AUBURN -Volunteer and paid Emergency Medical Services workers throughout the county were honored on Friday evening at the Auburn Holiday Inn. Fifty-six emergency medical personnel out of 300 in the county came together to celebrate during National Emergency Medical Services Week in a get-together sponsored by Auburn Memorial Hospital, Finger Lakes Communication, and C-Com of CNY.
“This event gives us a chance to get together and it will provide focus for our EMS providers educationally because they don't have the opportunity to hear speakers from outside their departments,” Dr. Mary DiRubbo, Emergency Room physician at Auburn Memorial Hospital and director of the EMS, AMH unit, said. Di Rubbo, with the Office of Emergency Management for Cayuga County, is the medical director for all EMS teams countywide.
She explained that most EMS agencies are voluntary, so there's not enough money for them to arrange for guest speakers.
“This is an opportunity to say ‘thank you' and an educational opportunity for the men and women who service the county,” she said.
“Thank you to everyone in this room for what you do on a weekly, daily and hourly basis,” DiRubbo told the audience.
Shawn Tompkins from Onondaga County Emergency Medical Services addressed personal safety issues for emergency medical providers. He is a DeWitt firefighter and tactical paramedic (working with SWAT teams and the police). He is also a martial arts and violent patient management instructor, skilled in patient control techniques and defensive tactics maneuvers.
“I realized there was no special defensive tactics training for EMS providers,” Tompkins said. “They usually tell us to call the police and try to get out. We don't provide our personnel with the skills to get out of a scene identified as unsafe.”
Five percent of all calls EMS workers answer deal with violent situations. Tompkins wanted first responders to be able to treat and manage violence.
The violence usually derives from an issue with the patient - alcohol and drug abuse, low blood pressure, seizures, brain injuries - where the person who may otherwise not be violent loses control and is not himself or herself.
“I was knocked out once by a 68-year-old diabetic guy,” Tompkins said. He hoped to give his audience a few simple techniques they could practice in their seats and small take-home skills.
Deanna Gates, department coordinator for the EMS in Cayuga County, sat with Lee Epprecht, of Meridian, from CIMVAC (Cato, Ira, Meridian, Victory Ambulance Corp), Epprecht had been with CIMVAC for six years.
“Usually we have patients who are violent from head injuries,” Epprecht, president of CIMVAC, said. “Their brain is not functioning, and they can be combative. One of our good friends was having an issue and was extremely combative even though he was normally calm.” She was anxious to hear what Tompkins would say.
Epprecht said she joined CIMVAC after her daughter came home one day and had joined, then her husband. “I didn't want to be left out,” she said.
Ed Epprecht, her husband, is a trustee and chaplain with the corp. “I drive a lot,” he said, “We're all volunteers.”
“I'm in charge,” their daughter, Jennifer Savery said. She's the assistant chief.
Tompkins didn't let them down. He approached the topic with humor and the audience was responsive.
“In the last five or 10 years there have been significant changes in society,” he said. “Health care doesn't close. We stay open and expose ourselves to high levels of activity. We see customers when they're sick or in pain.” He noted that many EMS workers, about 60 percent, had been assaulted on the job but only 25 percent had told their chiefs about it.
Although he was proficient in karate, he went to training classes to learn low-key, easier to handle techniques that he could pass on to EMS workers.
Tompkins stressed awareness in evaluating the safety of a scene and in sizing up people who might try to attack. He reviewed levels of patient resistance from psychological intimidation to use of deadly force and introduced ways to protect oneself, such as de-escalation, joint locks and pressure points.
He pointed out that attackers are not likely to be trained fighters, so they use common means of attack: pulling hair, grabbing clothes, choke holds, bear hugs and arm or wrist grabs.
Evaluating the scene and being prepared to escape were emphasized throughout. Those attending the event came away entertained and informed.
Door prizes for guests included gift certificates from Kostas', Chili's and Applebee's, mugs, shirts, ornaments, BJ's membership and an overnight stay at the Holiday Inn with breakfast, among others.
