Bonnee Logic

Bonnee Logic 

I have a problem with people like Chief Bonnee who play word games leaving out important details in order to make others believe their point of view.

An example of Bonnee Logic

I suggested LMRFD firefighters and volunteers put the app Zello on their smartphones. Zello is free for first responders and would turn their smartphones into a walkie-talkie. This would allow the chief to talk to volunteers or other firefighters without tying up the dispatch channel. It's free has unlimited range and could cover some of our dead spots... Win Win...

But then there's Bonnee Logic... 

At a recent meeting Chief Bonnee told the technical committee that if the LMRFD asked volunteers to put Zello on their $1000 phones, the district would be responsible if they broke their phone on a call. So the LMRFD shouldn't use Zello because of liability?

What Chief Bonnee left out, and here's where I have a problem, is that LMRFD already put's the app Active911 on firefighters phones to receive fire calls. Active911 is NOT free...

I'm sure firefighters will be happy to hear the chief agrees the fire district should be responsible for firefighters personal $1000 phone if they get dropped on a call.

Bonnee Logic is passive deception, it's designed to deceive without actually lying. 

Passive deception is the withholding information. It's the suppression of truth rather than the expression of untruth. Both are designed to deceive, but withholding information makes a secret of the truth.

Another example is the wildland brush truck Chief Bonnee wants. It may be purchased with help from a grant, but he either didn't do his research, or left out that those big balloon tires on the brush truck cost $700 to $1000+ rather than $300-$400 for highway tires... 

When LMRFD blows tires on a regular basis, how much will we spend on balloon tires we don't need here?

    

Other Rural Fire Districts like Heber-Overgaard Fire District with Limited EMS Resources Use Emergency Medical Responders Why Can't We?

I don't understand the reluctance of Chief Bonnee to train and use EMR's Emergency Medical Responders in the LMRFD. Other fire districts like Yucca and the Heber-Overgaard Fire District in rural areas use EMR's, so why don't we?

I contacted Chief McCluskey of the Heber-Overgaard Fire District and asked how he uses EMR's in his fire district. 

When I told Chief McCluskey we had one ambulance and response times can be hours rather than minutes.

Chief McCluskey said "Our volunteer EMRs enable us to keep the higher trained firefighters and EMTs in the District for the 2nd call which happens pretty frequently" Just like here in Dolan Springs and Meadview

 

Thu, Oct 10, 3:11 PM (16 hours ago)
Chief McCluskey
Heber-Overgaard Fire District
chief@hofdaz.com

Jay,

Don’t let their short sidedness stop your pursuit. No an EMR is NOT and EMT. However when you want to keep, medically trained EMT’s in the district (when transporting patients to the hospital), EMR’s become VERY valuable.  If we respond with EMR’s, they are a 3^rd person. Currently our EMR’s either respond to the scene in an additional ambulance or wait at the station for the transporting crew to stop and change out drivers. This way the scene gets the higher level of care, but the transport driver meets the state requirements. 

Let the other districts know they can call us anytime to get information on what we do. 

Thanks.
Chief D. McCluskey
Office (928) 535-4346 Ext 106
Cell (928) 240-4149
Fire Chief / Paramedic
Heber-Overgaard Fire District

Jay Fleming <leapspeaker@gmail.com>	Thu, Oct 10, 11:00 PM (8 hours ago)
to chief

Sorry I'm old and forget things..... 2 Question 

Since the law allows for EMR's to assist and drive the ambulance in rural communities, and the state doesn't "certify" EMR's, do you know if the medical director can stop EMR's from driving?  

Your EMR's respond to the scene in an additional ambulance, then the EMT or paramedic  takes the 2nd in ambulance and the EMR and the EMT or paramedic  transport? 

Thanks again

Jay

 

William McCluskey	7:17 AM (6 minutes ago)
to me

1. I’d have to look up the statue regarding medical control/director, but he/she can only require what level of service is required for the care of the patient under their direction. The driver provides no care during the transport therefore doesn’t fall under the medical directors control. 

2. Our EMR’s volunteer for time periods during the week. When a call comes out the “Car #” comes up on the air and responds to the station. By the time they get to the station, the responding crew has arrived and the Captain directs the EMR to bring the second amb or wait at the station.  

a. If the EMR is directed to the scene, they always drive without lights and siren. Upon arrival the EMR then prepares for transport in either amb at the wishes of the captain. Then drives the medic to the hospital. We are 45-50 minutes from Summit, so it’s a 3 hour event from dispatch to back in the area. 

b. If the EMR is told to stay at the station, the call has likely occurred west of the station and the crew will simply stop by the station on their way to the hospital and switch out drivers. 

Correct. Our volunteer EMRs enable us to keep the higher trained firefighters and EMTs in the District for the 2nd call which happens pretty frequently. Of course we encourage and pay for the EMRs to become EMTs but some just don’t want to or have the time to go. 

