A U G U S T 2 0 17
PMREMS newsletter
regionalresource taking the Lead T
aking the lead, let’s read segments starting with catchy key words including PROgress for Pocono Mountain Regional EMS as grads: Joseph Ambrogio; Robert Conde and Aleksey Dmitriev successfully acquire their Paramedic credentials during an August 4 ceremony at Luzerne County Community College.
Agreeing August is an awesome time to illustrate UPLIFTINGifting, we’ve shared details of our stair chair buys thanks to ESSA Foundation. Plus, there’s still time for one and all to contribute AND reward yourself with a night out at our September 7th Regional Roundup with tickets yours for the taking up to August 24th so call today!
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IN THIS EDITION 2 PROgress Congrats to PMREMS grads 4 UPLIFTINGifting ESSA Foundation Appreciation 6 PREschool Planning A vaccination reminder from Pocono Mountain School District 7 Q&A BEFORE Playing Learn from Lehigh Valley Health Network
pro
gress
Photos by Mark James
LCCC Staff Photographer
P
ocono Mountain Regional Emergency Medical Services proudly announces the advancement of professionals Joseph Ambrogio, Robert Conde and Alek Dmitriev to Paramedic status. All three successfully completed the Luzerne County Community College Advanced Life Support Program with an August 4 graduation ceremony to celebrate this stellar academic achievement. All are currently full-time EMTs with the organization and will continue on as full-time Paramedics taking our total to 27 medics on staff with 13 full-time and 14 part-time/per diem. All of our teammates possess comprehensive EMS systems knowledge pertinent to safely and effectively perform all practical skills within National, State, and Local guidelines at the EMT-paramedic level.
All Photos (left to right) Dr. Debbie Vilegi Payne
Dean of Nursing & Health Sciences
Mark Ercolani
EMS Program DIrector
Dr. David Schoenwetter EMS Medical Director
Joining our graduates in congratulations
Joseph Ambrogio
PARAMEDICGRADUATIONCEREMONY AUGUST 4
ROBERT CONDE
ALEK DMITRIEV
Pocono Mountain Regional EMS
can agree ESSA Foundation’s mission, “Returning to the community a portion of the profits to improve the quality of life,” is true to life using $12,500 in recent grant funding to ease in-home response obstacles. With staircases obstructing swift Paramedic and EMT transport, the nonprofit organization purchased four new stair chairs to aid in carefully lowering and raising seated patients to doorway departures. Enabling each ambulance to now have a unit, Pocono Mountain Regional EMS Director of Operations Manager Denise Doremus told how possessing stair chairs not only meets EMS licensing compliance; reporting close to 75 out of an average 500 monthly calls requiring stair chairs, she shared why they are vital to providing medical services. “When a call comes in our professionals must rapidly respond and react on-scene stabilizing patients then get those in need of immediate medical attention quickly to a hospital,” she described. With gratitude to ESSA Foundation she added,” Having stair chairs ready to roll we can meet that goal and possibly save a life.”
ifting Having stair chairs ready to roll we can meet that goal and possibly save a life
Our professionals must rapidly respond and react
Questions for the Doctor
Q
I’ve heard a lot this summer about dry drowning and secondary drowning. What are they and what can I do to protect my children? A: Dry drowning and secondary drowning are rare conditions, but they can be fatal. As a parent, you need to be aware of the signs so you can keep your family safe and sound this summer. Let’s start with definitions. The terms “dry drowning” and “secondary drowning” refer to different water submersion injuries that are equally dangerous, but uncommon, as they make up only about one to two percent of all drowning incidents. Both can occur if a child struggles in the water; they can cause brain injury, respiratory problems and sometimes even death. Dry drowning occurs when water doesn’t enter the lungs, but instead the vocal chords spasm shut and close up the airways, which makes it very hard to breathe. We see this most often when an individual dives off a diving board and simultaneously takes a breath. The symptoms of dry drowning occur immediately. If it happens, the individual may never make it out of the water, or may have
difficulty breathing right away. With secondary drowning, water does enter the lungs. This often happens when children are playing in the water, dunk their heads and cough a bit. The water irritates the lungs (laryngospasm) and causes a constriction and a fluid buildup known as pulmonary edema. The longer it takes for the larynx to relax, the longer the body is deprived of oxygen. The symptoms of secondary drowning evolve and become worse in the period as long as 24 hours after the child comes of out the water. Young children and children with heart defects or respiratory problems, such as asthma, are at the highest risk. The symptoms of secondary drowning vary, but usually include sputtering and coughing, labored or faster breathing and/or vomiting, chest pain, extreme fatigue (your child will appear to be very sleepy), or changes in mental status. These symptoms are often subtle, but parents can usually tell when their child does not look right. There are three things you can you do to mitigate the risk of dry drowning or secondary drowning. First, make sure your children know and practice appropriate water safety. Unexpected dunking and horseplay in the water can cause water inhalation. Second, make sure your child always swims with a buddy in a
Colleen Kennedy, M.D., is an emergency medicine specialist at Lehigh Valley Hospital–Pocono. She is board certified by the American Board of Emergency Medicine.
supervised area, and confirm that on-duty lifeguards are trained to recognize dry drowning and equipped to initiate life support while waiting for emergency medical help. Lastly, and this is a very important point, if your child has a near-drowning incident (be it in a pool, a lake or a bathtub), act fast and call 9-1-1. Once emergency medical staff arrives, they will immediately put your child on supplemental oxygen and get him or her to a hospital for treatment and monitoring. By practicing these tips - and understanding what symptoms to look for – you can make sure your family has an enjoyable and safe summer!
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Headquarters135 Tegawitha Road, Tobyhanna, PA 18466 WebPMREMS.org Phone570.839.8485 EMAILINFO@PMREMS.ORG