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facilitated by Jeff Dyar

Why Are You In EMS? ßTo Help People ßExciting Career ßServe My Community

To Save Lives

Dashed Hopes Critical Stress Suicide Burn Out

Changing Environment ßWorkforce ßEconomics ßPublic Perception ßMission

Does EMS Really Work? ßScience has not proven it! ßEfficacy of many treatments are in doubt ß Mast Trousers ß Lights and Sirens

How is EMS Supposed to Work? ßMitigate injury or illness by providing rapid delivery of life sustaining care

Realities of Response ßSudden Cardiac Death 5% save ßCardiac Arrest (Trauma Induced) > 1% save Spend 80% of Equipment/Training on These

Redefining EMS ßRedirection of EMS Efforts to Prevention ßSuccess Stories ßFire Prevention 30% drop in fires/lives lost ßSeat Belts, Air Bags, Bike Helmets ßDrown Proofing

In Ten Years… Paramedics Nurses PA’s Won’t Exist … as we know them

How Do You Feel About That?

CBHCT Community Based Health Care Technician

Action is Always Faster Than Reaction - Martial Arts Teachings

… A few Statistics

Traumatic Brain Injuries ß2 million TBI’s each year ß373,000 require hospitalization ß56,000 result in death ß99,000 result in life long disabling conditions

TBI Causes

Who Sustains TBI’s ßMales , followed by infants and elderly ß30,000 children sustain disabling injuries ßMales twice as prone as Females

When Do TBI’s Occur ßMid-afternoons to evenings, weekends and summer months ßChildren are at risk in afternoon hours, after school ß43% on roads ß34% at home ß7% at recreation areas

Costs of TBI’s ß48.3 billion annually

Proactive efforts for TBI ßBicycle Helmets - decrease incidence by 85% ßEquestrian Helmets - 20% decrease in injury ßMotorcycle Helmets - Death rate twice as high in non-law states ßSeatbelts - 57% effective in preventing TBI ßAirbags/shoulder harnesses - 68% effective in preventing serious injuries ßSoft Surfaces at Playgrounds - thousands of TBI’s prevented each year if used ßLimit Access to Firearms (by children) - hundreds of brain injuries would be prevented

Sudden Cardiac Death ß500,000 SCD’s each year (200k age under 65) ß25% of all deaths under 50 y/o ßMajor Cause of SCD - previous heart disease or risk factors

Proactive Efforts for SCD ßScreening for Family History/Risk Factors ßRegular Exercise ßTesting for High Blood Cholesterol (over 230 mg/100cc’s of blood) ßDietary Counseling

Points of View ßThe Responder ßCitizen ßManaged Care ßGovernment

Why Change from Reaction to Proaction? ßIt’s cost effective ßit’s Defendable It’s the best way to invest human efforts to relieve human suffering

It’s cost effective ßSave $15 Billion on Emergency Treatment ßSave $400 Million on TBI Rehab (EMS Act of 1974 was funded with $120 million) The Above Represents 15,000 times that amount!

It’s Defendable ßEMS gets Recognition ßLocally ßFederally Scientifically/ Statistically Defendable

It’s the best way to invest human efforts to relieve human suffering ßPrevent 30,000 TBI Deaths/Year (1-34y/o’s) ßPrevent 35,000 SCD Deaths/Year ßRecapture 1.5 million years of Lost Life (Currently “Saving” 5000 with 80% Resource Commitment)

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