It seems if you have the people interested in helping the community and district this way, it’s a Win-Win for the district and community.

My 2 cents 

Chief Dee McCluskey
Fire Chief/ Paramedic 
Heber-Overgaard Fire District
(928) 240-4149

 

This Repost of a 2017 Blog Post.... Heat Stroke Call at My House Shows Why the LMRFD Needs Volunteer EMR's

This is a repost of a 2017 Blog Post Heat Stroke Call at My House

We need trained EMS volunteers with an interest in EMS. Sadly to be a firefighter you're forced to also be an EMT even if you have no interest in EMS. 

The LMRFD did send a volunteer firefighter to EMR training, but he apparently had no interest.

In 2018 a group of NACFD firefighters including myself and Scott Aitken from the LMRFD took an EMR course taught by NACFD in Kingman. 

I took the final test and was awarded a certification as an Emergency Medical Responder from the same people who certify EMTs and paramedics. 

As I understand Scott didn't have any interest in EMS and after taking the training never bothered to take the test to become certified as an Emergency Medical Responder.

2017 Repost of Blog.....

Every EMT in Arizona should know the signs and symptoms and how to care for a heat stroke patient. The call at my home went very badly....

A friend was out in the heat too long and when her husband came in and told us his wife had vomited, she was confused, disoriented and was having problems walking.  We got her into the shower and removed most of her clothing to begin cooling her off. Her condition continued to deteriorate over the next few minutes so I called 911 to request the LMRFD ambulance. 

She stopped breathing several times after what looked like a seizure. I called 911 again and I was told the LMRFD ambulance was on the way. but the dispatcher refused to give me an ETA. 

After several more calls to 911 asking for an ETA finally an EMT from Meadview arrived on a fire truck. He brought in a heart monitor but no oxygen or suction even after we had told dispatch she had vomited and stopped breathing several times for as long as two minutes. 

As I walked into the bathroom I told the EMT that the patient was decorticate posturing. He said I don't know, I’m sorry I’m just an EMT and pointed to his EMT patch. 

When I ask the EMT if I could see the rhythm or if he needed to use my AED? The EMT said he had pads on but wasn't authorized to use the heart monitor. The EMT was sitting on the floor holding the heart monitor the entire time my wife and her friend cared for the girl. The EMT kept saying I’m sorry I don't know what to do I’m just an EMT.

The EMT on the fire truck asked dispatch to have a helicopter put on standby, I asked him to please cancel the helicopter and start AMR, and he refused. I told the EMT to document on the chart that I had asked to cancel the helicopter and start AMR.

I called again and asked dispatch several times for an ETA for the ambulance and again she refused. I ask her to start AMR and again she refused. I know from monitoring the fire frequency that it’s standard practice when the LMRFD ambulance isn't available to start AMR ambulance from Kingman.

The EMT appeared to be very inexperienced and really not prepared to be on calls alone. Numerous times he said over and over I’m sorry I’m just an EMT and would point to his patch.

Paramedic

When the ambulance arrived I told them it wasn't possible to get the stretcher into the bathroom  and asked if they had a transport chair, they said no and rolled out the stretcher. I told the EMT that we wanted her transported by ambulance and not by helicopter. The paramedic yelled at me from the bathroom saying “he doesn’t get to make that decision, I do”

I ask why if they were tied up they didn't call AMR, the EMT in the ambulance said "he had worked for AMR for 12 years and it always take 2 ½ hours to respond to Dolan". Why he would say something so untrue I'll never know. AMR responds to Dolan on a regular basis and it takes 45 minutes to an hour at most.

They couldn't get to the bathroom with the stretcher and carried her out on a tarp. Using a tarp to move the patient almost bending her in a U shape when she was already vomiting and having respiratory distress was a bad choice in my opinion. I've used someone's kitchen chair many times to move a patient from a difficult area or down stairs.

If she had vomited there's a good chance she could have aspirated, something that can cause severe complications.

AMR is called all the time to Dolan when the LMRFD ambulance isn't available. Why on this call when all of the LMRFD resources were tied up on another call didn't they call AMR as is usually done?

When the LMRFD left my home the helicopter hadn't launched yet, and gave a 30 minute ETA. Its only 37 miles from my home to Kingman Regional Medical Center. If it’s only 30 minutes or so running code to get the patient to Kingman Regional Hospital Emergency Department why sit and wait a half-hour? The helicopter flight time was 30 minutes, 5 minutes to land, 5-10 minutes to load the patient, 30 minute flight time to the hospital, they were diverted to another hospital so 35 minute flight time? So 75+ minutes for helicopter transport rather than 45 minutes to the Kingman Regional Medical Center.

Was a $22,000 helicopter ride to a level one trauma center necessary when she was she released a couple hours later?

As an EMT I was taught that heat stroke is a true medical emergency with a 70% mortality rate. For an EMT in the Arizona desert to not know what decorticate posturing is, let alone that it’s a sign of heat stroke and a true medical emergency again shows the EMT lacks the experience to be on calls alone.

