“Many motorcycle crash victims are unconscious when responders arrive making it very difficult for EMS personnel to know the patient’s medical history or emergency contacts” explains John Elder, MedStar’s Clinical Director. “Another major concern for crash victims are untrained Good Samaritans attempting to remove the rider’s helmet, which can cause further injury.”

The Rider Alert card (www.RiderAlert.org) is placed inside a rider’s helmets and contains vital, life-saving information, emergency contact, and any important medical history. When first responders arrive on the scene of a motorcycle accident, a one-inch, sticker on the outside of the helmet will indicate that the biker has the Rider Alert Card. The sticker also warns untrained responders not to remove the helmet, which could prevent further injury.

Matt Zavadsky of MedStar explains that this card is born out of experience; it has been designed by paramedics who have been on both sides of an accident as the injured rider or as medical help. “As an EMS provider and a motorcycle rider, I’ll be the 1st person to have the Rider Alert card and sticker on my helmet. Accessing this basic information after an ‘unscheduled dismount’ can sometimes be impossible. This small tool could mean the difference between life and death.”

The card is free and can be obtained at any Fort Worth Fire Station, MedStar’s headquarters and at most motorcycle dealerships throughout Fort Worth.

Further information can be accessed via www.rideralert.org

Click here to see the full story.

Special thanks to Macara Trusty for her help on this story!

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MedStar ambulances know the fastest route anywhere in Fort Worth, but getting to a hospital from the north side can be tricky.

"When it's close to rush hour, it can be fairly bad," said paramedic Grant Leiter.

Last year, MedStar answered more than 5,000 service calls in North Fort Worth. More than 80 percent of those patients had to be transported to hospitals downtown or outside the area, delaying critical care.

"The quicker we can get someone to a professional medical center, the better their chances at recovery," Leiter said.

On November 30, the drive to the emergency room gets shorter. North Hills Hospital is opening The ER at Alliance.

"We are not an urgent care center or a doc-in-the-box," said executive director Michelle Underwood. "We are a full service emergency room department."

The ER will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week on the northeast corner of North Tarrant Parkway and Interstate 35W. It has a full staff of nurses and at least one board-certified emergency physician on duty at all times. There are also independent labs and imaging rooms for on-site diagnosis.

It fills a void outside Loop 820 where families have grown, and facilities have fallen behind. The hospital expects a good portion of its patients to be pediatric cases.

Mary Ellen Strickland is a nurse who lives nearby. She has been waiting for emergency options for years.

"As a parent, if I am not sure what to do, now I have someplace safe to get answers and provide good quality care for my family," she said.

The ER at Alliance anticipates close to 1,500 visits per month, and is striving for an average wait time of less than eight minutes to see a doctor.

MedStar also expects to cut its service cycle times, which have increased as the area has grown and traffic has worsened. Last year, it averaged 65 minutes per call — that's the time from dispatch to drop off for each patient. The average in 2009 was 63 minutes.

E-mail cnorton@wfaa.com

Fort Worth-based MedStar paramedics brought him to Crowley to join Rana, his grandchildren and a houseful of other relatives for Thanksgiving dinner. It’s part of MedStar’s Home for the Holidays program.

Click here for the rest of the story.

Paramedics reunite family for Thanksgiving
by CHRIS HAWES
Bio | Email| Follow: @ChrisHawesCh8
WFAA
Posted on November 24, 2011 at 11:11 PM

WISE COUNTY - A North Texas man experienced something on Thursday his family thought might never happen again. He came home for Thanksgiving.

More than three years ago, Michael Sherrick suffered a traumatic brain injury at work. The care he needs has made it impossible to come home, even for a visit.

Michael was an industrial construction worker, working high above the ground. His wife, Rana, always feared he would be hurt.

On May 5, 2008, it happened. He fell.

That day, Rana lost the husband she had known for 16 years.

“We were the couple that said, ‘I love you’ before we went to bed every night,” Rana said.

Michael Sherrick suffered a traumatic brain injury, and was paralyzed.

“It's been difficult,” his wife admitted. “We were thrown into a life we didn't choose.”

It would be nearly two years before Rana would find a way to communicate with her husband - a computer that reads the motion of his eyes.

“Three blinks means 'I love you,'” Rana said. “We were able to establish that.”

Michael's fragile medical condition required living in a nursing home. He had not been back home again, until this Thanksgiving.

