth, III - Director, SUNY Cobleskill Paramedic Program

Thomas Isenovski, MD - Medical Director, Emergency Dep’t., St. Mary’s Hospital

Deborah Kufs, RN - Director, Paramedic Program, Hudson Valley Community College

Elizabeth McGown - Chief Operating Officer, Cooperstown Medical Transport

Mary Ramo - NYS - EMS

Margaret Wilson - Delaware County Office of Emergency Services

*

The meeting was called to order at 1:00 PM by Secretary Philip Mulleedy, acting in the excused absences of Chairman Lewis Joes and Vice-Chairman Howard Hime.

ROLL CALL

A quorum was present.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF THE FEBRUARY 20, 2014 MEETING

The Minutes of the February 20, 2014 meeting had previously been made available electronically to all members in a timely manner, and in addition had been posted on the regional web site for review and/or downloading.

Motion was made by Mr. Chase and seconded by Mr. Kersmanc, as follows:

RESOLVED, that the Minutes of the February 20, 2014 meeting are accepted as written.

This was adopted unanimously, with no abstentions.

INTRODUCTION OF GUESTS

Our guests, as named above, were introduced and welcomed.

CORRESPONDENCE

For the period from February 21, 2014 through March 19, 2014:

Sent:

·  02/24 – to Lee Burns and Dana Jonas, DOH, and Karen Taddeo of Taddeo and Shahan, notice of the Rural/Metro TOS CON procedure (via email);

·  02/24 – to an agency officer, asking about planned attendance at the 02/27/14 ePCR meeting in Amsterdam (via email);

·  02/24 – to Michael Tayler, DOH, replying about his email on the ePCR meeting 02/27 (via email);

·  02/24 – to an agency officer, replying about the ePCR meeting (via email);

·  02/24 – to an agency officer, replying about the intranasal Narcan program (via email);

·  02/26 – to all usually receiving the Minutes, the prehospital glucometer use information received from Dan Clayton, DOH (via email);

·  02/26 – to Lee Burns, DOH, replying about training information received (via email);

·  02/26 – to Mark Zeek, acknowledging his email about training (via email);

·  02/26 – to all AAREMS and REMAC members, and others usually receiving the Minutes, the Minutes of the February 20, 2014 AAREMS meeting (via email);

·  02/26 – to Lisa DeLong, DOH, replying about a program agency change of address (via email);

·  02/26 – to an instructor, replying about availability of NYS BLS protocols (via email);

·  02/26 – to an agency officer, a provisional TEK number for a new member, as requested (via email);

·  02/28 – to an agency officer, printing templates of the PCR, as requested (via email);

·  02/28 – to all AAREMS and REMAC members, the latest bulletin from Homeland Security (via email);

·  02/28 – to Mike Tayler, DOH, about the ePCR meeting on 02./27 (via email);

·  02/28 – to members of the Transportation and Standards committee, forwarding the further Fitness and Competency information regarding the Rural/Metro C.O.N. as received from Dana Jonas (via email);

·  03/03 – to Edmeston, replying about their proposed controlled substances licensing plan (via email);

·  03/04 – to Oneonta FD ambulance, a supply f PCRs, as requested;

·  03/04 – to a member of an agency, replying about address change (via email);

·  03/04 – to members of the Transportation and Standards committee, forwarding the further information on fitness and competency regarding the Rural/Metro C.O.N. received from Dana Jonas, DOH (via email);

·  03/04 – to an agency officer, replying about printing paper PCRs (via email);

·  03/05 – to Rich Beebe, replying about the instructor update session in June (via email);

·  03/05 – to an agency officer, relying about contact information with a member of another agency (via email);

·  03/07 – to Mike Tayler, DOH, replying about an agency ePCR issue (via email);

·  03/07 – to an officer of the agency in question, about the above (via email);

·  03/07 – to Mike Tayler, DOH, about Cobleskill’s proposed new ePCR vendor (via email);

·  03/10 – to Mid-County and Hancock, supplies of PCRs, as requested;

·  03/10 – to Mike Tayler, about ePCR issues (via email);

·  03/10 – to Tim Mirabile and Travis Howe, REMO and Mountain Lakes respectively, replying about an Android app for our protocols (via email);

