What Would You Buy and Why?

[Tommerag]

I was never an EMT-Basic, certified to the -P level senior year of high school/freshman year of college, having worked as a Paramedic throughout college (out of college now).

Do you mean you never worked as an EMT-B? Or were never certified as one?

 

[firetender]

I kinda like the flow of this thread. A question, a note, a miscommunication here, solid info or questions there, an observation, good experience, counterpoints, some very specific info and for icing, a plea for human civility and a challenge to assumptions...and people really sounding like people with passion!

All in all an excellent job of feeding a question with things to think about, resources to use, and models to follow.

Just a thank you, non-official!

 

[firebird226]

Do you mean you never worked as an EMT-B? Or were never certified as one?

Never certified and never worked I suppose. The program was 2 years, with clinicals, but it went straight through from EMT to EMT-P. You had the option of testing and being certified at the -I level, but I chose to just end at -P.

 

[Tommerag]

Alright thats what I was figuring just wanted clarification.

I suppose to the OP that you would have to demonstrate a need to the college of setting this up, if you want to get any money from them.

If you could get information on how many 911 calls are made from campus and how many are actually transported that may help you in your cause to the school.

 

[usafmedic45]

*redacted*

 

[rwik123]

Having a student ems program was definitely something I looked for while researching and applying to colleges this year. Some that i visited had a student ems program which did sporting events and the first responder like stuff.

The college I'm attending next year has a student run ALS transport program, so that will be nice to get involved with.

Like others have said, definitely get support of other faculty members and school people to help pitch it. If you can get the local FD or agencies to support you also it could help significantly.

 

[purdue1014]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the continued replies...

Many FD's hate doing the intox calls that are associated with collegiate EMS, especially when they have a limited number of ambulances, and the town is unable to respond to it's own 911 emergencies because of the EtOH calls. So much so, that at one school my friend goes to, they specifically REQUESTED that the University come up with it's own transport system.

YES

Just my $.02. As emt.dan mentioned, please go to the NCEMSF website - it's an invaluable resource for collegiate EMS startups. (For purdue, not usaf - sorry for the confusion!)

Thanks for reading.

Will do, thanks...

Alright thats what I was figuring just wanted clarification.

I suppose to the OP that you would have to demonstrate a need to the college of setting this up, if you want to get any money from them.

If you could get information on how many 911 calls are made from campus and how many are actually transported that may help you in your cause to the school.

Working on that as we speak...

Like others have said, definitely get support of other faculty members and school people to help pitch it. If you can get the local FD or agencies to support you also it could help significantly.

Working on that, too

I appreciate all the thoughts/advice....Any other thoughts, and I'd be happy to hear them...

Have a great evening,

Purdue

 

[samiam]

National Collegiate EMS Foundation

http://www.ncemsf.org/

this could be useful they have a start up kit available under resources.

 

[bigbaldguy]

Rice University

Not sure it has been mentioned but Rice University in Houston Texas has a program that sounds very much like what your are describing. I talked to them when I was trying to find a place to take my EMT-B. I bet they would be happy to share info with you.

http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~rems/faq.html

 

[Bosco836]

Hi All,

Let's say you are in charge of starting up a brand new collegiate EMS group. This group would be a quick reponse BLS team with a medical director and online medical control from the nearby ED, not doing ALS or transports (if needed, the local FD would be called). Said college is in an urban environment with approximately 8K undergraduate students. You would use some sort of cart to respond to calls.

Let's say you had $10K to cover all start up costs plus supplies for 2 semesters of operations, not to include the purchase of a golf cart (that would be separate). What supplies/equipment/pagers or radios would you buy and why? While this is still theoretical at this point, is it possible to get by on 10K for a year?

Thanks,

Purdue

Having volunteered with a Collegiate EMS Group, perhaps I can offer some input.

Firstly, I'd like to echo the comments of one of the previous posters - check out www.ncemsf.org. There is a plethora of valuable information on there specific to collegiate EMS.

Notwithstanding the information on NCEMSF - my suggestion is as follows:

Radios

It's likely best to coordinate this with your university. Find out what system they have in place already, and see if you can get space on their repeater. This will likely reduce costs (as repeaters are VERY costly) and will help tier you into their communication network (which is important, especially if someone calls Campus Police, etc. to report a medical emergency).

Every responder (on duty) should be equipped with a radio, in addition to having one or two extras in the office, along with spare batteries).

At our campus, we typically run 3 person shifts, and have 5 or 6 radios (in case of special events, routine radio maintenance, etc.)