Fort Worth-based MedStar paramedics brought him to Crowley to join Rana, his grandchildren and a houseful of other relatives for Thanksgiving dinner. It’s part of MedStar’s Home for the Holidays program.

“It's something I guess I never thought would happen,” said Michael’s brother-in-law, Don Grazier.

It will not be Michael’s last trip home. Rana recently came into enough money to begin building a handicap-accessible home, in rural Wise County. A close friend, a registered nurse, will live with them. His mother will live next door.

“When I told him for the first time we were going to be able to bring him home, and have 24-hour care around the clock, and that he would be able to sit in his wheelchair and watch me cook in our new home [...] reclaim some of our life that's been taken from us, we cried together,” Rana said.

The new home should be ready by March. For that, and the years ahead they will share, Rana says she is thankful.
“The message is, God, family, and love,” Rana said, “And to be there for each other, no matter what.”

E-mail chawes@wfaa.com

Click to see a demonstration that may change the way you drive.

Dallas / Fort Worth, TX — October 7, 2011 —    MedStar is proud to announce that Associate Director of Human Resources, Danyelle Keenan, SPHR has been selected by the HRSouthwest Conference to receive the 2011 HR Educator of the Year award. 

Each year, the HRSouthwest Conference recognizes an individual educator who has made significant contributions to the education of former, current, or prospective HR professionals. Keenan will be honored with the HR Educator of the Year award during the keynote presentation of the conference and will receive a commemorative award, $1,000 grant and complimentary conference registration.

The HRSouthwest Conference, 2011

Fort Worth Convention Center

Tuesday, November 1

8:15 am – HR Educator of the Year award presentation

Keenan was chosen to receive the HR Educator of the Year award to honor achievements throughout her career in the areas of advocacy, publications and professional and community activities.

In addition to her role at MedStar, she also serves on the UT Arlington Advisory Council for the Master’s in Human Resource Management program and has her own consulting business assisting small organizations with their HR needs.  She has been a member of the Fort Worth Human Resource Management Association (FWHRMA), SHRM Chapter for 12 years, is currently serving her third term on the FWHRMA Board of Directors and has been elected as the organization’s President for 2012.  

Driven by a passion for adult education, Keenan is an experienced trainer and instructor striving not only to educate but also to instill enthusiasm and energy into the subject matter.  She has been an adjunct professor for management and business courses at a variety of area schools, including DeVry University, Keller Graduate School of Management, Tarrant County College, UT Arlington and Texas Wesleyan University.  For the past five years, she has been an instructor for Professional and Senior Professional in Human Resources (PHR / SPHR) certification classes and is an advocate for lifelong learning.

Keenan earned her Bachelor’s Degree from Texas A&M University and holds a Master’s of Science from UT Arlington in Human Resources Management.  She has been a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) since 2001.  She lives in Fort Worth with her husband and young son.

The HRSouthwest Conference (HRSWC) is the largest regional human resources conference in the country.  It offers over 90 educational sessions and is committed to supporting the human resource professional and advancing the human resource profession. It is the official State of Texas SHRM Conference and it attracts over 2,300 HR professionals and over 200 exhibitors.  More information at www.hrsouthwest.com.

About MedStar

Responding to over 100,000 calls each year, MedStar EMS is the exclusive emergency and non-emergency ambulance service provider to over 880,000 residents throughout  Fort Worth and 14 other Tarrant County cities including Haltom City, Burleson, Saginaw, White Settlement, Forest Hill, River Oaks, Lake Worth, Sansom Park, Westworth Village, Blue Mound, Edgecliff Village, Haslet, Lakeside and Westover Hills.  Established in 1986, MedStar is governed by the Area Metropolitan Ambulance Authority board of directors, is one of only 132 ambulance services in the country to receive national accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services and is named the 2010 Texas EMS Provider of the Year by the Texas Department of State Health Services. 

- END -

Click here to see the full story on WFAA.

Click to read the article.

Record-setting temperatures are keeping MedStar professionals busy responding to heat-related emergencies.  Several local news agencies have recently sent reporters out with MedStar to get a first-hand look.