·  03/10 – to all AAREMS and REMAC members, forwarding the Homeland Security bulletin received this date (via email);

·  03/11 – to Cooperstown FD and Milford, supplies of PCRs, as requested;

·  03/11 – to JAVAC, a supply of continuation forms, as requested;

·  03/11 – to Mike Tayler, DOH, about ePCR agencies (via email);

·  03/11 – to Lee Burns, DOH, replying about BLS Narcan training (via email);

·  03/13 – to Robert O’Brien, DOH, relying about an agency closing (via email);

·  03/13 – to Dan Clayton, DOH, replying about Worcester primary operating territory (via email);

·  03/13 – to all AAREMS and REMAC members, meeting reminder for March 20, 2014 (via email);

·  03/17 – to all usually receiving the Minutes, forwarding the notice of recall of glucose testing materials received from Dan Clayton at DOH (via email);

·  03/17 – to all AAREMS and REMAC members, the latest Homeland Security anti-terrorism bulletin, received today (via email);

·  03/18 – to an inquirer, replying about availability of CLI training (via email);

·  03/18 – to an agency member, replying about the BLS CPAP program (via email);

·  03/19 – to Mike Tayler, DOH, replying about an ePCR agency (via email);

·  03/20 – to NYC Regional Program office, replying about TEK credentialing (via email);

Received:

·  02/24 – from an agency officer, about the ePCR meeting on 02/27/14 (via email);

·  02/24 – from an agency officer, about the intranasal Narcan program (via email);

·  02/24 – from Michael Tayler, DOH, forwarding a letter about the ePCR system (via email);

·  02/25 – from Lee Burns, DOH, training information (via email) (posted on regional web site);

·  02/25 – from Mark Zeek, same as the above (via email);

·  02/26 – from Dan Clayton, DOH, prehospital glucometer use information (via email);

·  02/26 – from Lisa DeLong, DOH, about a program agency change of address (via email);

·  02/26 – from an instructor, about availability of NYS BLS protocols (via email);

·  02/26 – from Dana Jonas, DOH, further Fitness and Competency information regarding the Rural/Metro C.O.N. (via email);

·  02/28 – from a hospital, notice of a QI issue (via email);

·  02/28 – from Dan Clayton, DOH, about a new certificate of primary operating territory for Summit (via email);

·  03/03 – from Edmeston, their proposed controlled substances licensing plan (via email);

·  03/03 – from Upstate Medical Center, notice of course offerings (via email)(posted on regional web site);

·  03/03 – from UHS, Binghamton, notice of course offering (via email)(posted on regional web site);

·  03/03 – from Broadalbin, requesting approval of ePCR plan (via email);

·  03/04 – from an agency officer, about printing paper PCRs (via email);

·  03/04 – from a member of an agency, a change of personal address (via email);

·  03/04 – from Dana Jonas, DOH, further information on fitness and competency regarding the Rural/Metro C.O.N. (via email);

·  03/05 – from Rich Beebe, about the instructor update planned for June (via email);

·  03/05 – from an agency officer, about contact information for a member of another agency (via email);

·  03/06 – from Mike Tayler, DOH, about an agency ePCR issue (via email);

·  03/07 – from Albany Medical Center, notice of CME offerings (posted on Regional web site);

·  03/07 – from Cobleskill, about their proposed new ePCR vendor (via email);

·  03/07 – from Mike Tayler, DOH, about the above (via email);

·  03/10 – from DOH, notice of enforcement action (see below);

·  03/12 – from Homeland Security, their latest bulletin (via email);

·  03/10 – from Albany Medical Center, announcing their EMS Recognition Dinner and their 2014 Acute Ischemic Stroke Conference (both posted on regional web site);

·  03/10 – from Travis Howe and Tim Mirabile, Mountain Lakes and REMO respectively, about an Android app for our protocols (via email);

·  03/10 – from Dan Clayton, DOH, copy of a letter to Stamford about primary operating territory (via email);

·  03/10 – from Travis Howe, Mountain Lakes, about an NAEMSE instructor course in Glens Falls (via email) (posted on regional web site);

·  03/11 – from Tim Mirabile, REMO, about an Android app for our protocols (via email);

·  03/11 – from Mike Tayler, DOH, about ePCR agencies (via email);