Staff writer Kathleen Barran can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 238 or kathleen.barran@lee.net
Pic: John Marko, of Cicero, from Onondaga County EMS, signs in while Dianna Gates, of Cato, Department Coordinator for EMS Cayuga County, gives a door prize ticket to Bill Drescher, of Hastings, Rural Metro Syracuse. Theresa Bourke also signs in.
She explained that most EMS agencies are voluntary, so there's not enough money for them to arrange for guest speakers.
“This is an opportunity to say ‘thank you' and an educational opportunity for the men and women who service the county,” she said.
“Thank you to everyone in this room for what you do on a weekly, daily and hourly basis,” DiRubbo told the audience.
Shawn Tompkins from Onondaga County Emergency Medical Services addressed personal safety issues for emergency medical providers. He is a DeWitt firefighter and tactical paramedic (working with SWAT teams and the police). He is also a martial arts and violent patient management instructor, skilled in patient control techniques and defensive tactics maneuvers.
“I realized there was no special defensive tactics training for EMS providers,” Tompkins said. “They usually tell us to call the police and try to get out. We don't provide our personnel with the skills to get out of a scene identified as unsafe.”
Five percent of all calls EMS workers answer deal with violent situations. Tompkins wanted first responders to be able to treat and manage violence.
The violence usually derives from an issue with the patient - alcohol and drug abuse, low blood pressure, seizures, brain injuries - where the person who may otherwise not be violent loses control and is not himself or herself.
“I was knocked out once by a 68-year-old diabetic guy,” Tompkins said. He hoped to give his audience a few simple techniques they could practice in their seats and small take-home skills.
Deanna Gates, department coordinator for the EMS in Cayuga County, sat with Lee Epprecht, of Meridian, from CIMVAC (Cato, Ira, Meridian, Victory Ambulance Corp), Epprecht had been with CIMVAC for six years.
“Usually we have patients who are violent from head injuries,” Epprecht, president of CIMVAC, said. “Their brain is not functioning, and they can be combative. One of our good friends was having an issue and was extremely combative even though he was normally calm.” She was anxious to hear what Tompkins would say.
Epprecht said she joined CIMVAC after her daughter came home one day and had joined, then her husband. “I didn't want to be left out,” she said.
Ed Epprecht, her husband, is a trustee and chaplain with the corp. “I drive a lot,” he said, “We're all volunteers.”
“I'm in charge,” their daughter, Jennifer Savery said. She's the assistant chief.
Tompkins didn't let them down. He approached the topic with humor and the audience was responsive.
“In the last five or 10 years there have been significant changes in society,” he said. “Health care doesn't close. We stay open and expose ourselves to high levels of activity. We see customers when they're sick or in pain.” He noted that many EMS workers, about 60 percent, had been assaulted on the job but only 25 percent had told their chiefs about it.
Although he was proficient in karate, he went to training classes to learn low-key, easier to handle techniques that he could pass on to EMS workers.
Tompkins stressed awareness in evaluating the safety of a scene and in sizing up people who might try to attack. He reviewed levels of patient resistance from psychological intimidation to use of deadly force and introduced ways to protect oneself, such as de-escalation, joint locks and pressure points.
He pointed out that attackers are not likely to be trained fighters, so they use common means of attack: pulling hair, grabbing clothes, choke holds, bear hugs and arm or wrist grabs.
Evaluating the scene and being prepared to escape were emphasized throughout. Those attending the event came away entertained and informed.
Door prizes for guests included gift certificates from Kostas', Chili's and Applebee's, mugs, shirts, ornaments, BJ's membership and an overnight stay at the Holiday Inn with breakfast, among others.
Staff writer Kathleen Barran can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 238 or kathleen.barran@lee.net
Pic: John Marko, of Cicero, from Onondaga County EMS, signs in while Dianna Gates, of Cato, Department Coordinator for EMS Cayuga County, gives a door prize ticket to Bill Drescher, of Hastings, Rural Metro Syracuse. Theresa Bourke also signs in.