Fw: EMSNEWS Digest - 25 Dec 2001 to 28 Dec 2001 (#2001-265)

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DC - EMS crews say radios risk lives

>

> > http://www.washingtontimes.com/metro/20011228-6340830.htm

> >

> > EMS crews say radios risk lives

> >

> > Cella

> > THE WASHINGTON TIMES

> >

> > Published 12/28/2001

> >

> >

> >

> > D.C. paramedics say radio problems with the city's $5.3 million

> > communications system are endangering not just the lives of firefighters

> but

> > also the lives of residents in need of emergency medical care.

> >

> > Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel were issued the same

> > 800-megahertz Motorola digital radios as firefighters in January. They

say

> > the radios often fail when they need to notify hospitals they are

> > transporting trauma patients and when they seek emergency approval to

> > perform life-saving treatments on asthmatics, heart-attack victims and

> > patients with respiratory failure.

> >

> > The Washington Times first reported in August that the

firefighters'

> > communications system fails in more than four dozen " dead zones " around

> the

> > city. Firefighters this week said they have yet to see conditions

improve

> > and that the problem is far more pervasive than first reported.

> >

> > A firefighter demonstrated for The Times the radios' limitations by

> > taking them one floor below street level in an underground parking

garage

> > and into a downtown office building. In both cases, the radio emitted a

> > " honk, " signaling that it was " out of range. "

> >

> > Lyons, president of the American Federation of Government

> > Employees Local 3721, which represents the city's paramedics, said those

> are

> > the same places medical emergencies happen, and communications failures

> > degrade paramedics' ability to provide care.

> >

> > " It used to be the exception. In most cases, it's the rule. " Mr.

> Lyons

> > said. " It's just not trustworthy. "

> >

> > In case of radio failures, Mr. Lyons said paramedics are supposed

to

> > call a dispatcher, who will relay messages to the hospital, a system he

> > called " antiquated. "

> >

> > He said more often medics use personal cellular telephones to

> > communicate with hospital emergency rooms.

> >

> > The Fire and EMS Department in January took back the cell phones it

> had

> > issued to personnel and distributed the new Motorola radios.

> >

> > " People are dying, " one paramedic said. " Not having the rapid

ability

> > to consult a physician to obtain orders denies the patient of every

option

> > that should be available to them. "

> >

> > The paramedic, who asked not to be identified, declined to cite a

> > specific example of a patient who died because of the faulty radios. The

> > paramedic estimated about 20 percent of EMS calls require advice or

> approval

> > from an emergency room physician.

> >

> > Paramedics said in a handful of locations, including stretches of

> > Interstate 395 in the District, much of Southeast and the city's central

> > business district, communications are often unintelligible.

> >

> > " What you get is garbled, " one paramedic said. " You know it's

someone

> > talking, but you have no idea what they're saying. "

> >

> > The situation is worse underground in Metro stations.

> >

> > " You get 'honked out' halfway down the escalator most of the time, "

> the

> > paramedic said.

> >

> > Mr. Lyons said EMS workers sharing information with emergency room

> > doctors don't have the luxury of relaying messages or searching for cell

> > phones or land lines during the " golden hour. " That's when the chances

of

> > saving a trauma patient dramatically improve, provided the patient gets

to

> > the operating table within an hour of injury.

> >

> > " What we are talking about is lost seconds that could lead to a

lost

> > life, " he said.

> >

> > D.C. Fire and EMS Communications Director Bass said yesterday

> the

> > department isn't aware of any specific cases in which radio problems

have

> > endangered lives.

> >

> > " No one has brought that to management's attention, but we would

> > welcome any information that lives are in jeopardy because our job is to

> > save lives, and that is what we are trying to do, " she said.

> >

> > Fire Chief Ronnie Few has said the problems stem from the fact that

> the

> > city needs 19 antenna towers to relay radio signals but has only four.

> >

> > Assistant Chief of Operations said yesterday

through

> > Miss Bass that the department next week plans to test a prototype mobile

> > repeater system that could enhance coverage at the scene of an incident.

A

> > repeater is a small antenna about the size of briefcase that broadens a

> > radio's area of coverage.

> >

> > Chief said funds have been earmarked to acquire 70

> repeaters -

> > one for each of the department's first-response vehicles - contingent on

> > successful tests.

> >

> > " Motorola is telling us these things will solve the problem, " said

> Miss

> > Bass, who was not able to provide a timeline as to when the repeaters

> could

> > be operational.

> >

> > Motorola officials yesterday confirmed that the repeaters would

> enhance

> > coverage and that four to six additional antenna towers still would be

> > needed.

> >

> > Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Margaret Kellems said Mayor

A.

> > is committed to solving the radio problem and that emergency

> > preparedness funds appropriated by Congress last week should make the

task

> > easier.

> >

> > " The city is now in a position to make a major investment in this

to

> > eliminate all the Band-Aid solutions, " Mrs. Kellems said.

> >

> >

> > Copyright © 2001 News World Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.

>

> ------------------------------

>

> End of EMSNEWS Digest - 25 Dec 2001 to 28 Dec 2001 (#2001-265)

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