The 33 News

Reporter:  Daniel Novick 

WFAA, Channel 8

Reporter:  Jim Douglas

FOX 4

Reporter:  Brandon Todd

Precautions to Beat the Heat:

 Stay hydrated

• Drink plenty of water regularly
• Don’t wait until you are thirsty, drink continuously
• Avoid alcoholic and caffeinated drinks as they can worsen the affects of heat

Cool your body

• Stay in the shade or air conditioning if possible; go swimming
• Keep air moving around your body
• Wear loose clothing
• Place cool, wet cloths or ice on the neck, under the arms or in groin area
• Use an umbrella or wide brim hat to limit exposure to direct sun

Limit or avoid strenuous activity during the heat of the day

Take extra care with children and the elderly

• Bodies of the young and old do not cool as effectively as in adults
• Supervise children to ensure proper hydration and limit activity
• Check on elderly neighbors regularly and help reinforce these tips

Warning signs of Heat Stroke

Heat stroke is a dangerous and potentially life-threatening condition that occurs when the body loses its ability to regulate temperature due to exposure in a hot environment. If you suspect heat stroke, call 9-1-1 immediately:

• High body temperature – over 103
• Fast heartbeat
• Fast and shallow breathing
• Changes in mental status such as confusion, irritability or personality changes
• Fainting or extreme fatigue, feeling dizzy or weak
• Hot, dry skin or lack of sweating
• Headache, nausea

Resources:

Residents also can call 2-1-1 to get information from health and human services programs which may be able to assist with utility bills, fans, air conditioners, etc.

NBC5 reporter Lindsay Wilcox hosted MedStar on the new NonStop Nightly news segment to talk about water / pool safety and demonstrate the new hands-only CPR technique for bystanders.

Click to veiw story.

As the story points out, drowning is the sixth leading cause of death in people of all ages, and the second leading cause among children under age 14, according to the Centers for Disease Control.  In fact, MedStar routinely sees an increase in the number of emergency calls for potential drownings every summer as temperatures rise and people head for pools and lakes.

Prevention is the best treatment!  Here are some key tips for staying safe in the water this summer:

• Presence of attentive adult supervision
• Use appropriate floatation devices such as life jackets
• Learning to swim
• Avoiding dangerous environments (such as drainage culverts)
• Use of barrier fencing around pools; checking to ensure gates are locked

Should you see a person is in danger of drowning  – call 9-1-1 immediately to get help on the way!

Do not enter a dangerous situation in order to render aid as you may also become a victim.  Once the person is out of the water, assess the need for assistance and potentially start hands-only chest compressions.

Chest Compressions – or hands-only CPR – is recommended for bystanders as a simple and effective way to help a person whose heart has stopped due to cardiac arrest casued by a near drowning.  The process focuses solely on chest compressions to move oxygenated blood to the brain and vital tissues in the critical time immediately following cardiac arrest. 

Follow these easy steps: 

1)  Check for signs of consciousness and breathing.  If none are present, initiate chest compressions

 

2)  Place the hand in the center of the chest, between the nipples

 

3)  Push hard and fast – compressions should be:

                    -  Adults – use 2 hands, compress at least 2 inches deep

                    - Kids ages 1 – 8 – use one hand, compress between 1-2 inches deep

                    - Infants under 1 year – use two fingers only, compress 1 inch deep

 

4)  Compressions should be at 100 beats a minute - which is the same rate as the beat of the Bee Gee’s song Staying Alive.

5)  Don’t stop.  Keep going until someone else can take over or helps arrives.

MedStar offers free chest compression training classes to business, schools, churches and other organizations in our 15-city service area. 

Click here for more information on FREE Chest Compression Training!

Local reporter Mitch Mitchell of the Star Telgram aslo spoke with MedStar to learn more about the financial impact of the program and the reasons behind a new aspect of the program that focuses on patients with congestive heart failure who have been recently released from the hospital.

Click here to read more.

Read more...

Fort Worth, TX — June 1, 2011 —   MedStar EMS is proud to voice its support for the bill banning texting while driving as it awaits Governor Perry’s signature before becoming law.  As the emergency medical services provider for Fort Worth and 14 other cities, the organization is well-aware of the dangers of distracted driving and the often life-changing consequences.

MedStar’s Risk and Safety Manager, Mike Shelton, has devoted more than 20 years to understanding the dynamics of road safety.  He co-authored a driver training program for the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians called “Safety:  Takin’ It To the Streets” which was awarded the 2010 Rosencranz Award for excellence in EMS safety and injury prevention.

“Safe driving takes 100% attention,” says Shelton. “It’s plain physics – even an average family car moving rapidly won’t stop or turn on a dime.  A driver whose eyes and mind aren’t on the road has a significantly delayed reaction time and is just a collision in the making.”

