EMS busy responding, vCOP averts potential disaster

The Free Press. April 23, 2013. Click to enlarge.

Life-saving defibrillators should be in every public gathering spot

Last week PM Stephen Harper announced the Government of Canada will be investing $10 Million to outfit as many as 3000 arenas with life-saving defibrillators.

“We have the technology and we know that it works,” Harper said. “We know that with minimal training, defibrillators are easy to use. We know that by making these devices more readily available, fast treatment will save lives.”

Automated defibrillator

This is an idea whose time has come.  Cote Saint-Luc has had defibrillators in place in its arena and City Hall / Library complex for more than 10 years and has since added additional units at the outdoor pool, ACC and tennis club.  At a relatively low-cost these easy-to-use defibrillators save lives.  They should be required in every major gathering spot, just as fire extinguishers or first aid kits are.

According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, which is working with the government on the program, 40,000 Canadians experience a sudden cardiac arrest each year, and only about five per cent of them survive.

It’s not uncommon for people to suffer heart attacks and strokes in rinks and arenas, many which already have defibrillators installed.

I have personally performed CPR about 125 times during my EMS and Urgences Santé career.  I have personally witnessed that early bystander CPR followed by rapid defibrillation and advanced life support is critical in those precious minutes that invariably mean whether a patient will be revived or not.

With automated defibrillators now sold at the retail level there is no reason they can’t be made more widely available.  Federal funding is a good jumpstart.

 

CSL EMS crews save two lives in January

CSL EMS crews save two lives in January

Joel Goldenberg, The Suburban. February 20th, 2013

Members of Côte St. Luc’s volunteer Emergency Medical Services crew helped save the lives of two people who had gone into cardiac arrest this past January.

According to a city statement, the first incident took place Jan. 17, when the crew encountered a woman in her 30s who had gone into convulsions and was in cardiac arrest. According to a description of what happened next, the crew “delivered one electrical shock with their defibrillator and administered CPR before Urgences Santé arrived on scene. The Urgences Santé crew delivered more shocks while en route to hospital. The patient was conscious in hospital and it is believed the patient will suffer no long term effects from the incident. She was released from the hospital and is recovering at home.”

The second incident took place Jan. 23, when a man in his 70s “collapsed outside a food shop on Westminster. The primary Côte St. Luc EMS crew was busy on a pediatric trauma call, so another first responder was dispatched. When he arrived, the patient had no pulse. He delivered one electrical shock with a defibrillator and Urgences Santé arrived shortly thereafter. The patient regained a pulse and was breathing on his own. He was transported to hospital and has since been released to convalesce at home,” says a description of what transpired.

Councillor Glenn Nashen, in charge of the public safety portfolio on council, said the success of the crews in these two instances demonstrated “the skills and professionalism of the volunteer service” and thanked the more than 95-person crew in general for providing “exceptional services,” to both Côte St. Luc residents and visitors in the more than 3,000 calls they respond to each year.

“Their quick action and sharp skills mean the difference between life and death,” Nashen said.

Related articles

• CSL crews save lives (gjnashen.wordpress.com)

CSL EMS volunteers: Your hero next door

I regularly report on the incredible, life-saving efforts of our Cote Saint-Luc Emergency Medical Services volunteers.  We cannot thank these fine young women and men enough for their countless acts of bravery and dedication to our residents and visitors.

At this week’s EMS membership meeting I was pleased to join Mayor Anthony Housefather and City Manager Tanya Abramovitch in passing on the appreciation of all Cote Saint-Lucers.

A few members were singled out for saving lives including Anthony G, and Robert R, as mentioned on this blog a few weeks ago.  Also recognized were Sergey A, Audrey M, Cassandre D for assisting in a birth at home.

EMS volunteers are trained in basic life support however some have climbed the ranks within the medical profession and continue to apply their skills.  Even those working as Urgences Santé paramedics or those in medical school continue on as volunteer first responders.

For more information on CSL EMS or to join, please visit their site.  And, when you see the EMS white trucks and crews passing by please give a friendly wave and let them know how much you appreciate them always being at the ready to respond to the next emergency.