The Law on Emergency Medical Responders, You Decide

 Here's the Law on Emergency Medical Responders, you decide what the law says...

 

AS I read the law it’s pretty clear, EMR’s Emergency Medical Responders can assist an EMT or paramedic and drive an ambulance in rural areas as long as their primary responsibility is the driving of an ambulance.

 

 I’m told over and over that we can’t use EMR’s on the ambulance that we have to have a paramedic and an EMT on the ambulance. Not True

 

We could split the POC crew with two EMR’s and double our transport capability reducing response times and improving patient care.

 

ARS 36-2201 says "Ambulance Attendant" means any of the following:

A - An EMT, an advanced EMT, an EMT I-99 or a paramedic whose primary responsibility is the care of patients in an ambulance and who meets the standards and criteria adopted pursuant to section 36-2204.

 

B - An EMR emergency medical responder who is employed by an ambulance service operating under section 36-2202 and whose primary responsibility is the driving of an ambulance.

 

ARS 36-2202 - Duties of the director; qualifications of medical director

J. paragraph 5 of this section shall require that ambulance services serving a rural or wilderness certificate of necessity area with a population of less than ten thousand persons according to the most recent United States decennial census have at least one ambulance attendant as defined in section 36-2201, paragraph 6, subdivision A and one ambulance attendant as defined in section 36-2201, paragraph 6, subdivision B

LAWS

36-2201 Definitions

In this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires:

5. "Ambulance" means any publicly or privately owned surface, water or air vehicle, including a helicopter, that contains a stretcher and necessary medical equipment and supplies pursuant to section 36-2202 and that is especially designed and constructed or modified and equipped to be used, maintained or operated primarily for the transportation of individuals who are sick, injured or wounded or who require medical monitoring or aid. Ambulance does not include a surface vehicle that is owned and operated by a private sole proprietor, partnership, private corporation or municipal corporation for the emergency transportation and in-transit care of its employees or a vehicle that is operated to accommodate an incapacitated person or person with a disability who does not require medical monitoring, care or treatment during transport and that is not advertised as having medical equipment and supplies or ambulance attendants.

6. "Ambulance attendant" means any of the following:

(a) An emergency medical technician, an advanced emergency medical technician, an emergency medical technician I-99 or a paramedic whose primary responsibility is the care of patients in an ambulance and who meets the standards and criteria adopted pursuant to section 36-2204.

(b) An emergency medical responder who is employed by an ambulance service operating under section 36-2202 and whose primary responsibility is the driving of an ambulance.

8. "Basic life support" means the level of assessment and care identified in the scope of practice approved by the director for the emergency medical responder and emergency medical technician.

13. "Department" means the department of health services.

14. "Director" means the director of the department of health services.

15. "Emergency medical care technician" means an individual who has been certified by the department as an emergency medical technician, an advanced emergency medical technician, an emergency medical technician I-99 or a paramedic.

16. "Emergency medical responder" as an ambulance attendant means a person who has been trained in an emergency medical responder program certified by the director or in an equivalent training program and who is certified by the director to render services pursuant to section 36-2205.

17. "Emergency medical responder" as an ambulance attendant means a person who has been trained in an emergency medical responder  program certified by the director or in an equivalent training program and who is certified by the director to render services pursuant to section 36-2205.

18. "Emergency medical services provider" means any governmental entity, quasi-governmental entity or corporation whether public or private that renders emergency medical services in this state.

23. "National certification organization" means a national organization that tests and certifies the ability of an emergency medical care technician and whose tests are based on national education standards.

Radio Receivers for when the SHTF How Important Will News From the Outside World Be?

 When the SHTF one of the most important things we will need is some way to get news. We depend on our phones for all types of news today but when the SHTF your phone may not work. You need some type of radio receiver to get news and information. 

This will be a stressful time, and without some way to know what's going on out in the world, it will be much more stressful. What's going on, who's coming to help us? Did we have a way to tell the outside world were still here and what we need? Is anyone coming to help us? 

Some people have AM-FM radios that run on batteries, others have shortwave receivers that cover AM-FM shortwave and ham frequencies. Many hams have general coverage receivers or the new software defined radios. 

When the SHTF we don't know who will be sharing news on what frequency. Will radio stations or TV stations still be on the air or will it be ham radio operators or even bootleg stations? The more frequencies you have the ability to receive the better. 

Today we have inexpensive software defined radios that cover from 0.5 megacycle to 6,000 megacycles, in AM FM NB WB MW SW and upper and lower SSB single sideband. That's pretty much everything.

This SDR Beginners page is a good place to start 

This SDR software has a waterfall display. Rather than just spinning the dial looking for a signal, you can see signals and their strength. This makes looking for signals much easier. 

There are many SDR's on eBay and Amazon but if your looking for a SHTF SDR then look for a stand alone radio so you don't need to power your computer to listen..

Good Luck