·  03/11 – from Joe Farrell, DOH, about Conesville operating territory (via email);

·  03/11 – from Sidney Center, about their new medical director;

·  03/12 – from Mike Tayler, DOH, about ePCR issues (via email);

·  03/12 – from Milford, their controlled substances plan, for REMAC review;

·  03/12 – from Lee Burns, DOH, about BLS Narcan training (via email);

·  03/13 – from Lee Burns, DOH, more about BLS Narcan training (via email);

·  03/13 – from Robert O’Brien, Otsego County, about an agency closure (via email);

·  03/13 – from Dan Clayton, DOH, about Worcester primary operating territory (via email);

·  03/17 – from Dan Clayton, DOH, notice of recall of glucose testing materials (via email);

·  03/17 – from Homeland Security, the latest anti-terrorism bulletin (via email);

·  03/18 – from SUNY Cobleskill, notice of new course (via email);(posted on regional web site);

·  03/18 – from an inquirer about availability of CLI training (via email);

·  03/18 – from an agency officer, about the BLS CPAP program (via email);

·  03/19 – from Mike Tayler, DOH, about an ePCR agency (via email);

·  03/19 – from the NYC Regional Program office, about TEK credentialing (via email);

A listing of the correspondence was distributed before the start of the meeting to each member present, for his or her perusal. Other handouts distributed to the members present included the cash flow and balance sheet.

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT

Mr. Jones had an excused absence.

SECRETARY’S REPORT

On February 26, we received an email from Dan Clayton at DOH, relative to the ongoing discussions regarding prehospital glucometer use. He advised us of a reply received from Dr. Gregory Young, Associate Commissioner of Health, as follows:

“In answer to the questions and calls regarding pre hospital use of glucometers I can share the following information:
At this time the NYSDOH will not take action against EMTs, who following REMAC approved (and SEMAC approved) protocols, and/or on line medical direction, utilize glucometers.
Discussions on the use of glucometers are ongoing...”

This information was sent by email on February 26 to all who usually receive the AAREMS Minutes.

On February 27, a meeting was held at GAVAC headquarters at 11:00 AM for all ePCR providers in the Region. It was attended by all but three such providers. Discussion was led by Michael Tayler of DOH. The session was extremely informative. Another session will be scheduled at a different venue to include those not present on the 27th.

On February 28, we were advised by Dan Clayton at DOH, that the primary operating territory for the Summit Fire District Rescue Squad would no longer include the Richmondville Fire District.

On March 03, we were advised in writing by Broadalbin Ambulance that they were preparing to enter the ePCR program and wished to receive Regional approval for this. Motion was made by Mr. Mulleedy and seconded by Mr. Pasquarelli, as follows:

RESOLVED, that The Broadalbin Volunteer Ambulance Corps is approved to enter the ePCR system.

This was adopted unanimously, with no abstentions.

On March 07, we were asked by Cobleskill Ambulance to approve their new ePCR vendor. Motion was made by Mr. Mulleedy, and seconded by Mr. Chase, as follows:

Resolved, that the Village of Cobleskill Ambulance Service is approved to continue as an ePCR provider agency using their new software provider.

This was adopted unanimously, with no abstentions.

On March 16, Cherry Valley asked in writing for permission to approve their entry into the ePCR system. Motion was made by Mr. Knapp, and seconded by Mr. Kersmanc, as follows:

RESOLVED, that the Cherry Valley Emergency Squad is approved to enter the ePCR system.

This was adopted unanimously, with no abstentions.

On March 10, we received an inquiry from Tim Mirabile and Travis Howe (REMO and Mountain Lakes Regional Offices respectively), asking about our willingness to assist in the cost of the development of an Android ™ app for our collaborative protocols. We replied in the affirmative. The cost would be very reasonable. Spread among the participating Regions, it would probably be less than $1000.00 per Region. The Regional offices will recognize a savings in printing costs when this app is put into use. There was discussion at this point about the feasibility of developing some way of providing electronic availability of the statewide DOH BLS protocols. It was noted that they have been updated by DOH more than once, and are available on the DOH EMS website in several files. Mr. Mulleedy advised that the IT person who provides services to this Region is working on a means of making them available, including updates, in a PowerPoint format, available through a link on the Regional web site. The members will be kept informed on this.