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Minutes 05/18/1989 EMS ADVISORY COUNCIL MINUTES • DATE: May 18, 1989 PRESENT: Pat Hedrich, Marty Ginter, George Barton Jorge Aquilera, Jeff Page, Juan Ortega, Rich D' Orazio, W. Kopka, B. Griffin, A, Hare, S. LeMay, F. Suriano, B. Peplinski The meeting was called to order at 11 am with the above in attendance. An award was presented by Juan Ortega on behalf of the Council to Pat Hedrich, past Chairman of the Advisory Council from 1986 to 1989 in appreciation for her dedicated service and commitment as chairman of this council . THANK YOU PAT FOR A JOB WELL DONE OLD BUSINESS: There are no new developments reference fire dept. consolidation/integration, pension, etc. The Flight Medic Program is still in the planning stages with Frank Millot meeting with the County Manager next week for further discussion. Frank will get back with us . A discussion reference the new Pay for Performance was initiated by George B. George expressed the fact that each employee is unique, each person ' s career goals are different and the fact that a person may go for only a 2 . 5% vs. a 7 . 5% increase in no way makes one person better than another. Please continue working on your own individual pay for performance and contact your supervisor for any questions/problems . Frank Suriano questioned with the new pay for performance going into effect, what happens to cost of living increases? George B. stated that the county will be doing a cost of living survey with EMS included (comparing our salaries with medics on the east coast, Tampa area, etc. , - where our new medics are coming from at least every two years and salaries could be adjusted accordingly at that time. He did state that last year ' s budget had a built in 5% for pay increases and that this year ' s has a 7. 3%. It seems logical that the larger pot available could be used for several alternative salary changes. Head rests are being installed in all units so requiring and are being done as the unit comes into Motor Pool for maintenance. If you are in a unit that has not been done after coming out of MP, please advise your Supervisor. Along that line, if any part of your vehicle needs to be repaired. ie, . seat belt not recoiling/holding properly) please write it up on the maintenance request or if it is an absolute-must-be-fixed-now, advise the on-duty supervisor. A discussion on the fiberglass backboard ensued with the general consensus of the employees that it is too awkward, unwieldly, and generally not as efficient as our present WBB' s . Discussed resanding present boards and then applying a marine-non-porous paint on them, J. Aquilera will check it out. ADVISORY COUNCIL MINUTES PAGE 2 Uniforms have been ordered per Bill G. and uniform pants and shirts should be in within the next 2-3 weeks . However, unknown date for jumpsuits . Will get back with us . NOTE: if you order uniforms on your own (spending your own $$$ ) , please let Bill know so that the appropriate patches, etc. can be sent to Martin 's or given to you. THANK YOU HELEN ORTEGA AND TERRY HAMILTON for sewing the patches/emblems on the new jackets that are now in - you will be receiving yours as soon as the sewing is completed. No you do not have to return your old jacket -- unless you quit that is! Vehicle washing - try to conform with water restrictions but don 't let the unit fall below your high standards . Just a note that we lost a thumper plate last week due to it being inadvertently placed next to the exhaust on a vehicle by an unknown fire dept . personnel and melting -- just another thil to watch out for while your out there saving lives! ! Truck #4 should be going out this summer for referb. YEAH! Per Guy, everyone has improved greatly on returning things with paperwork attached advising him what is wrong. However, a few have slipped thru with no notes -- we all hate surprises , so try to remember the appropriate paperwork. THANK YOU GUY for putting up with all of us -- you 're doing a great job! ! Another reminder, any equipment borrowed from EMS (ie. , mannequins , etc. ) need to be returned to their proper location- not left out in the hall . Gloves -- a few of the employees are having a reaction to the powder on the blue gloves. Until this can once again be researched by the Training Dept. (per George B) , if you are one of those employees, use the yellow ones until we can come up with a better solution. Maroon boxes (old MAST suit containers ) -- these should be placed on all Mod vehicles with your extrication equipment in it . If your Mod doesn ' t have one, please order it next order day. Short Reference Protocol -- still being worked on. Keys -- all keys now fit all stations - Medic 5 should have a universal key also for stand by situations . Jeff will get the one. Furniture -- Module units made by Steelcase furniture was presented by Ann Hare. These are modular boxed units that are guaranteed for 10 years . The Sheriff ' s Dept. has had a set for the past three years and it still looks like new. If you want to see what they look like - stop at the office - the book is there. George will check in the financial/feasibility of this purchase. ADVISORY COUNCIL MINUTES PAGE 3 PEER REVIEW BOARD -- George states this is a possible Pay for Performancelitem -- if you are interested in being on this board, add it to your list . RESPONSE TIME OUT OF STATION -- at this time, George is still looking a 1 minute in the day and 2 minutes at night. A discussion reference inaccuracies in clocking us 51 and 97 was brought up. George stated his concern is time received by dispatch and our actual 97 time. It was then questioned whether we could not go back to the old way of going 51 when you receive the call , not wait until you get in the unit. Would save radio time ( which is getting more and more valuable) and since our time is not always clocked properly anyway. It was also stated that the supervisor knows if he has slow to respond employees and could deal with them individually. We all know it doesn ' t take ten minutes to go two blocks. George stated he will bring this up in his staff meeting next week and get back to us. TONED OUT during the day and CLEAR TEXT is still up for discussion by Jay Reardon and the local fire dept s . Will advise further as we are informed. DISPATCHING -- Again, if you are having any problems with dispatch, DOCUMENT - DOCUMENT - DOCUMENT . George carlbt do anything if he