New Treatment Protocols Announced for COVID-19 Response

 

PIKE COUNTY — Pike County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) agencies have implement-ed new treatment protocols amid the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. These new protocols were put in place so the EMS providers could better assist the individuals needing help, and stay safer while doing it. Many COVID-19 patients treated by EMS experience respiratory difficulties and the treatment changes have centered on treating the breathing problems of the patient. On the Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulances’ they will now be providing meter-dosed inhalers rather than using a nebulizer. With this change, came creating a new makeshift nebulizer spacer that was designed by Montgomery County Hospital District EMS in Texas and applied here in Pike County.

 

Kyle Wright, Captain of Delaware Township Volunteer Ambulance Corps (DTVAC) and Incident Commander of the COVI9-19 response stated, “These spacers will allow for the providers to administer Albuterol Sulfate to patients in respiratory distress with-out fear of any aerosolization of the virus.” Albuterol Sulfate is a bronchodilator used to treat or prevent bronchospasms. Wright has made these spacers available to other EMS agencies in the tri-state area and has already distributed many.

 

At the Advanced Life Support (ALS) level of EMS, DTVAC paramedics, under the guidance of Medical Director, Dr. John McCarthy, can now administer subcutaneous injections of Terbutaline to patents who are expressing respiratory distress. Wright said, Terbutaline is a drug that was used a long time ago before albuterol became the front-line medication for bronchospasm. It is exceptionally safe and effective and can help significantly improve the patient’s respiratory symptoms” DTVAC provides ALS service on an as-needed basis to and the townships of Dingman, Delaware, Milford, Shohola, Blooming Groove, and Milford Borough.

Keyfood Marketplace Donates to Local EMS Agencies

MILFORD, PA— On April, 9 2020 Junior Dabashi, owner of KeyFood Milford, donated many necessary supplies to Delaware Township Volunteer Ambulance Corps and Milford Fire Department Ambulance. Some of these supplies included; paper bags, cleaning supplies, laundry detergent, cases of water, along with many other things. Of special note, Dabashi was able to donate multiple rolls of duct tape that will be used to seal PPE to make them airtight around the wrists and ankles. 

Keeping with their mission during this public health emergency, DTVAC took a portion of these donated supplies and gave them to other eastern Pike County EMS agencies that are responding to suspected COVID-19 calls.

Delaware Township Volunteer Ambulance Corps is a non-profit organization that provides basic life support (BLS) service to Delaware Township. The Corps also provides Advanced Life Support (ALS) service to Delaware Township and surrounding areas. We are always looking for volunteers! If you are someone you know is interested in volunteering please call us at (570)-828-2345. Any press inquires should be directed to cwill@dtvac.org.

DTVAC Begins COVID-19 Response

 

DINGMANS FERRY, PA — On March 25, 2020, Delaware Township Volunteer Ambulance Corps (DTVAC) responded to the Lake Adventure community in Dingman Township. This incident became the first suspected COVID-19 death to occur in Pike County. As a result of this incident, DTVAC instituted provisions in the Incident Command System (ICS) protocol and named Kyle Wright as the Incident Commander. Wright is a Board-Certified National Disaster Health Care Professional and a Nationally Registered Paramedic through the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians. Wright appointed Jessica Brumbaugh the Planning and Intelligence Section Chief. Since March 25th DTVAC has been able to keep its ambulances in service 24 hours a day 7 days a week, along with having a second crew available for at least 12 hours a day during peak hours. DTVAC is currently responding to more calls for help than any other EMS agency in Eastern Pike County. 

DTVAC, under Wright’s direction, has been instrumental in implementing county-wide Zoom meetings with all the EMS agencies that are responding to calls for help in Pike County. Through these Zoom meetings, he has been able to provide guidance to other emergency health care providers on how to properly deal with a patient that is exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms. DTVAC has also taken the lead in procuring needed supplies that may run out on local BLS ambulances. The Corps has been able to procure multiple CPAP/BIPAP filters that will be used to help patients who are in respiratory distress. Various CPAP/BiPAP filters were able to be delivered to local and federal agencies. “It is our goal to provide residents of Delaware Township the best care possible,” said Wright, “by assisting other local EMS agencies with obtaining supplies, we are able to keep our ambulance’s in our township more often without needing to cover other townships 911 calls.”