Check with your university...they may have spare and/or old radios available.


Medical Packs

We've had great success in utilizing response back-packs, as opposed to the traditional style trauma-bags. I'm a big fan of the Pacific R200 bag (currently discontinued). However, a comparable replacement can be found here - http://www.trevorowenltd.com/r200_rescue_backpack.htm .

These bags allow you to carry both trauma supplies, medical assessment supplies, PCRs, and O2/Airway supplies - all in one kit. Moreover, these bags are easy to carry around campus, as they can be carried as a backpack.


Stat packs also makes some decent back-pack style bags.

Supplies

Obviously, you're going to be limited to your level of training with respect to what you can and can not carry (or are mandated to carry as per state laws). Most of our response kits contain (to the best of my memory...I'm not actually looking at one right now...I may have overlooked something):

• Gloves
• Stethoscope
• BP Cuff
• Glucometer
• 4*4s
• 4 and 6 inch kling (roller gauze)
• Assorted ACE Bandages
• 36 inch SAM Splint
• Cold Packs
• Biohazard Bag
• Adult BVM
• OPAs
• NPAs
• Non-rebreathers
• Nasal-cannulas
• D-size O2 tank
• V-Vac Suction Unit
• Sharps container
• Assorted pressure dressings
• Burn-gel/Burn dressings (assorted sizes)
• AB Pads (Assorted sizes)
• Sodium Chloride Irrigation Solution
• 60mL Syringe (used for irrigation)
• Bandaids!
• Goggles
• Gowns
• N95 Masks
• Pen-light
• PCR's
• Sheers
• Oral Glucose
• Rescue blanket
• Spare pens
• Thermometer
  
  

In addition to those supplies, you'll also likely want to invest in an AED.

You may be able to get support from your local EMS (i.e - donation of some supplies, supply exchange (i.e. swap O2 tanks, or other consumables like splints, pressure dressings, etc.))

In addition, there are a variety of websites that have low-cost medical supplies. In the US - I've found some good deals (and ordered) from www.dealmed.com , http://www.bpmedicalsupplies.com/ , and http://www.amazon.com .



Although a 10K startup budget will make things tight, it certainly is far from impossible. You may have to go without certain non-essentail supplies, or instead of stocking various sizes of roller gauze, simply stick with 4 inch. Or forgo other non-essential items, such as glucometers and thermometers, and rely simply on proper (and detailed) assessment.

I know our response team built up our response supplies over the course of the first few years. When we started, we didn't have nearly as many bags, equipment, and other toys that we have now. Make the best with what you have to work with, and add additional resources as your financial situation permits.


Best of luck in your endeavors. Please feel free to PM me if you have any further questions.

Best,

 

[DrParasite]

That being said, what purdue is asking is not out of the norm for many colleges, as was pointed out by emt.dan. The school that I went to for undergrad (name via PM) has over a $250,000 annual budget for it's campus EMS program. We also have two 911 transporting BLS ambulances, in addition to an entirely student run dispatching system that's functional 24/7 (all have been appropriately EMD certified, and not a single member is certified under the NREMT-B level, a very small number to the -P level). In the event of an ALS transport, a private ambulance service is dispatched. Call volume (not necessarily all transports - and takes into account both 911 and non-emergent calls) at the school I was referring to earlier? 1,500 a year.

Sounds like how Syracuse University was set up, but SU has an MCI trailer as well, one of two in the county.

Lots of schools have collegiate based EMS agencies. most of them are volunteer, BLS, and 1 ambulance/first response vehicle. the important things to have are funding and support from the university, a good recruitment (because 99% of your members will be gone in 4 years or less) and training program, and proper equipment to do the job properly.

10,000 is a little tight, but depending on what you can get the university to pay for that doesn't come out of that 10,000, it can be done

 

[purdue1014]

http://www.ncemsf.org/

this could be useful they have a start up kit available under resources.

I don't see a supply list? Am I missing something?

Thanks!

 

[purdue1014]

Hi All,

Thank you for your replies...Sorry it took me so long to get back, I had a busy week at school this week.

I did have a question, (which was answered) but I want to ask it anyway just to get more thoughts on it. How can I determine a recommended vendor for supplies, if I do not "know" the industry yet that well? For example, I do not yet have enough personal experience to know if I am being "ripped off" or not. I.e., If this organization comes about as we hope, I will likely be the one to purchase the supplies, and I do not know if say---$1,000 is good deal or a bad deal for an AED, or if $10 is a fair deal for say, 4 packs of 4x4s, etc.

