EMS News Briefs from Mike McEvoy

By EMS Coordinator Mike McEvoy, Ph.D., NRP, RN, CCRN  
NYSAFC EMS Committee

AHA Guidelines to Include Spinal Immobilization?
Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water – the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) has received a proposal from some very well advised countries to ditch the use of rigid cervical collars. This will probably appear in the 2015 AHA Guidelines that publish in November and who knows when we will see a change. Take a look at the proposal here.

New York State Proposes New EMS Regulations
Posted July 29 with a comment period open until September 15, 2015, (click here) are an amendment to 800.12 (10 NYCRR) to fix a reciprocity issue and new requirements for controlled substances. Recent regulation changes renaming certification levels overlooked matching those titles when awarding reciprocity. Additionally, the department plans to propose amendments to 80.136 and add section 800.5 (10 NYCRR) that would revise criteria for ALS service controlled substance agents (80.136) and require that EMS agencies operating at the CC or paramedic level must hold a current DOH license to possess and administer controlled substances (800.5). You can bet your bippy that there will be plenty of commentary once proposals post for their 60-day comment period. Stay tuned...

About the Author:  
Mike McEvoy, Ph.D., NRP, RN, CCRN is the EMS coordinator for Saratoga County, a paramedic supervisor for Clifton Park-Halfmoon Ambulance Corps, a firefighter and the chief medical officer for West Crescent Fire Department. He works in the Cardiac Surgical ICUs at Albany Medical Center and teaches critical care medicine at Albany Medical College. McEvoy was the 2005 chair of the New York State EMS Council and is a past EMS director for NYSAFC. He is a regular contributor to NYSAFC's SIZE UP magazine and the fireEMS editor for Fire Engineering. Follow Mike’s adventures here.