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Author    Post   untanglingwebs El Supremo Some Genesee County commissioners want faster ambulance response to injured student athletes Ron Fonger | rfonger1@mlive.com By Ron Fonger | rfonger1@mlive.com on October 09, 2013 at 6:15 PM, updated October 09, 2013 at 7:32 PM GENESEE COUNTY, MI -- Injured student athletes need to be given top priority by emergency dispatchers and ambulance companies in the future, several county commissioners said Wednesday, Oct. 9. "When it comes to the physical and mental condition of a child, I would rather have (those) be tier-one calls," said Commissioner Brenda Clack, D-Flint. "I'm concerned." The calls for re-examination of how sports-injury emergencies are handled in the county come nearly two weeks after a Beecher High School football player was injured during a game at Lake Fenton High School. It took at least 17 minutes for a Stat Emergency Medical Service ambulance to arrive at the game from its base just 3.4 miles away, officials said -- partly because the call was labeled as a "tier-2," or non-emergency, run. Protocols in place here say ambulances should make tier-two runs without lights and sirens activated and without traveling faster than the speed limit or running through red traffic lights and stop signs. Clack and Commissioner Tony Brown, R-Fenton, each said that the policy may need to be reconsidered because of the slow response in the this case and because sports injuries can be much worse than they appear. Brown, who was at the Lake Fenton-Beecher game when the injury occurred, was the second person to call 911, asking why it was taking the company so long to arrive. A 911 recording from the Lake Fenton athletic director indicated the injured player may have hurt his back or neck. Brown said any call for help should have resulted in a quicker response in that case, given how short a distance the ambulance had to travel. "I've never had to call for an ambulance when it wasn't needed right (then)," Brown said. "I really don't know why there's a (system for rating some calls non-emergencies). Maybe that's something we need (Genesee County) Medical Control (Authority) to look at." The Medical Control Authority establishes policies for ambulance companies licensed to operate here. Executive Director Bruce Trevithick said commissioners should also consider that the chances of an accident involving an ambulance will increase if more calls for help are moved into the tier-one category. Joseph R. Karlichek, chief operating officer and vice president of Stat, said company officials have reviewed the run to Lake Fenton and stand behind the crew on duty. Dispatchers assigned the case a tier-two status because the player was alert, communicating and able to move his limbs. "The route they took was the most direct," said Karlichek, noting that the ambulance also encountered impediments as it got closer to the football field.' "We sympathize with the family ... We stand behind our crew's response," he said. Fenton Township Clerk Robert Krug brought the ambulance run issue to county commissioners at their meeting Wednesday, saying the long wait for help could have been critical to the student. Fortunately, the player was not seriously hurt, Krug said. The Flint Journal could not immediately reach athletic directors for the two schools for comment David Ackley, deputy director of Genesee County 911, said the injured player was breathing, able to communicate and to move his limbs, which put the call in the non-emergency category. Ackley said dispatchers contacted the Stat ambulance that responded to the football game after receiving a second 911 call, asking how close the rig was to the football field. "You do the math," Ackley told commissioners when asked about the response time. "I'm not going to point the finger." The county's 911 system changed just days after the Lake Fenton 911 call, and as of Oct. 1, dispatchers use automatic vehicle locators to call for the closest ambulance to an emergency. County board Chairman Jamie Curtis said that change will make response to all calls much faster. "In the week or 10 days since we started, our response times have gone down from (an average of) 14 to 6 minutes," Ackley said. "If we see the ambulance isn't moving (quickly), we cancel them" and send the next-closest. "We used to be the laughing stock of the state of Michigan," Ackley said. "Now we're one of the leaders." Sun Oct 20, 2013 7:58 am  untanglingwebs El Supremo I have had politicians tell me Ron Fonger is too hard on them. But I was at this same meeting and Fonger should have been harder on these political idiots. The player walked off the field and collapsed