doesn 't know about it. Also, if you hear the fire dept. going to a call and you have not been dispatched, asked Control if you have a call . REMEMBER, the name of the game is to respond quickly, triage, treat and transport the sick and injured of Collier County; after all , we are the only Paramedics in this county: PART TIME DISPATCHING JOBS FOR EMS PERSONNEL - this is still being checked out by George B and he will get back to us . WATER IN IMMOKALEE -- this has still not been resolved, however, until it is repaired Culligan water will be delivered for our use. Bill G. will get. I: }. to us on thiE. VIMWI G I? IMMOKATAF - George will contact the proper personnel to see that the grass is once again being taken care of. If you need small items replaced or added to the station you are working at, order them thru Guy on your regular order day. (ie. , utensils, pans, etc. ) . -- and on that line -- a squeegy mop to replace the string mop in Immokalee has been ordered and will be deliveregwhen received. Microwave oven to be placed in our room on Marco was requested. George will check into the financial/feasibility of it at this time. The purchase of a rug cleaner to be utilized as needed by on duty crews was denied, however, if you are working at a station with a filthy rug and feel energetic; you may rent a shampooer, save the receipt, and EMS will reimburse you. HAPPY CLEANING: Door bell in Immokalee as you know is 10-7. Ann Hare and Rich D'Orazio will be there next shift and will see if they can repair it. ADVISORY COUNCIL MINUTES page 4 DIRTY UTILITY SINK FOR IMMOKALEE AND ALL FUTURE STATIONS -- it was brought up the need for a utility sink outside of the living quarters at Station 6-66 where you can clean soiled/contaminated equipment. It was immediately approved by George and a maintenance request order has been issued to install a sink with hot/cold water in the area where supplies are now kept out in the bay -- supplies can be moved to the back of the building. All future stations will automatically have this. MED FLIGHT 1 -- a question reference a shoulder harness for the on-board Medic was raised. Yes, there is a shoulder harness recessed in the wall - just needs to be pulled out. LATE CALLS - EARLY RELIEF -- per George B. it is 10-4 for the new relief to take a call before 8:30 if they so desire -- no need to ask the supervisor, however, when you go 51 , call him on Channel 1 and advise him you; are on duty. The old crew will be paid until 8:30, of course, you should utilize this time finishing trip tickets, straightening the station, etc. TRANSPORTS OUT OF NORTH COLLIER TO NCH -- it has been brought to this council 's attention that some patients are being brought to NCHC only to be later transported by Medic 3 to NCH. Some of these.patients should have gone directly to NCH. Please, triage your patients, do not dump on Medic 3 crew just because you are tired, etc. Remember, you will be Medic 3 sometime. MEDIC 3 CREW: if you have a transport that appears to be a "dump" from another crew, per George B. , handle the transport but when you get to the hospital call the "dumping" crew and advise them you had to transport their patient, also, attach a note to your trip ticket for the QA person so they may evaluate the previous trip ticket and see if that medic perhaps needs some help in reevaluating his/her triaging skills. Remember that some transports are inevitable after evaluation at NCHC. PICNIC -- the picnic has been tabled until the next meeting when we will discuss whether to have it in the fall when it is cooler -- any comments/suggestions contact your representative. NON-COUNTY ISSUED PINS -- it was discussed that the only pins to be worn on uniforms at this time are: 5-year award, Phoenix, Helicopter pin - any other pins, ie. , RN - LPN - will be taken under consideration by George. There are a few helicopter pins available - see George B. for one if you so desire. NOTICE NOTICE++++++++++++++++NOTICE Kelly days should be starting June 17 with employees receiving a total of seven Kelly days per year. Days off will coincide with seniority. Any questions, talk to George or your supervisor. CONGRATULATIONS TO JORGE AQUILERA YOUR NEW CHAIRMAN OF THE ADVISORY COUNCIL: : REMEMBER -- if you have anything you wish discussed at the next meeting, please contact one of the council members. Next meeting - June 15, 1989 - 10 am. R spectfully submitted, Mart int A.,`cting Secretary Clinic halts C emergency health care ByDENES HUSTY Newa-Press Staff Writer A non-profit Collier County health-care clinic will discontinue emergency-room, 11/ services by July 15 because of mounting costs,officials announced Friday. The closing of emergency room service; In Immokalee to the outlying areas of the county by Collier Health Services Inc. will; *\- increase by$345,774 the cost to the county-; run ambulance service of transporting peo-- �QS pie to hospitals,said Richard Akin,who rep- J resents the clinic. Meanwhile,the county is studying ways to � \1 fill the void that will be left by the clinic,said ,,\ George Barton, director of the county's- emergency medical services.He said propo-: sals should be in the hands of County Man 61/131 ager Neil Dorrill by next week. Barton said there will be no change in the handling of critical-care cases. He said the county has two ambulances stationed in Im-, mokalee to transport such patients to Naples• Community Hospital. He said decisions have to be made on how to handle the increased transportation of people in less serious condition to the appro- priate medical facilities. Akin estimated that the closing of the clinic's emergency room in Immokalee will require the county to transport an average of 110 people a month to the hospital in Naples. These additional trips would cost the county an additional$28,814 every month,he said. Closing the emergency room is nec- essary.Akin said,because of"high operating costs,costly equipment maintenance,inten- sive short-term treatment and expensive medications." In 1988, the clinic received only $16,300 in emergency room revenue while the serv- ice cost $273,600,Akin said. He said federal money and donations weren't enough to make up the difference. By eliminating the cost of running the emergency room, the clinic will I e able to continue providing "quality health care for those who lack access to for-profit facilities or those who cannot afford the expenses of a j private physician,"Akin said.