Birthday

Yesterday was the birthday of my daughter Alison and today is the birthday of my wife Bessie. Go review childbirth, I ain't gonna do it for you.

Stroke Care

Stroke is such a time sensitive emergency. As responders, we should know what to do in the case of a suspected stroke. I think that as professionals, we need to educate the public on how deadly and debilitating a stroke can be. here is a good article to share with your friends and loved ones.

Let's go right to the most important point in stroke treatment. If you suspect anyone is having a stroke call 911 immediately. Even if the individual objects, call anyway. Treatment for stroke is very time sensitive. Definitive care by qualified medical professionals can mean the difference in a satisfactory outcome or one with far reaching or even dire lasting affects to the individual. Read more...

Fire Safety

One of my most treasured memories is when my kids were little. I would go to their school during Fire Safety Week. The look in the kids eyes as I donned my gear was cool. The way my son and daughter looked at me was priceless. But I was no match for the pumper. The crew that came would always charge the booster line and let the kids play with it. Here is a good article on fire safety. Feel free to share it.

If you awoke in the middle of the night and your house was on fire, would you know how to get out? How about your children? We remember all those fire drills from our school days, but have you ever had a home fire drill? If asked, can your children recite your family's fire safety plan? If you answered no to any of these questions, read on. Your life may depend on it.Read more...

Online CEU's

Hey folks,

If anyone out there knows of anyplace that online CEU's can be found, drop me a line. Of course, we are talking free, if it's free, it's for me. I am working on a post on this subject. I have gone through Google and today, I am scouring state EMS websites. I have found a few things but I would like to find more. If you know of anything, let me know. EMT, Paramedic or nursing.

Ray

Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome

We all learn about Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome while in Paramedic school. This is one of those ECG rhythms that usually cause a trip up on tests. While in of itself, it is usually not fatal, it can cause complications including PSVT. Proper management of this condition in the field can mean the difference between life and death. Go back to your books to brush up on what WPW Syndrome looks like on an ECG. In the mean time read this short article on the cause of Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome.

Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome (WPW) is, at its most basic, a congenital abnormality involving the heart's electrical function. Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome can also occur at random. Men generally are more prone to WPW than women and in men there is a higher incidence of multiple pathways as the cause of Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome. Read more...

Great Website for Firefighters:Firefighter Hourly

Today, I want to direct you to a great site I found, Firefighter Hourly. There is a ton of great information here for firefighters. Check out especially "Probie Rules: The Golden Rules For New Firefighters " by Jay Lowery. It is a well written list of rules for probies. Make sure you read the comments also. This blog is well worth the time spent reading.

http://www.firefighterhourly.com/firefighter_hourly/about-the-author.html

http://www.firefighterhourly.com/firefighter_hourly/2008/07/probie-rules-th.html#comment-124832954