afterwards. Tier one calls are based on national standards as well as local medical Control Boards. By the standards this was not a tier one call. After reviewing a number of national stories, this is not an isolated issue. Some schools pay to have an ambulance on hand sometimes with off duty EMT's. The fees can be exorbitant, as much as $150 per hour, and if a call comes in the ambulance leaves. Other schools work with fire stations or trained school athletic directors and EMT's on staff. Another issue is whether the path to the player was clear or was there so much traffic and parking, the ambulance had difficulty reaching the field. The school needs to prepare for such emergencies. It was embarrassing to see these politicians acting so righteous on this issue and blaming the 911 and the ambulance service. Clack should have known that the issue on tv of national discussion involved the after effects of concussions and especially repeated concussions. A concussion is not a tier one call. Professional football players are suing over the mistreatment of these concussions and the fact they were not advised of the damage from these injuries. Some former professionals discourage their children and grandchildren from playing the sport. Sun Oct 20, 2013 8:13 am  untanglingwebs El Supremo What about cheerleaders? Some teams, especially those with pyramids, have more injuries than football players. What was embarrassingly clear was that politicians like Brown and others wanted to look good and seem like they are only looking out for the good of the children. They refused to listen to the efforts to improve the ambulance system that has been going on for a number of years by veteran County Commissioners, the 911 administration, Sheriff Pickell and others. Some of the medical Control Board meetings were animated with these discussions. Problem is the medical Control Board lacks the teeth to enforce much. Ambulances that are supposed to stay at a base instead roam and park far away fro their base. Sun Oct 20, 2013 8:20 am  untanglingwebs El Supremo Largo High football injury rekindles ambulance debate | HS … pinellaspark.wtsp.com/...largo-high-football-injury...ambulance-debate Largo, FL -- Should an ambulance be present at all High School football games? You may have assumed they already are, since about half of all high school athletics ... . Largo High School football injury rekindles Pinellas County ... www.wtsp.com/.../Largo-High-football-injury-rekindles-ambulance-debate Aug 26, 2013 · Taj Taylor, a Largo High School student and football player, recovers after an injury on the field during a Friday night game. It's sparked a debate on why ... . Largo High School football injury rekindles ambulance debate ... www.wtsp.com/news/photo-gallery.aspx?storyid=332218 Largo High School football injury rekindles ambulance debate. Photos show Largo High School football player Taj Taylor's injury during a football game against a ... . High school football player dies after tackle - CNN.com www.cnn.com/2013/08/17/us/high-school-football-death Aug 17, 2013 · A suburban Atlanta high school football player has died from injuries suffered while making a tackle during a scrimmage game, according to medical … . High School Sports Injuries - EMS Emergency Medical Services … www.emsworld.com/article/10319304 High School Sports Injuries . by Greg ... of mild traumatic brain injury in high school ... BLS bags and moving some of their equipment to the ambulance . . Athletic Business Newswire - Ambulances On-Site at Football … www.athleticbusiness.com/editors/blog/default.aspx?id=1199 As school districts have cut costs over the years, one of the items often on the chopping block is having ambulances stationed at every football game. . Some Duval high schools remove ambulances from football … www.firstcoastnews.com/news/article/279414/0/Some-Duval-high... Oct 24, 2012 · JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Effective this year, some cash-strapped Duval County public high schools have opted out of contracting private ambulance services … . Serious High School Football Injury | IGN Boards www.ign.com › Boards › Sports › Football Sep 26, 2004 · "Lincoln East High football player in critical condition A Lincoln East High School football player was listed in critical condition Friday night after... . EMTs to replace ambulances at Richmond County football … chronicle.augusta.com/.../emts-replace-ambulances...football-games Jul 24, 2013 · To save money, the underfunded Richmond County school system will not have ambulances at middle and high school football games this season.Instead, two ... . Ambulances, EMTs and trainers - OregonLive.com highschoolsports.oregonlive.com/.../ambulances-emts...scores=football