Based on research presented by the Texas Department of Transportation at the May 2010 Safety Summit in Austin, a person sending a text message while driving will take their eyes from the road 4.6 out of every 6 seconds.  Multiplied by the vehicle’s speed, this means that a driver going 70 miles per hour will travel almost 500 feet while looking at their phone.   Then, factoring in the driver’s perception time, reaction time and actual braking time, a vehicle in this scenario would cover a distance of more than three football fields before being able to stop.

Over the past year, MedStar has responded to over 8,000 calls to 9-1-1 for motor vehicle collisions within its service area.  If national statistics from the NHTSA’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System hold true, it’s possible that 1,600 of those could have been caused by distracted driving.   But, numbers can tell only part of the story.

“Distracted driving is no joke.  Considering some of the horrific injuries I’ve worked at accident scenes, it’s something that can shatter the lives of everyone involved,” says veteran MedStar paramedic Tim Penic. “No message is worth the risk of ending up like that.”

MedStar applauds the Texas legislators for this potentially lifesaving bill and looks forward to its passing into law.

About MedStar

Responding to over 100,000 calls each year, MedStar EMS is the exclusive emergency and non-emergency ambulance service provider to over 880,000 residents throughout  Fort Worth and 14 other Tarrant County cities including Haltom City, Burleson, Saginaw, White Settlement, Forest Hill, River Oaks, Lake Worth, Sansom Park, Westworth Village, Blue Mound, Edgecliff Village, Haslet, Lakeside and Westover Hills.  Established in 1986, MedStar is governed by the Area Metropolitan Ambulance Authority board of directors, is one of only 132 ambulance services in the country to receive national accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services and is named the 2010 Texas EMS Provider of the Year by the Texas Department of State Health Services. 

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MEDSTAR EMS AND FORT WORTH FIRE DEPARTMENT HOST FREE LIFESAVING CPR INSTRUCTION THIS WEEKEND AT THE MAIN STREET ARTS FESTIVAL

WHAT:

MedStar EMS and the Fort Worth Fire Department are hosting a

booth at the Fort Worth Main Street Arts Festival this weekend to teach lifesaving chest compressions to festival-goers.

This event serves as the public kick-off to MedStar’s 25 in 5 Community Chest Compression Campaign to teach this simple form of hands-only CPR  to 25,000 people over the next five years.

WHO:

After only a few hours at the Main Street Arts Festival on Thursday, over 150 people have already been instructed and received their commemorative Chest Compression Champ cards.

WHEN:

Thursday, 4/14 – 10 am – 10 pm

Friday 4/15 – 10 am – 11 pm

Saturday 4/17  – 10am – 11pm

Sunday 4/18 – 10am – 7pm

WHERE:

MedStar Tent

Fort Worth Main Street Arts Festival

Northwest corner of 7th Street and Main, Downtown Fort Worth

WHY:   

Chest compressions are quick to learn, easy to do and could give someone with cardiac arrest a second chance at life.  Through this campaign, MedStar will provide free instruction at community events, local business, schools and churches and other public gatherings.  More information and sign ups are available at www.medstar911.org.

About MedStar

Responding to over 100,000 calls each year, MedStar EMS is the exclusive emergency and non-emergency ambulance service provider to over 880,000 residents throughout  Fort Worth and 14 other Tarrant County cities including Haltom City, Burleson, Saginaw, White Settlement, Forest Hill, River Oaks, Lake Worth, Sansom Park, Westworth Village, Blue Mound, Edgecliff Village, Haslet, Lakeside and Westover Hills.  Established in 1986, MedStar is governed by the Area Metropolitan Ambulance Authority board of directors, is one of only 132 ambulance services in the country to receive national accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services and is named the 2010 Texas EMS Provider of the Year by the Texas Department of State Health Services. 

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*** MEDIA ALERT & PHOTO OPPORTUNITY ***

Seven city Mayors to lead public celebration of

MedStar’s 25th Anniversary

WHAT:

MedStar’s 25th Anniversary Kick-Off Celebration will be a public event to commemorate the 1986 founding of MedStar EMS as the exclusive emergency and non-emergency ambulance service provider for 15 North Texas cities.  The presentation will include:

Ceremonial Ribbon Cutting to the Future by 3 “Day One” employees Joint reading of Mayoral Proclamations from member cities Unveiling of commemorative emblem on ambulance and new MedStar flag Launch of the 25 in 5 Community Chest Compression Campaign

WHO:

MedStar officials will be joined by:  Mayor Mike Moncrief of Fort Worth, Mayor Alan Hooks of Blue Mound, Mayor Bill Lanford of Haltom City, Mayor Bob Golden of Haslet, Mayor Walter Bowen of Lake Worth, Mayor Pro-Tem Charles Talbot of Edgecliff Village and Mayor Gary Brinkley of Saginaw.

