Weekly Roundup 4/11/2014

Important, for many reasons.  Not a "how-to" but more of a "how we got here"
http://www.jems.com/article/history-ems/how-heal-after-responding-tough-call

Active shooter EMS -- Discussion
"During an active shooter/active killing response, the first-arriving Fire/EMS responders, not special operations or tactical medical teams, must accept the responsibility for life rescue and medical operations and must work with first-responding law enforcement assets to rapidly deploy into the areas that have been cleared but not secured (warm/indirect threat zones) to initiate treatment and rescue injured victims."
http://www.jems.com/article/supporting-paradigm-change-ems-operation

Wake County EMS Evacuation pre-plan (outline) and A.J. Heightman's freaky night in a hotel:
http://www.jemseditorblog.com/2014/04/08/twas-the-night-before-mci-class/

Simple thoracostomy - a case for incision rather than needle decompression
(will be interesting to see what the study yields)
"To avoid the complications associated with needle decompression, a number of services in Europe have adopted simple thoracostomy as an option for chest decompression. Simple thoracostomy is a technique similar to the placement of a chest tube, traditionally done in the ED. It utilizes an incision with a scalpel and penetration directly into the thoracic cavity with forceps and a gloved finger to relieve the tension pneumothorax. The only major difference is that the chest tube isn’t inserted."
http://www.jems.com/article/patient-care/simple-thoracostomy-moving-beyond-needle

Ferno's new cot.  If it works, it's a game-changer for EMS:
http://www.fernoems.com/inx/
VERY similar to one we played with at EMS World, but this is all auto and will load into our tall 4wd ambulances.  I might be in love.

AND A little video crazed this week

How an EMT gets ready for work:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahCuA6DsSGE#t=155

Forget the egg in a skillet "this is your brain on drugs" commercial.
Just show this to the kids, and they will stay away.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UePInKAKgTA

It's so funny, because it's true...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9G5CfrQN4w#t=55