This Week in EMS: A Recap for July 28 - August 3, 2007

The entire nation was stunned Wednesday when the Interstate 35W bridge in Minneapolis collapsed into the Mississippi River, plunging dozens of cars and tons of wreckage about sixty feet into the water.

The incident occurred during the evening rush hour and rescuers initially feared a death toll of up to 30. However, as of Friday, that estimate was reduced as officials reported five confirmed deaths and eight people missing. In addition, at least 79 people were injured in the collapse, including 10 children from a school bus that was caught in the wreckage but did not go into the water.

The incident spurred a massive rescue operation involving EMS, fire and police, as well as doctors, nurses and construction workers.

EMSResponder.com/EMS Magazine contributor Dave Long, who is local to the area, told us that from what he gathered from colleagues and the local news, the EMS response was very smooth. The rescuers were prepared for a disaster of this magnitude, they were backed up by mutual aid, and there were more personnel and ambulances available than needed. Dave is working to provide additional details from local responders next week.

Recovery efforts continued Friday for more bodies that had been spotted in the fast-moving currents, which were reportedly "even more treacherous" Friday than a day earlier.

These efforts were to continue even as authorities reviewed the safety record of the bridge, which had been designated "structurally deficient" as early as 1990. According to the Associated Press, more than 70,000 bridges across the United States are rated structurally deficient like the I-35W bridge.

For the initial news report and additional EMS photos visit Several Killed in Minneapolis Bridge Collapse.

To read the latest on the recovery efforts and collapse investigation visit 5th Body Recovered from Minneapolis Bridge Collapse.

Watch EMSResponder.com for additional updates and reactions to this incident.

In a follow up this week with Antwerp EMS in Ohio, officials told EMSResponder.com how they are moving forward since the crash two weeks ago that claimed the lives of three of their personnel as well as two patients.

A funeral for the fallen heroes was held at a local school last Friday, and rescuers from both near and far descended on the small town to offer support. This show of solidarity went a long way toward bolstering the spirits of the local rescue community.

"We've never seen anything like it," said Randy Shaffer, who is temporarily taking over the position of acting president from Matt McDougall, who was both injured in the crash and lost his wife, paramedic Heidi McDougall.

The group continues to grieve while working to replace the ambulance and equipment lost in the fiery wreck. To read more visit Antwerp EMS Regroups after Tragic Crash.

In another line of duty death this week, the Massachusetts EMS community is mourning the loss of well-known paramedic Richard Powers, 45. He died Monday after returning from a call with Beauport Ambulance in Gloucester. He was found in cardiac arrest at the operations office, and his partner began the resuscitative effort which continued en route to the hospital. However, he was pronounced dead a short time later.

Powers worked for a number of ambulance companies and was actively involved with training in the area, and will be missed by many. To read more visit Massachusetts Medic Dies Following Call.

In major industry news this week, a strike was averted in the Northeast after the National EMS Association struck a new deal last weekend with American Medical Response, the largest ambulance company in the U.S.

The strike threat had many communities scrambling for back up plans, but because of the deal there was no disruption in service. For more visit AMR Northeast EMTs Will Not Strike.

Also this week, DC Fire & EMS revealed a plan to make more ambulances available in the District of Columbia. They plan to hire 6 physician assistants who will work during peak hours out of the busiest emergency departments in the city, in order to reduce the drop-time for city ambulances and paramedic units.

The physician assistant, wearing a DC Fire & EMS uniform, would take charge of as many as 4 patients from EMS personnel until the emergency department staff was able to accept them.

To read more on this visit the full article, D.C. Finds Ways to Keep Ambulances on the Street.

News You Can Use: Call for EMS Historical Artifacts

The National EMS Museum Foundation is pleased to announce they will have an exhibit of artifacts at EMS Expo this October.

"We have been given a large area in the exhibit hall to display some of the unique artifacts of EMS history," they announced.

"We would like to invite individuals planning to attend Expo, who have a unique piece of EMS history they'd like considered for show, to contact one of the individuals listed below for more information and to have your piece placed on the list for consideration."

To get involved, please contact any of the members below no later than August 31, 2007.

Tom Bartlett, Director: Region 10--LA, AR, MS
bartlett@nemsmf.org

Franc Ferola, Director: Region 11--AL, GA, FL
Matrix51@aol.com

Jules Scadden, NEMSMF Secretary
jkaymdc@aim.com
712-660-0881

EMS Magazine Online Exclusive: Anatomy of a Tragedy

Don't miss this web-only article on the how the biology of the brain can shape human responses, by EMS Magazine contributors John F. Elder, CCEMT-P, and Chuck Skinner, CCPM.

Reminder: 5th Annual EMS Systems Survey

EMS Magazine is proud to offer the 5th annual comprehensive survey of EMS systems in the United States. Make sure your agency is represented in this important resource. Survey results will be published in the December 2007 Gold Book/Buyer's Guide and are designed to provide an overview of the EMS industry as it exists today across the spectrum of EMS delivery systems. To learn more and respond, visit the 5th Annual EMS Systems Survey page on EMSResponder.com.

EMSResponder.com Featured Job

Coordinator of Emergency Services Program, Dutchess Community College of Hudson Valley New York

The position requires field experience in the delivery of pre-hospital emergency care and knowledge concerning national curriculum, national accreditation, registration and the requirements for state certification or licensure. Click here for additional information on this position.

Visit www.EMSResponder.com/jobs for more listings and links to additional EMS jobs on partner site Firehouse.com. It is possible that some positions will be filled before they are taken offline.

EMSResponder.com Hot Topics

The Decline of the Paramedic?

In this popular discussion, a poster writes, "We've had several paramedic students who have done field internship time with us in the last month or so, and we couldn't help but notice how mediocre some of these students are. Some of them were from formerly very well respected EMS training institutions in the area and it was quite honestly disturbing how poorly prepared they were.... Is it just us, or is this a widespread issue?

EMSResponder.com Poll

Is your rescue community talking about local bridge issues after the experience in Minneapolis?

Visit the poll on the lower right side of EMSResponder.com to participate.

Other top headlines this week on EMSResponder.com:

• Wisconsin EMS Crew Sees Crash, Catches Boyfriend in Fib
• Indiana Boy Suffers Strange Object-in-Mouth Accident
• Air Ambulance Crashes in Mississippi; All Survive
• Sobbing Mother Gives Infant to Louisiana EMTs
• Louisiana Teen Tries to Steal Ambulance with EMT in Back

About Heather Caspi, EMSResponder.com Editor-in-Chief
Heather Caspi has been a public safety journalist since 2000, beginning as a reporter for sister site Firehouse.com. She later became the assistant news editor for Firehouse.com and Officer.com, and led the launch of EMSResponder.com in 2005. She graduated from the University of Maryland with degrees in Journalism and English Language and Literature, and earned her EMT-B at Merritt College in Oakland, California.