Minutes 01/27/2000 EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES ADVISORY COUNCIL
(EMSAC)
INFORMAL MINUTES
January 27, 2000
Council Members: Bob Laird, Chairman—District 1 —At Large
Fay Biles—District 1 Commission District
George Leamon—District 2—At Large
Vacant—District 2 Commission District
Jane Andel—District 3 Commission District
Dr. Michael Geraghty—District 4 Commission District
Kathryn M. Godfrey—District 5 Commission District
Gail Dolan—Naples Community Hospital
Gary Young— Sheriff's Department
Sheldon Reed—City of Naples
Regina Hoffman —Health Department
Members Present: Bob Laird, Fay Biles, George Leamon, Michael Geraghty,
Kathryn Godfrey, Gary Young, Regina Hoffman & Gail Dolan.
Others: Chief Diane B. Flagg, Commander Jorge Aguilera, & Barbara Brown
The regular monthly meeting of the Collier County EMSAC committee was called to
order on Wednesday January 27, 2000 by Bob Laird Chairman.
There were no December minutes to approve due to a lack of a quorum and the
committee being the invited guest at a luncheon held at EMS headquarters. Chairman
Laird expressed his appreciation to Chief Flagg for the luncheon.
NEW BUSINESS: Kathryn Godfrey was introduced as the new representative from
District 5.
OLD BUSINESS: Chief Flagg gave an overview of the EMS system. Collier EMS is
the only Paramedic system in Collier County. A call goes into an enhanced 911 system.
The call goes onto a computer screen; it shows the dispatcher the address, and a call back
number. There are two primary answering centers. One is in the City of Naples; the
other is in Collier County. The prefix of the phone number determines which dispatch
center receives the call. The dispatcher starts the Emergency Medical Dispatch Program,
they give the caller instructions such as: how to clear an obstructed airway, how to start
CPR, how to stop bleeding, how to deliver a baby. All of these have been done through
this program. Our agency works with the Sheriff's Office on a monthly basis and quality
assurance is completed to make sure all of the medical information given over the phone
is accurate and consistent with the program. This is the 1st link in the "chain of survival".
The 2"d link in the"chain of survival" is CPR. Our agency has approximately 25 CPR
instructors and we provide CPR training for an average of over 200 citizens each month.
We have a 24 hour CPR"hot line" for the public that gives the date, time and locations
for up and coming CPR classes.
Our 3rd link in the "chain of survival" is early defibrillation. Our agency is the first
system in the nation to develop a comprehensive automatic external defibrillation
program. It took 5 years to develop, working with the manufacture of the various major
companies'; Heartstream, Physio Control and Survival Link. We were trying to develop
an AED that the lay public could use. We worked with the manufacturer then the Florida
Legislature to change the law that governed the AED. The State of Florida was the first
state in the nation to place the use of the AED under the"Good Samaritan Act". A
program was designed and developed to make sure the public was properly trained, that
we had a complete listing of where the AED's were located, and the program was tied
into the 911 center. The program was then developed into a Collier County Ordinance.
Anyone in the community, who wants an AED calls the 24-hour AED hot line, sends in
request for the AED. The AED Coordinator makes a presentation. The Coordinator fills
out an Emergency Action plan for the specific site. We provide a trainee for them. Notify
the 911 center. Collier County has over 100 active AED sites at this time. Collier
County has a resuscitation rate of 26%. National average is 5%.
The 4th link of the "chain of survival" is the Paramedic System. We have 19 Paramedic
Rescue Units and 1 Helicopter that provide advanced life support. Our system was
recognized as the#1 EMS System in the State of Florida for 1999/2000. Our mission
statement is "To Provide World Class Patient Care and Service to the Community in an
Efficient and Effective Manner".
We have a Single Vehicle Response Program Partnership which is one call, one vehicle
with the participating agencies. No longer does a fire truck and an ambulance both
respond to the same call. Each fire department is governed by their own district. They
are not governed by the Board of County Commissioners. Each fire district has been
offered the opportunity to participate in this partnership. .
Memorandum of Understanding Program is another Partnership program available. It is
a medical training program. Fire Departments are not licensed medical providers.
Florida State passed a law that requires all fire departments (if they are not a licensed
agency) to make every effort to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding, a medical
training program, with the licensed provider. All fire districts with the exception of East
Naples Fire, Golden Gate, & Immokalee Fire, are participating in this program. The
Immokalee Fire Department has indicated they will join the program.
The ALS Engine Program is another program we participate in. In the event the primary
unit is on a call and another call comes in that zone, the fire engine is prepared to
respond. Approximately 95% of our personnel are Paramedic/firefighter basic, &
approximately 30% are Paramedic/firefighter fully certified. A Paramedic/firefighter
from our organization goes on the fire departments unit and a firefighter/Paramedic
comes on our rescue unit. The advantage to this scenario is when a call comes into zone
an EMS unit with two EMS paramedics and one firefighter on board respond to the call.
If another call comes in while the first unit is out of the station the ALS engine with two
firefighters and one EMS paramedic/firefighter responds to this call until a back up unit
arrives. The personnel on the ALS engine are capable of doing everything an EMS unit
can do with the exception of transport.
The Board of County Commissioner recently approved the purchase of a new twin engine
Eurocopter.
Twenty additional EMS Paramedics will graduate from the fire academy in March as
fully certified firefighters.
A new EMS station is in the permitting stages and will be constructed at Golden Gate
Boulevard and 13th Street. A station will be added at Santa Barbara and Davis
Boulevard. Next years Growth Management plan has a station tentatively scheduled for
Grey Oaks.
Meeting adjourned.