WHEN:

TODAY - Monday, April 4, 2011 at  3:00 pm

WHERE:

MedStar Campus in Fort Worth -  East Berry Street, just west of I-35W

551 East Berry Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76110

WHY:   

To honor the heritage of MedStar EMS with a pledge to the future service of our communities through the 25 in 5 Chest Compression campaign to teach 25,000 people how to save lives over the next 5 years.  Chest compressions are quick to learn, easy to do and could give someone with cardiac arrest a second chance at life.  Through this campaign, MedStar will provide free instruction at community events, local business, schools and churches and other public gatherings.  More information and sign ups are available at www.medstar911.org.

About MedStar

Responding to over 100,000 calls each year, MedStar EMS is the exclusive emergency and non-emergency ambulance service provider to over 880,000 residents throughout  Fort Worth and 14 other Tarrant County cities including Haltom City, Burleson, Saginaw, White Settlement, Forest Hill, River Oaks, Lake Worth, Sansom Park, Westworth Village, Blue Mound, Edgecliff Village, Haslet, Lakeside and Westover Hills.  Established in 1986, MedStar is governed by the Area Metropolitan Ambulance Authority board of directors, is one of only 132 ambulance services in the country to receive national accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services and is named the 2010 Texas EMS Provider of the Year by the Texas Department of State Health Services. 

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Two MedStar units and two supervisors worked the scene on Thursday morning 3/24 as the cab of an 18-wheeler dangled precariously from an overpass bridge.  Two patients were inside a car pinned underneath the truck as well.  Fortunately, no life-threatening injuries were reported despite the dramatic scene.

News Coverage of the Incident:

CBS 11

WFAA

NBC5

Star Telegram

Last year, MedStar honored Jeff Harrison with the Community Hero Award for his couragous rescue of a woman and her soon-to-be adopted daughter from the Trinity River.  Now, Harrison is one of 20 finalists being considered for the civilian version of the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Visit WFAA page for full story.

The obesity epidemic is growing, which means patients needing ambulances are getting bigger, too.
Accordingly, ambulance service MedStar is getting a big overhaul.  MedStar, which serves 15 Tarrant County cities, is converting its older Ford chassis to a heavier-duty Chevy chassis, according to Matt Zavadsky, MedStar associate director for operations.

"It's a growing problem," Zavadsky said of the increase in the number of calls to transport obese patients. "And it's one that's not going away anytime soon."

Zavadsky said about 80 percent of the fleet of 54 ambulances has been upgraded, with changes to be completed by year's end. The new chassis costs about $7,000 more than the previous chassis.

"In addition to the remounting, where we put the old box on the new chassis, we also purchased seven additional ambulances for the fleet last year due to the call volume growth and the staffing growth," Zavadsky said.  Zavadsky said the space or "box" area in which patients ride will not be affected.

Although MedStar doesn't keep statistics on patients' weight, Zavadsky said that the trend nationwide toward obesity holds true in North Texas as well. Last year, MedStar logged 220 calls requiring bariatric equipment, for obese patients.  He said one patient weighed close to 1,000 pounds.

"It's the biggest since I've been here," Zavadsky said. "It took lots of equipment and quite a while."

Dramatic increase
More than a quarter of American adults are obese, according to Karen Hunter, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"During the past 20 years, there has been a dramatic increase in obesity in the United States," Hunter said. "It's pretty disturbing when you see that most states have an obesity prevalence."  Zavadsky said MedStar is responding to those statistics.  MedStar's new gross vehicle maximum weight is 12,300 pounds, compared to the 11,500 pounds maximum previously.  That means the ambulances can carry an additional 800 pounds.

It's an important figure, which takes into consideration the equipment, the paramedics and emergency medical technicians, the patient and a family member or other acquaintance.

"The switch to the heavier-duty chassis is both because of making enough capacity for the patients and for the equipment that we carry," Zavadsky said. "As medical technology changes, we need to add more equipment to the ambulance, and that adds to the weight."

