Tag: Disaster

EMS1

8 types of data: Telling the story of COVID-19

As the United States enters its second month of COVID-19, the availability of data on the pandemic that will define a generation has become almost overwhelming. Websites abound with tables, graphics and projections on how different aspects of the crisis are unfolding. Some use data to make their case for a far-flung theory, others display it in a way that tells an easy-to-interpret story of … Continue reading 8 types of data: Telling the story of COVID-19

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EMS1

7 data visualizations that explain COVID-19

Throughout the last two months, Seattle and King County have been on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. The first COVID-19 case within our borders was confirmed in Snohomish County, Washington on Jan. 21, 2020. The first reported death happened nearly six weeks later at a hospital 15 miles from downtown Seattle. For a month and a half, the virus … Continue reading 7 data visualizations that explain COVID-19

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EMS1

Quick Take: A post-disaster resilience checklist

DALLAS — Dr. Stefan Poloczek, the medical director for the Berlin Fire Brigade, spoke at the 20th Annual EMS State of the Science: A Gathering of Eagles meeting. He discussed the terrorist attack at the Berlin Christmas Market in December 2016 and how he used his experiences in the days, weeks and months after to build a 10-point checklist focused on post-disaster resiliency. MEMORABLE QUOTES … Continue reading Quick Take: A post-disaster resilience checklist

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EMS1

Quick Take: Hurricane Harvey lessons shared with EMS physicians

SAN DIEGO – Hurricane Harvey brought record rainfall to southeast Texas and south Louisiana in August 2017. Along with the deluge came an unprecedented number of local and federal emergency responders. Kevin Schulz, the assistant medicine director for the Houston Fire Department; and Kevin Sirmons, the medical officer for NDMS/MN-1 DMAT, tag teamed to present at the 2018 National Association of EMS Physicians Annual Meeting … Continue reading Quick Take: Hurricane Harvey lessons shared with EMS physicians

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EMS1

Using video games to improve pediatric disaster education

SAN DIEGO — The use of video games to facilitate training, commonly referred to as gamification, is well-established in many industries, however, its application in healthcare is variable. The Pediatric Research in Disaster Education (PRIDE) team is trying to change that. The team recently presented their research on a video game-based training tool at the National Association of EMS Physicians Annual Meeting. This tool acts as a digital … Continue reading Using video games to improve pediatric disaster education

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EMS1

Medical care at electronic dance music festivals

Medical care is a critical component to the success of any mass gathering. While there is some research on more popular mass gatherings such as sporting events, rock concerts and even Papal visits; the unique characteristics of electronic dance music festivals has resulted in a reevaluation of the medical care required for this type of event. Electronic dance music is a growing industry in which … Continue reading Medical care at electronic dance music festivals

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Blog Originals, EMS1

McSwain EMS Trauma Conference

The McSwain EMS Trauma Conference is a one-day symposium covering the treatment prehospital providers render to a range of traumatic injuries. It is held every year in New Orleans and named for Dr. Norman McSwain, the pioneering trauma surgeon and lifelong advocate for EMS. While the sessions covered a variety of topics across prehospital trauma, at this year’s event I took special interest in two … Continue reading McSwain EMS Trauma Conference

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Blog Originals, EMS World

EMS World Expo 2016

EMS World Expo is put on by EMS World every October and is “North America’s largest EMS conference and trade show, hosted in partnership with NAEMT, which brought over 5,100 EMS professionals together in New Orleans.” While I spent the majority of my time volunteering with The New Orleans EMS Foundation, I was asked to cover three sessions for EMS World: Implementing Evidence-Based Learning in Prehospital … Continue reading EMS World Expo 2016

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EMS1

How my USAR team used Facebook during the Louisiana Flooding

During the week in mid-August that saw seven trillion gallons of rain fall on southern Louisiana, the Louisiana Task Force 1 Urban Search and Rescue Team (LATF-1) received over half a dozen requests for aid or information via Facebook Messenger. Given that more than 20,000 people were rescued from rising flood waters over the course of that same week, half a dozen requests may seem like a drop … Continue reading How my USAR team used Facebook during the Louisiana Flooding

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Blog Originals

Dear New Orleans Letter

Dear New Orleans, This is going to seem strange, but today I am grateful for the hurricanes that taught me what recovery means, what rebirth can create, and what resilience truly embodies. No city has overcome the obstacles that you have conquered, and none can say that they have more grit or determination than those that call you home. You became my home in a … Continue reading Dear New Orleans Letter

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