Once he began describing symptoms such as "tingling" and "weakness" in his right arm and "sharp pain" in his neck, McNary senior wide receiver Dustin Boyd had no ... . Pinellas may station ambulances closer to prep football games tbo.com/...ambulances-closer-to-high-school-football-games-20130919 CLEARWATER — Ambulances may soon be parking close to Pinellas County high school football stadiums on games nights in case paramedics need to respond to on … . Diagnosing and treating football injuries: High School vs. NFL . Largo High football injury rekindles ambulance debate - … www.usatodayhss.com/tampabay/videos/video/00000140-bd02-d9fd-a7e3... After a Largo High School football player's injury gave everyone a scare Friday night, one family questions the Pinellas School Disctrict's stance on not having an ... . Ambulances to Park Closer to High School Football Games on … www.970wfla.com/.../ambulances-to-park-closer-to-high-11669850 CLEARWATER, Fla. (970 WFLA/AP)-Ambulances may soon park close to Pinellas county high school football stadiums on game nights in case paramedics need to … . Sun Oct 20, 2013 8:43 am  untanglingwebs El Supremo Patriot Ambulance on probation for failing to staff bases, turn calls over to 911 Ron Fonger | rfonger1@mlive.com By Ron Fonger | rfonger1@mlive.com on October 21, 2013 at 4:00 PM, updated October 21, 2013 at 4:05 PM GENESEE COUNTY, MI -- A Genesee County ambulance company is on probation for issues that include allowing an unlicensed person to provide patient care and for failing to keep offices staffed properly where ambulances were based. The Genesee County Medical Control Authority placed Patriot Ambulance Service on probation until March 4, said Medical Control Executive Director Bruce A. Trevithick. The company is allowed to continue operating in the county, but must keep detailed records and make reports as part of the probation. Issues leading to the probation included 19 cases in which Patriot sent its own ambulances in response to private calls for help in life-threatening emergencies. Those calls should have been referred to Genesee County 911, according to Medical Control, because of the length of time it took for Patriot ambulances to respond. Other issues leading to probation were 17 days in which the company failed to staff bases, allowing an individual to operate as a dispatcher who did not have required certification, allowing an unlicensed individual to provide patient care and failing to provide proper notification of base closures. Patriot owner and President Jeff York said many of the rules the company is being punished for having not followed are no longer in effect, including rules about bases, which are no longer required. Private ambulances are now equipped with automatic vehicle locators and are dispatched based on the rigs' distance from emergencies. The Patriot violations happened at a time the company was attempting to gear up for changes to the Genesee County emergency dispatch system, according to York. "We've been in business for 10 years. It's not something we are happy with, but we had some internal things that led us to replace the director of operations," he said. "We're complying with" the punishment. Those terms include six months of probation -- from Aug. 26 to March 4, submission of proposed staffing schedules one month in advance and actual staffing within 15 days of the conclusion of the month, and a requirement that the company document all runs, source of requested service, location of call, mileage and times for the previous month. Trevethick said the probation isn't unheard of but it's "unfortunately more common than we would like it to be." In 2011, Emergency Med Stat, which no longer operates inside the county, was suspended from doing business and placed on probation, the executive director said. Earlier this year, another company -- Pro Med -- was also suspended and remains on probation until January for issues including base staffing and equipment, according to Trevithick. The GCMCA is responsible under state law for the oversight for the EMS system in the county, and is administered by Genesys Regional Medical Center, Hurley Medical Center, McLaren Regional Medical Center and the county Board of Commissioners. Tue Oct 22, 2013 10:01 am  untanglingwebs El Supremo In the last week an 11 year old in Genesee and tonight a 14 year old in Montrose were injured playing football. These schools need to have some kind of trained emergency personnel available. Wed Oct 23, 2013 7:23 pm    Display posts from previous:   All Posts1 Day7 Days2 Weeks1 Month3 Months6 Months1 Year Oldest FirstNewest First

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