CSL crews save lives

Cote Saint-Luc Emergency Medical Services volunteers have had more excitement over the last few days than any volunteer could expect.  While on some shifts our volunteers watch the clock tick by, others keep them hopping, sometimes involving simultaneous emergency medical calls in different corners of our city.  In the past few days our volunteer First Responders successfully resuscitated two patients.

A few days ago the EMS overnight crew responded to a 911 call for a patient in convulsions and surprisingly found a 37 year old female in cardiac arrest. Out came the defibrillator and the EMS crew of Anthony and Robert delivered one shock and began CPR maneuvers before Urgences-santé ambulance technicians arrived on scene.

The ambulance crew delivered several more shocks while en route to the hospital. The patient regained consciousness in hospital and we learned that the patient will suffer no long term effects from the incident.

Earlier this week a man in his 70s collapsed outside of Qualitifruits on Westminster Avenue. The EMS crew was already at an emergency pediatric trauma call, so Public Safety Director Jordy Reichson responded, lights flashing and siren wailing. When he arrived, the patient had no pulse.  Notwithstanding frigid outside temperatures below -20C, Reichson hooked the man up to the defibrillator and delivered one shock.  Urgences-santé ambulance techs arrived shortly thereafter and felt a spontaneous pulse.  The collapsed man began breathing on his own and was rushed to hospital.

These very real examples show just how invaluable our EMS is to our city and our residents.  Thanks to Cote Saint-Luc EMS crews for saving two lives in the last week and for countless other amazing interventions to assist our residents and visitors every day.

 

CSL EMS volunteers – At the ready

While Urgences Santé emergency medical technicians are set to go on strike tonight, Christmas Eve , Cote Saint-Luc volunteers will be manning our local Emergency Medical Services station round the clock.  CSL’s first responders will ensure there is no disruption when a 911 medical emergency happens in our town.

Ambulance is an essential service and therefore the strike is largely symbolic. Medics will likely wear army fatigues or jeans rather than their proper uniform and will plaster stickers across their ambulances.  Unprofessional to be sure and largely disrespectful of property paid for by the public. True, the vast majority of “paramedics” are wonderfully dedicated and very talented, but the union has a way of getting their way.

Nonetheless, Cote Saint-Luc volunteers are always ready and able, and look mighty fine at all times.  We’ve asked our volunteers to put in some extra time over the holidays and even to double up so multiple calls will be answered without delay.

You can help too.  If you’re baking or cooking why not prepare a couple more helpings and drop it off at the station with a bottle of coke – 8100 Cote Saint-Luc Road?  Our crews will be thrilled with the attention and the grub as they man the fort during Christmas and right through New Year’s Eve and Day.  Your thoughtfulness and generosity will be warmly appreciated.  Just ring the bell at the front door, and as long as they’re not out on a call you’ll see some pretty big smiles. (If they’re out you can leave it at the door.  It’ll stay cold!)

CSL EMS volunteers are highly skilled life savers.  Fully trained in-house, they are multilingual, young and energetic and  very happy to assist those in need.  So, thank a medic from CSL EMS when you see them next.  They’re on duty for you.

Have you learned CPR?

The next CPR Heartsaver AED Course takes place from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday, March 12, at the Cote Saint-Luc Parks and Recreation Building, 7500 Mackle Road.

For cost and registration information, call 514-485- 6806, ext. 2231.

This is a crucial, learning experience that I believe should be mandatory for every student in Quebec.  It takes such a short period of time to be trained and this knowledge can easily be put to use to save a life.

I have personally done CPR about 125 times as a result of so many years of service with Urgences Santé and CSL Emergency Medical Services.  It was indeed frightening the very first time but knowing that you have the capacity to save a life is extraordinarily empowering.  Indeed, through my years of emergency medical work I have saved some lives (about one in four were successfully resuscitated).  The satisfaction derived from these acts is unimaginable.

You probably will never use your training in CPR, ever.  But, why risk being unable to help?  It may be for your own family member or a friend or neighbour.

Do yourself, and those close to you an enormous favour.  Go get trained in CPR.

Glenn J. Nashen paracticing on Resusi-Annie

Where is CSL EMS?