Brumbaugh comes to the Ambulance Corps with a degree in Biology Vertebrate Physiology and a minor in Global Health from Penn State University. Complementing her experiences at Penn State, she has participated in multiple research studies on infectious diseases and public health. Brumbaugh is a certified Remote EMT and certified as a Medical Care Person In Charge (MCPIC) through the National Guard. 

Since Brumbaugh’s appointment, DTVAC has implemented many new operational procedures that have the common goal of providing the highest standard of patient care and keeping healthcare providers safe. Currently, the Ambulance Corps has implemented a “One Patient, One Provider’ policy to reduce the amount of exposure the provider and patient get during a call for service. DTVAC has also implemented a requirement that all of its providers wear surgical masks at all times while on duty in public, and wear N95 masks and gloves when on a call for help. These two policy implementations have allowed ambulance crews to continue to serve the public without fear of being exposed to COVID-19. As a matter of precaution, DTVAC has taken EMS providers over the age of 65 and any who are immunosuppressed off of on-duty ambulances and reassigned them to logistical services for the Corps.

On medical emergency dispatches that involve symptoms of CVOID-19 (cough, fever, difficultly breathing, sore throat, nausea, and vomiting), DTVAC has implemented an enhanced Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) protocol to keep providers safe. This PPE includes gloves, N95 mask or respirator, a full Tyvek suit or gown, hair coverings, and a face shield. The ambulance service has responded to over seventeen COVID-19 symptoms calls for help since needing enhanced PPE and is currently running dangerously close to running out of PPE and other supplies for its providers. The Corp is currently relying on donations from the public for the following supplies; hand sanitizer, bleach, bottled water, duct tape, contractor-style trash bags, ink pens, gloves, laundry detergent, soap, paper bags, batteries (C & AA), and saran wrap.

Since March 25, DTVAC has responded to multiple calls for mutual aid throughout the county. Because of the increased call volume, DTVAC has placed a bin outside of it building to place donations in. The building is also being manned 24 hours a day, unless there is an active call. Donations of any kind can be brought or mailed to 135 Park Road, Dingmans Ferry, PA. Donations of PPE or requests for PPE can be direct to the DTVAC COVID-19 Logistic Section Chief, Lieutenant Dillan Miller. Miller can be reached by dialing 570-828-2345. 

DTVAC EMT at Bon Secours Community Hospital. 

Delaware Township Volunteer Ambulance Corps is a non-profit organization that provides basic life support (BLS) service to Delaware Township. The Corps also provides Advanced Life Support (ALS) service to Delaware Township and surrounding areas. We are always looking for volunteers! If you are someone you know is interested in volunteering please call us at (570)-828-2345. Any press inquires should be directed to cwill@dtvac.org.

DTVAC Receives State Grant Funding

 Dingmans Ferry - Delaware Township Volunteer Ambulance Corps (DTVAC) is proud to announce it has received funding through the 2019-2020 Fire Company and Emergency Medical Services Grant Program. This annual grant program allows fire companies, emergency medical services, and volunteer rescue squads in Pennsylvania the opportunity to obtain funds for upgrading facilities, purchasing emergency equipment, and providing training to their members. DTVAC will use the $9,192.44 in awarded funding for debt reduction associated with replacing an engine in its 2008 Ford Ambulance. This amount is the most money DTVAC has ever received through this program, administered by the Pennsylvania Office of the State Fire Commissioner. Many other local emergency service agencies also received grant funding. 

 

DTVAC is a primarily volunteer organization that is always looking for help. If you are interested in volunteering for DTVAC, please them a call at (570) 828-2345

DTVAC Receives Grant for Patient Data Transmission

Delaware Township Volunteer Ambulance Corps (DTVAC) has received a grant used to purchase a new 4G cellular gateway for use with one of its cardiac monitors. The new gateway modem will replace an older 3G modem and allow for the quicker transmission of data from the ambulance to the hospital. Cellular gateways allow DTVAC paramedics to transmit patient data including EKGs and vital signs to local hospitals. In the case of a patient suffering a heart attack, this technology will allow the emergency department physician to review the patient’s EKG and alert the specialized hospital cardiac catheterization team before the patient arrives at the hospital by ambulance. Hospital cardiac team members may be “on-call” and may need to be paged from home and then respond to the hospital in the middle of the night, so this technology definitely cuts down on the time it takes to administer the proper care to the patient.  Local hospitals specializing in cardiac care compatible with this technology are Lehigh Valley Hospital-Pocono, Orange Regional Medical Center, Wayne Memorial Hospital and all Scranton hospitals. 