He said all of their ambulances, which are modular dual axle, can cost $130,000 without equipment, and equipment can tack on an additional $30,000 to $50,000.  "A cardiac monitor alone costs $20,000," he said.

Zavadsky said other changes are being made to accommodate people who, through the years, have become wider, heavier and even taller.  The company has several strong winches to move plus-sized patients in and out of the ambulance. A larger stretcher can carry patients up to 850 pounds.

Strap extenders can be attached to existing buckles to hold the patients securely, "just like you have on an airplane -- the same type of principle," Zavadsky said. 

EMT safety
MedStar spokeswoman Suzy Miller said the company is proud of its new equipment and "is always looking for what's on the horizon."

"The world seems built for what's average," Miller said. "However, MedStar has a responsibility to care for the safety and dignity of all our patients, even when one size doesn't fit all."

 
In addition to obvious benefits, the larger ambulances offer a smoother ride.  The changes are not only helping the patients, but the paramedics and EMTs as well.  Zavadsky said that heavier patients just add to the dangers of their profession.

"Emergency medical workers have a high workers comp rate," he said. "They suffer from back injuries, knee injuries, needle sticks and a host of other problems. It's a very dangerous profession."

MedStar will not charge an additional fee to offset the upgrade.  "We don't feel that's appropriate," Zavadsky said.

Scott Gordon, NBC5 Reporter

Fort Worth's ambulance service is replacing its fleet to accommodate the growing number of overweight patients.

Medstar is converting its older Ford chassis to heavier Chevys, which cost $7,000 more but can carry an additional 800 pounds, said Matt Zavadsky, Medstar associate operations director.  "It's built to carry the extra weight and not be so saggy," he said.

Paramedics don't keep statistics on patients' weight, but Zavadsky said the national trend toward larger waistlines holds true here.   "I can tell you -- no pun intended -- it's growing," he said.

Medstar made the decision last year to put larger frames on its 54 ambulances. The "boxes" on top -- where patients are treated -- remain the same.

The ambulance service has also transitioned to a larger stretcher, which can carry patients up to 650 pounds. The old ones were limited to 500 pounds.

Paramedics have new procedures for buckling in overweight patients. They lower the side rails, which can be uncomfortable for large people, and attach strap extenders to the existing buckles, Zavadsky said.  "And now we've got all this room," he said as he demonstrated the technique.

Last year, 220 patients had to be transported on a special bariatric cot, which is designed for the extremely obese. 

Medstar began the transition to the newer chassis last year and expects to finish by the end of this year.  The larger ambulances have other benefits as well, such as a smoother ride and the ability to carry an extra oxygen tank, Zavadsky said.

In 2009, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 28.7 percent of Texans were obese.  Obesity is defined as a body mass index of 30 or higher. BMI is measured by a person's weight and height.    "In the last 20 years, there has been a dramatic increase in obesity in the United States," the CDC said on its website.

"It's a trend that's probably going to continue, and we're going to have to take additional steps in the future," Zavadsky said.

MEDSTAR SAFETY REINSTATES SAFETY MEASURES

DUE TO DETERIORATING DRIVING CONDITIONS

Dallas / Fort Worth, TX — February 9, 2011 -   With road conditions deteriorating in Fort Worth and surrounding areas due to ice, MedStar is reinstating the same safety measures implemented last week, suspending high-speed, lights-and-sirens mode and long-distance transports to medical facilities outside of the organization’s service area. 

MedStar ambulance units will respond to calls at a speed that is safe for large vehicles on icy roads and will not use lights-and-sirens which can prove distracting to other drivers.  Additionally, patient transports will be limited to medical facilities in the MedStar service area in order to reduce the amount of time the ambulance is traveling on dangerous streets.

Both measures are to limit the risk of causing or being involved in additional vehicle collisions which pose a significant concern for crews, patients being transported and the driving public.

Since temperatures are not expected to reach above the freezing point today, MedStar will continue to evaluate road conditions.  High-speed and lights-and-siren response mode and transport patterns will be resumed when it is safe to do so.

During last week’s storms, 9-1-1 calls to MedStar for traffic accidents were up as much as 86% above average and calls for falling victims topped out at 198% above average.  For safety, MedStar urges residents to stay off the roads and to use extreme caution when walking on slippery surfaces until conditions improve.

