The Number 1 EMS Region in Georgia 

Oct, 2003      

Zoning Plan Approved by DHR

The Region 1 zoning plan was recently submitted to the Board of Human Resources for approval. The new zoning plan does not change any zoning assignments but removes EMT-Basics from the list of approved personnel on ambulances covered under the zoning plan. The services affected must have a zone and the calls affected are emergency calls received through a 911 center or public safety answering point such as fire or police departments. This change does not affect ambulance services who are not zoned, non-emergency calls, hospital transfers and stand-bys. The change also does not affect licensed first responder services. The changes in the plan have been approved by the Board of Human Resources and are now in effect. Contact David Loftin for more information at 706-295-6154 or cdloftin@gdph.state.ga.us

Dr. Ray Fowler, nationally known EMS authority, announced that drugs and ivs can be adversely affected by temperature extremes in ambulances. Even though he didn't elaborate in his lecture at the EMS Educator Conference, the lecture can be found on his website http://doctorfowler.com Georgia law requires all services to maintain drugs and ivs in a secure, temperature controlled environment under a system of accountability established by the service medical director and the pharmacy used.

The six month Advanced Airway Placement study has ended. Region 1 is seeking results on percent of adherence by crews and whether any misplaced airway was detected by emergency department personnel. Survey forms will be circulated soon to survey results of the study. It is suggested that medical directors should adopt the placement study as policy to protect patients from unrecognized incorrect airway placement. 

Augusta and Atlanta were the sites of the second annual Homeland Security Summit which included a full-scale WMD exercise, a multi-agency SARS response and a giant Homeland Security technology exhibit area. Pictured above are simulated victims from a weapons of mass destruction exercise conducted at the conference. The conference was a huge success.

November 13 is the date for the state-wide Pandemic Flu Exercise in Georgia. Health District 1.1 (Rome) will be held at the Lakeview Center on the north side of the Floyd College campus. The exercise will last from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and lunch will be served to all participants. Chattanooga recently held a simular exercise with hundreds of participants. For more information, contact David Loftin at 706-295-6154 or cdloftin@gdph.state.ga.us

A First Responder Instructor course has been announced at North Central Technical College in Waco for December 8-12, 2003. Participants must be current Georgia EMTs and BCLS Instructors. Contact Jim Cutcher for applications at 706-295-6154 or JLCutcher@gdph.state.ga.us

Several free asthma educator and care manager courses will be held in late 2003 in the Atlanta area. The courses will be held on September 20 at the Century Center Mariott, October 25 at Northwest Mariott and November 15 at the Perimeter Center Mariott. Contact Breathe Georgia at 404-885-9789 for more information or visit the website at http://www.breathegeorgia.org

The Georgia Basic Trauma Life Support (BTLS) Coordinator has resigned at the State BTLS Committee meeting in Athens. Dr. Phillip Coule, BTLS State Medical Director, has announced that he intends to name one of his staff as the replacement for the present time. Efforts are also being made to return the Georgia BTLS website to the internet. More information will be presented on this next month.