The American Heart Association has released an advisory statement opening the option for "Hands Only" CPR for lay rescuers in cases of Witnessed Adult Sudden Cardiac Arrest in the out of hospital setting. This is not a standard change, but it does now give the option for lay rescuers who are no capable or not willing to provide ventilations to do only compressions in certain situations. The situation is for witnessed adult sudden cardiac arrest. It is still recommended that ventilations be provided in cases where the adult victim is found unconscious, drowning, drug overdoses, trauma. It is recommended that ventilations be provided to all child and infant cardiac arrest situations.

You can read the FAQ's about Hands Only CPR by clicking on the link. Be sure you understand the scope of this advisory statement and how it may effect you. Many people will assume that the AHA standards have changed to Hands Only CPR for everyone which is not the case.

The Charity Softball Tournament scheduled for May 10th at Old East Roswell Park in Roswell Ga has been cancelled and will be reschedule to a later date to be determined. The event is to support the Lakota Pine Ridge Indian Reservation EMS Department in South Dakota. We will post information about the reschedule dates as soon as they become available. In the meanwhile, they can still use our help.

Supplies needed for donation boxes are:
Box size 18X18X24
Bandaids, 4x4's sterile and bulk, trauma dressings, burn supplies, c-collars of all sizes ( need 100 of each size), OB kits, diabetic supplies, B/P cuffs, Stethescopes, jump bags, old ekg machines with batteries, backboards, tape, kling, anything you can think of to help......

For more information contact:
Tara Lund at tlund2008@aol.com

The American Heart Association has some new programs that should be of interest to EMS. These programs are Airway Management, Pharmacology & EKG and PEARS ( Pediatric Emergency Assessment, Recognition and Stabilization).

The Airway Management course is specifically designed to give students the opportunity to learn, practice and demonstrate many airways skills used in resuscitation. The course includes 5 modules that can be taught together or used as add-ons to a BCLS or ACLS provider course. The 1st module is required with the 4 remaining modules as optional based on the student need and scope of practice.
The modules are:
1. Bag-Mask Ventilation and Airway Adjuncts ( required)
2. Laryngeal Mask Airway
3. Esophageal-Tracheal Combitube
4.Endotracheal Tube
5. Impedance Threshold Device

Pharmacology & ECG course includes information on Electrophysiology, normal ECG measurements, basic arrhythmias, basic ACLS drugs, usage and routes of administration during cardiovascular emergencies, and how to integrate basic drug pharmacology into ACLS algorithms.

Modules:
1.ECG ( approximately 3.5 hours)
2. Pharmacology (approximately 2.75 hours)


PEARS Provider Course is designed to enhance the healthcare workers basic pediatric Life support knowledge to prepare them to initiate and manage the first few minutes of a pediatric arrest or to prevent the pediatric arrest in severe cardiopulmonary distress. This is a video-based, instructor lead, traditional classroom course. Upon successful completion, students will receive a PEARS Provider Course Completion Card. The course is approximately 6.5 hours.

Welcome to the newly redesigned GAEMS.NET website. The intent to this resource is to provide information about EMS in Georgia and includes the Hospital Diversion website. There are several interactive sections for you to use including an Online Classifieds where you can see EMS Jobs and even post job opening your service may have. A Training Calendar that allows you to post your important training opportunities, Online Quizes, a photo gallery and the Hospital Diversion website. If you would like to post quizes and allow other visitors to take them, We can set that up for you. If you have photo's that you would like to be published, forward them to us.