The grant was administered by Emergency Medical Services of Northeastern Pennsylvania (EMSNP), the non-profit agency tasked with carrying out the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s EMS functions in Bradford, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Pike, Susquehanna, Wayne, and Wyoming Counties. Monies from the grant were supplied by the state’s Emergency Medical Services Operating Fund (EMSOF). This fund is used to provide funding to maintain, improve, and develop the quality of the EMS System within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The EMSOF is routinely funded by surcharges added to tickets issued by police officers in the Commonwealth. 

Pictured left to right: DTVAC Lieutenant Dillan Miller and Paramedic Michael Travers, and EMSNP Board Members Mary Lou Corbett and Jim Mould.

DTVAC Receives Orr Smith Grant

 On October 7, 2019, Delaware Township Volunteer Ambulance Corps received a $10,000.00 donation from the Robert E. & Marie Orr Smith Foundation, a family-based foundation established to support the important work of community-based non-profits. All of the granted monies will be used to allow DTVAC to enhance the care provided to patients in eastern Pike County. 

(Pictured from left: Kyle Wright, Ambulance Squad, Robert Orr Jr., Orr Smith Foundation Trustee, Dillan Miller, Ambulance Squad). 

DTVAC Recognized for Dedication to Pediatric Care

Every year, over 75,000 children are transported by ambulances in Pennsylvania. This means that almost every seven minutes a child is being taken to the hospital with a potentially life-threatening medical condition. In order to ensure that EMS agencies within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania are prepared for pediatrics, the Pennsylvania Emergency Medical Services for Children program, in partnership with the Department of Health, Bureau of EMS and the Pennsylvania Emergency Health Services Council, has created the Pediatric Voluntary Recognition Program to recognize EMS agencies that are willing to go above and beyond current requirements to deliver excellence in emergency medical care to children within the Commonwealth.

The Pennsylvania Pediatric Voluntary Recognition Program has recognized over 150 EMS agencies across the state, including Delaware Township Volunteer Ambulance Corps, located in Dingmans Ferry, PA.  The program consists of five levels that include pediatric equipment standards, ChildLine background checks, pediatric-related continuing education courses, community outreach programs, and car seat check programs. Delaware Township Volunteer Ambulance Corps is recognized at the Master Level, which means that the EMS agency has additional pediatric-specific medical equipment on their ambulances, requires EMS providers to complete ChildLine child abuse background clearances, required EMS providers complete four hours of pediatric-specific continuing education per year, and is actively involved in multiple community outreach programs. Delaware Township Volunteer Ambulance Corps became accredited under the Emergency Medical Services for Children Program in May, but it took over eighteen months of preparation to qualify for Master-level accreditation. Delaware Valley Emergency Services, Inc. assisted with training and Federal Bureau of Investigation criminal background checks for EMS providers. By participating in this program, Delaware Township Volunteer Ambulance Corps is demonstrating that they are truly prepared for pediatric patients and are ready to respond to any and all emergency situations involving Pennsylvania’s youngest citizens.

Delaware Township Volunteer Ambulance Corps is the only ambulance service in Pike County, and only one of ten in the EMS of Northeastern Pennsylvania EMS Region, to be recognized under this program. The EMS of Northeastern Pennsylvania EMS Region is the designated regional EMS council that serves Bradford, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Pike, Susquehanna, Wayne, and Wyoming Counties.

Delaware Township Volunteer Ambulance Corps is the primary ambulance provider for Delaware Township. Additionally, the ambulance service provides mutual aid coverage to municipalities surrounding Delaware Township. They provide both basic and advanced life support ambulance services. For more information or for volunteer opportunities with Delaware Township Volunteer Ambulance Corp contact (570) 828-2345 or email info@dtvac.org.