Letter to the Editor (Response), The Suburban, September 21, 2011

CSL EMS is here

In response to the letter from Concerned Sports Enthusiast (Sept. 14, 2011, see below) Cote Saint-Luc EMS is here when lives are on the line and seconds count. For over 30 years, the volunteer EMS first responders have put their heart and soul into helping the sick and injured. But EMS does not respond to every medical call in Côte Saint-Luc and here is why:

When someone calls 9-1-1 for a medical incident, the call is answered by an Emergency Medical Responder at Urgences-santé, who gathers as much information as possible, such as the level of consciousness, and assigns a code and a priority. In the other cities on the island of Montreal, the Fire Department responds to high priority calls. In Côte Saint-Luc, EMS responds to both high and medium priority calls.

Calls that are determined to not be life-threatening, such as sprains and strains are classified as low priority, where the ambulance response time can be up to 3 hours. EMS does not respond to these calls. Not because we don’t want to help those in need, but because if the first responders go to a low priority call, they are no longer available to respond to a high priority call. This puts patients who really need the service at risk of receiving no first responder care. It is these high priority calls where the first responder can make a real difference, with their advanced training and equipment. For example, the incident at the baseball diamond was assessed to be a low priority call and as such, EMS was not dispatched to this call.

As for the missing AED in the arena, it was removed earlier the same day to fix a malfunction. Although it would not have been used in this case, the City has since revised its procedures to ensure that broken AEDs are replaced with a spare unit while they are being repaired. The arena’s AED was repaired and replaced the next day.

In 2010, the CSL EMS volunteers responded to over 3,000 medical emergency calls, as well as being on hand at community events, fires, disasters and more. The 80+ highly skilled and dedicated volunteers take great pride in their service and thanks to outstanding community support, CSL EMS is not only here to respond to medical calls today, but for many years to come.

Glenn J. Nashen

City Councillor – Public Safety

City of Côte Saint-Luc

*

Jordy Reichson

Director of Public Safety

City of Côte Saint-Luc

The Suburban, Letters to the editor, September 14, 2011

***

Letter to the Editor, Suburban, Sept. 14, 2011

Where is CSL EMS?

Dear CSL EMS,

Where are you? Why don’t you respond?

We see you driving around CSL, we see you parked behind buildings or at the sports fields, but twice in the last two weeks an ambulance needed to be called and you were nowhere to be found.

The first incident was about a week ago at the softball field. A batter in his late 30’s pulled his groin terribly running to first base. He could not even stand to get off the field. After being assisted to the bench he passed out. We were very concerned and called 911. It took the ambulance about 25 minutes to respond – which I guess was ok because the patient had come to by the time we were on the phone with 911…but where was EMS…how far away could they have been?

Then last night after hockey at 11:30 pm one of the players (age 69) had severe chest pains, was lying on the floor in the dressing room and also was looking like he would pass out or was having a heart attack. The ambulance took about 15-20 minutes but where were the first responders everyone is always so proud of? I hope they were busy responding somewhere else. But someone should look into these incidents before something tragic happens.

By the way – the defibrilator in the arena also seemed to be missing.

Concerned Sports Enthusiast

————————————

 

National Volunteer Week

CITY OF CÔTE SAINT-LUC – PROCLAMATION DECLARING APRIL 10 TO APRIL 16, 2011 AS NATIONAL VOLUNTEER WEEK

WHEREAS, 12.5 million Canadian volunteers devote their time to help others, contributing over two billion volunteer hours per year;

WHEREAS, volunteers in the City of Côte Saint-Luc (‘’the City’’) perform tasks such as: mentor children, comfort the lonely, beautify green spaces, and fundraise for charitable organizations;

WHEREAS, the volunteers in the City are highly diverse being both young and old, composed of individuals and entire families, in the work force and retirees, men and women all of which come from various backgrounds;

WHEREAS, the collective result of the work done by our City’s volunteers is that the City is a more desirable place to live;

WHEREAS, volunteers in the City play such diverse roles including assisting with the organization of special events, coaching many youth related sports teams, providing much needed support in various social agencies such as: senior residences and local hospitals;

WHEREAS, the City relies on fundamental organizations throughout its territory such as the City’s: Emergency Medical Services, the volunteer Citizens on Patrol, the Senior Social Club, the Senior Men’s Club, the Senior’s Garden Club, the Royal Canadian Legion, Brigadier Frederick Kisch, Branch 97, the Côte Saint-Luc Minor Hockey and Figure Skating Associations, the Côte Saint-Luc Adult Sports Associations and the Côte Saint-Luc Tennis Club;