About MedStar

Responding to over 100,000 calls each year, MedStar EMS is the exclusive emergency and non-emergency ambulance service provider to over 880,000 residents throughout  Fort Worth and 14 other Tarrant County cities including Haltom City, Burleson, Saginaw, White Settlement, Forest Hill, River Oaks, Lake Worth, Sansom Park, Westworth Village, Blue Mound, Edgecliff Village, Haslet, Lakeside and Westover Hills.  Established in 1986, MedStar is governed by the Area Metropolitan Ambulance Authority board of directors and is one of only 132 ambulance services in the country to receive national accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services. 

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MEDSTAR RESUMES LIGHTS-AND-SIRENS RESPONSE MODE

AS AREA ROAD CONDITIONS IMPROVE

Dallas / Fort Worth, TX — February 5, 2011 -   As a safety precaution during the recent inclement weather, MedStar had suspended the normal use of lights-and-sirens response mode and was limiting patient transport to medical facilities within the organization’s service area. 

As roadways clear today, MedStar has resumed normal response modes and will again be transporting as appropriate  to medial facilities outside the service area based on clinical need or patient preference. 

Ambulance crews are still being advised to drive with extreme caution as some residential areas are still icy and a re-freeze is expected this evening.  MedStar will continue to monitor weather conditions and make response mode adjustments as needed.

9-1-1 call volume to MedStar peaked yesterday with an increase of almost 50% over the average number of calls, with spikes in responses for falls, breathing problems and traffic accidents.   Today, call volume has begun tapering off and is on-pace to be around 25% above average. 

About MedStar

Responding to over 100,000 calls each year, MedStar EMS is the exclusive emergency and non-emergency ambulance service provider to over 880,000 residents throughout  Fort Worth and 14 other Tarrant County cities including Haltom City, Burleson, Saginaw, White Settlement, Forest Hill, River Oaks, Lake Worth, Sansom Park, Westworth Village, Blue Mound, Edgecliff Village, Haslet, Lakeside and Westover Hills.  Established in 1986, MedStar is governed by the Area Metropolitan Ambulance Authority board of directors and is one of only 132 ambulance services in the country to receive national accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services. 

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9-1-1 CALL VOLUME FOR EMS UP SHARPLY

Dallas / Fort Worth, TX — February 4, 2011 -   MedStar is continuing to suspend lights-and-sirens response mode and is not transporting patients outside of the organization’s service area.  Both of these safety measures have been implemented to minimize the risk to crews, patients being transported and the driving public. 

Additionally, 9-1-1 call volume to MedStar has increased to almost 30% above average over the past day:

The increase in call volume and extended travel times due to road conditions have caused delayed responses to some non life-threatening calls.  All calls are prioritized based on urgency using National Emergency Medical Dispatch protocols and will be responded to as quickly and safely as possible.

Again, MedStar encourages people to stay off the roads if at all possible.

About MedStar

Responding to over 100,000 calls each year, MedStar EMS is the exclusive emergency and non-emergency ambulance service provider to over 880,000 residents throughout  Fort Worth and 14 other Tarrant County cities including Haltom City, Burleson, Saginaw, White Settlement, Forest Hill, River Oaks, Lake Worth, Sansom Park, Westworth Village, Blue Mound, Edgecliff Village, Haslet, Lakeside and Westover Hills.  Established in 1986, MedStar is governed by the Area Metropolitan Ambulance Authority board of directors and is one of only 132 ambulance services in the country to receive national accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services. 

- END -

Deana Boyde, Star Telegram

 

As ice makes road conditions treacherous once again, MedStar reinstates safety measures.

Click for more deatils.

 

Weather Causing Blood Shortage and Increased 9-1-1 Calls

Jan Jarvis, Star Telegram

 

 Icy roads have caused a drop in blood donations and a rise in calls to 9-1-1.

Read the full story.

MedStar Ambulance Calls Increase

Joel Thomas, CBS 11

 

MedStar handles increase in call volume, but not always for the most expected reasons.

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MedStar Responds to Calls for Falls, Breathing Problems and Traffic Accidents

Mitch Mitchell, Star Telegram

 

9-1-1 Calls for traffic accidents have been above average but not as high as with previous ice storm events in DFW.  However, calls for falls, on-set of labor and breathing problems are up sharply.

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Extra Crews Prepare for Wednesday's Commute

Brandon Todd, FOX4

 

MedStar comments on preparations and saftey measures taken during severe weather in Fort Worth and surrounding areas.

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