Any thoughts here?

Not sure it has been mentioned but Rice University in Houston Texas has a program that sounds very much like what your are describing. I talked to them when I was trying to find a place to take my EMT-B. I bet they would be happy to share info with you.

http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~rems/faq.html

Thanks, I will take a look at them...

Having volunteered with a Collegiate EMS Group, perhaps I can offer some input.

Firstly, I'd like to echo the comments of one of the previous posters - check out www.ncemsf.org. There is a plethora of valuable information on there specific to collegiate EMS.

Notwithstanding the information on NCEMSF - my suggestion is as follows:

Radios

It's likely best to coordinate this with your university. Find out what system they have in place already, and see if you can get space on their repeater. This will likely reduce costs (as repeaters are VERY costly) and will help tier you into their communication network (which is important, especially if someone calls Campus Police, etc. to report a medical emergency).

Every responder (on duty) should be equipped with a radio, in addition to having one or two extras in the office, along with spare batteries).

At our campus, we typically run 3 person shifts, and have 5 or 6 radios (in case of special events, routine radio maintenance, etc.)

Check with your university...they may have spare and/or old radios available.


Medical Packs

We've had great success in utilizing response back-packs, as opposed to the traditional style trauma-bags. I'm a big fan of the Pacific R200 bag (currently discontinued). However, a comparable replacement can be found here - http://www.trevorowenltd.com/r200_rescue_backpack.htm .

These bags allow you to carry both trauma supplies, medical assessment supplies, PCRs, and O2/Airway supplies - all in one kit. Moreover, these bags are easy to carry around campus, as they can be carried as a backpack.


Stat packs also makes some decent back-pack style bags.

Supplies

Obviously, you're going to be limited to your level of training with respect to what you can and can not carry (or are mandated to carry as per state laws). Most of our response kits contain (to the best of my memory...I'm not actually looking at one right now...I may have overlooked something):

• Gloves
• Stethoscope
• BP Cuff
• Glucometer
• 4*4s
• 4 and 6 inch kling (roller gauze)
• Assorted ACE Bandages
• 36 inch SAM Splint
• Cold Packs
• Biohazard Bag
• Adult BVM
• OPAs
• NPAs
• Non-rebreathers
• Nasal-cannulas
• D-size O2 tank
• V-Vac Suction Unit
• Sharps container
• Assorted pressure dressings
• Burn-gel/Burn dressings (assorted sizes)
• AB Pads (Assorted sizes)
• Sodium Chloride Irrigation Solution
• 60mL Syringe (used for irrigation)
• Bandaids!
• Goggles
• Gowns
• N95 Masks
• Pen-light
• PCR's
• Sheers
• Oral Glucose
• Rescue blanket
• Spare pens
• Thermometer
  
  

In addition to those supplies, you'll also likely want to invest in an AED.

You may be able to get support from your local EMS (i.e - donation of some supplies, supply exchange (i.e. swap O2 tanks, or other consumables like splints, pressure dressings, etc.))

In addition, there are a variety of websites that have low-cost medical supplies. In the US - I've found some good deals (and ordered) from www.dealmed.com , http://www.bpmedicalsupplies.com/ , and http://www.amazon.com .



Although a 10K startup budget will make things tight, it certainly is far from impossible. You may have to go without certain non-essentail supplies, or instead of stocking various sizes of roller gauze, simply stick with 4 inch. Or forgo other non-essential items, such as glucometers and thermometers, and rely simply on proper (and detailed) assessment.

I know our response team built up our response supplies over the course of the first few years. When we started, we didn't have nearly as many bags, equipment, and other toys that we have now. Make the best with what you have to work with, and add additional resources as your financial situation permits.


Best of luck in your endeavors. Please feel free to PM me if you have any further questions.

Best,

Sounds like how Syracuse University was set up, but SU has an MCI trailer as well, one of two in the county.

Lots of schools have collegiate based EMS agencies. most of them are volunteer, BLS, and 1 ambulance/first response vehicle. the important things to have are funding and support from the university, a good recruitment (because 99% of your members will be gone in 4 years or less) and training program, and proper equipment to do the job properly.

10,000 is a little tight, but depending on what you can get the university to pay for that doesn't come out of that 10,000, it can be done

Thank you guys for your great posts, I will definitely let you two know if I have any further questions for you.....

Have a great evening all,

Purdue

 

[feldy]

im not sure if this applies to college/university ems units but most states/regions have thier own minimum requirements as to what supplies and equipment EMS carries so check with your local/state regulations on that as well