WHEREAS, volunteers play a critical role in impacting the decision making process on important issues for the City of Côte Saint-Luc by serving on various Committees such as: Library and Culture, Sponsorship, and Audit;

IT WAS PROPOSED BY COUNCILLOR GLENN J. NASHEN

SECOND BY COUNCILLOR RUTH KOVAC

AND RESOLVED

THAT, the Côte Saint-Luc City Council hereby proclaims April 10 to April 16, 2011, as National Volunteer Week in the City of Côte Saint-Luc, and urges the residents of Côte Saint-Luc to recognize the crucial role played by City of Côte Saint-Luc volunteers;

AND FURTHER, that this proclamation be forwarded to National, Provincial and local Volunteer Bureaus and appropriate media to inform all of Côte Saint-Luc’s recognition of it’s volunteers.

Old medics meet new

The first EMO - EMS Reunion BBQ took place last weekend at headquarters at 8100 Cote Saint-Luc Road. This was a rewarding opportunity to bring together today’s EMS (Emergency Medical Services) volunteer medics (1990s to now) and yesterday’s EMO (Emergency Measures Organization) rescue-medical volunteers from the 70s and 80s.  

  

Hundreds, if not thousands, of volunteers have passed through the doors at 8100 since its inception in 1964 and have served countless numbers of Cote Saint-Lucers through the decades, saving a great number of lives and easing the suffering of the sick and injured.  

Glenn J. Nashen on duty with Cote Saint-Luc Emergency Measures Organization, 1981

 

A new EMS flag was unveiled and now hangs proudly on the headquarters.  Several members were dressed in the old blue or brown uniform jumpsuits of the 80s and early 90s and the newly created Director’s Award was presented to those who have volunteered the most hours in a given year.  

L-R: Brian Payne, Mayor Anthony Housefather, Cllr. Glenn J. Nashen, Cllr. Ruth Kovac, Andrew Lamb, Norm Adler, Director Jordy Reichson

Also in attendance were past directors Brian Payne, Norm Adler and Rick Liebmann.   

 

A proud alumni of EMO Auxiliary Security from the 80s, Erwin Luden, attended with his son Brandon, now an EMS medic trainee as well as an emergency dispatcher.  Younger brother Jordan looked on in anticipation of also joining EMS in a few more years.

Several former and present Urgences Santé ambulance technicians who used to volunteer at EMO were present including Mike Diorio, Danny Raie, Barney Wexler, Gary Silver, Robbie Sager, Patti-Beth Liebman and Ron Journeau.

Alumni members were invited to renew their participation in EMS in any way possible, whether as a medic, mentor, trainer, fundraiser or recruiter.  All assistance is welcome.

 

View photos on Michael Glazer’s Facebook page

 

EMO – EMS Alumni Association on Facebook

 

Read it in the Suburban

First ever Côte Saint-Luc EMS alumni reunion on Sunday

First ever Côte Saint-Luc EMS alumni reunion on Sunday
Côte Saint-Luc, August 23, 2010 – The first ever Côte Saint-Luc Emergency Medical Services alumni reunion will take place on Sunday, August 29 from 6pm to 9pm at the Public Safety Station, 8100 Côte Saint-Luc Rd.

Anyone who has ever volunteered or worked at EMS or its forerunner, EMO (Emergency Measures Organization), is invited to attend. Anyone with old photos is encouraged to e-mail them to ems@cotesaintluc.org for use in a slideshow at the event.

“Hundreds if not thousands of people have passed through EMS and EMO since 1964,” said Glenn J. Nashen, the council member responsible for public safety. “Many have gone on to fields of medicine and nursing. The alumni event is a great opportunity to get people reconnected, see how far EMS has come and explore opportunities to get involved again.”

People can RSVP by calling 514-485-6800 ext. 5106 or at the “CSL EMO – EMS Alumni Reunion & BBQ” Facebook event page. To find the page, search for the event name at Facebook.com.

Côte Saint-Luc EMS is an all-volunteer service that provides emergency response services and first-aid training to residents of Côte Saint-Luc. Each year, EMS responds to more than 3,000 emergency medical calls, arriving on scene in less than four minutes and often making the difference between life and death.