PULSE Magazine | April 2019 Issue

P U L S E April 2019 ANAUSTIN-TRAVIS COUNTY EMS PUBLICATION

National Telecommunicators Week 9-1-1 The Voice of CALM

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April 2019

Contents

Featured News

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100 CLUB OF CENTRAL TEXAS GUARDIAN ANGEL AWARDS The 36th Annual Awards Banquet honors first re- sponders across Central Texas for their outstanding service to our communities. This years event took place on Saturday April 6th, at The LINE in Austin. Our very own medics where recognized and honored to receive the 2019 Guardian Angel Award.

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NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATORS WEEK

National Telecommunicators Week is the second week in April annually and this year was during April 14-20, 2019. It is a week dedicated to celebrating YOU and all that you accomplish each and every day. It is a great time to honor and praise the amazing “service above self” work dedicated to the heroes behind the headsets.

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EXPLORER SPOTLIGHT

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This month’s Explorer in the Spotlight is Nolan Screen. Nolan is the Events Captain and Quarter- master and has been an Honor Guard member since December 2017 and a Post member since March 2016.

THE HISTORY OF 9-1-1: A TIMELINE

A timeline that provides a look back at the history of 9-1-1 and emergency communications. It tracks the key legislative events and technological advancements that have helped shape 9-1-1 into the system we know today.

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In Every Issue

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EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION

ATCEMS employees receive kudos, special thanks and congratulations for a job well done.

Division News

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COMMUNICATIONS CALL OF THE QUARTER

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On January 28th, 2019 Cadet Bridgett Delle answered a 911 call from caller reporting an infant in distress. The caller advised that the family was out for a walk and they noticed the two month old boy in the stroller was turning blue.

WHAT IS: IN A THUNDERCLOUD

When Benjamin Franklin tied a key to a kite and flew it into a lightning storm, he briefly became an appliance plugged into the strongest power generator on Earth.

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GRAND OPENING OF THE NEW MEDIC 20

ATCEMS officially opened its newest station in early April. This is now the home of Medic 20 along with AFD Engine-49. Chief E. Rodriguez, EMS executive staff, community members, Mayor Ad- ler, Mayor Pro Tem Delia Garza, and Assistant City Manger Ray Arellano were in attendance to offi- cially open the doors.

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SAFETY DIVISION UPDATE

News and information from our Safety Division. This month an update on carbon monoxide (CO) detector tests fleet collisions, OJI’s and exposures.

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COMMINUCATION STAFF

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UNDERSTANDING and HONORIN

Angela Vorhies Captain 19 years in Communications 8 years in the Field 1. What drove you to purse a dispatch career? I loved being a paramedic but I was ready for a change 2. Tell me about a day in the life of a 911 dispatcher. Hectic and mentally demanding. You go from talking to someone quietly crying because they are under stress to screaming so loud that you can’t make out their words. It is multitasking at its finest. You have to be able to talk, read, type and comprehend on multiple levels all at once and you must be able to global listen to what’s going on around you. And as a paramedic if you close your eyes tie your hands to a chair and take care of your patient based solely on what the caller is saying… all day, every day. 3. What would you like the public to know about the work you do? That it’s not just pushing buttons. We are here because we choose to be. We are here because we care and we want to help. And it’s not like on T.V. I can’t just “see” where you are, there are too many variables with cell phones and with the ability to take your number with you residential phones, it isn’t always accurate.

4. How do you decompress after a difficult call? Breathing…literally there’s an app for that!

5. What misconception about being a dispatcher would you like to clarify? SHIFT CHANGE… we really try to make it happen! But we don’t always know when someone has a trade to get off the truck

6. Any other pertinent information you wish to discuss about being a dispatcher. This is a challenging, but very rewarding job and not everyone can do it.

Kristina Pena, Clinical Specialist, 15 years

1. What drove you to purse a dispatch career? My aunt was a police dispatcher and suggested I apply with her at UTPD. I worked with her for almost 5 years but had always been interested in healthcare. A friend of mine worked for Rural/ Metro ambulance and told me about an opening for a dispatcher. I’ve been hooked ever since. Being able to provide life saving instructions over a phone allows us each to help hundreds every day. 2. Tell me about a day in the life of a 911 dispatcher Long hours and 50+ patients. It can be anything from someone with a toothache to someone that’s been shot. You never know what you’re going to get when that line picks up. 3. What would you like the public to know about the work you do? Our job requires a lot of training and a lot of patience. We love what we do though! We wouldn’t be doing it if we didn’t. 4. How do you decompress after a difficult call? I usually talk about it with other coworkers. Sometimes take a break and go outside just to detach myself and reset. 5. What misconception about being a dispatcher would you like to clarify? Dispatchers are extreme multitaskers. We are usually doing at least three things at once. It’s not something everyone can do and do well. Even though we are physically sitting there, most days we leave exhausted. Mentally and emotionally exhausted. It’s a tough job and our department demands the best!

6. Any other pertinent information you wish to discuss about being a dispatcher. We are type A, multitaskers with a dark sense of humor as a coping mechanism

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our COMMUNICATION MEDICS

Haley Fleming, Clinical Specialist, 3.5 years 1. What drove you to purse a dispatch career?

I started with communications while still in paramedic school. It began as a way to get my feet wet, and I quickly realized how much I love the unique challenge that commu- nications presents.

2. Tell me about a day in the life of a 911 dispatcher Shift change can be pretty hectic! One person can log off at a time, because we need to make sure we have a certain number of people ready to take calls. As soon as you’re logged on, the calls start rolling in. Because we operate in a “ready state”, the next call will just come into our headset automatically. There’s no mentally preparing yourself to pick up a phone call. We stay at our consoles the entire 12-16 hour shift… I typically try to take 2 breaks per shift depending on call volume, I’ll go put food in the microwave, run to the bathroom, and take a walk before bringing my food back to my console to eat. 3. What would you like the public to know about the work you do? It can be incredibly demanding at times. We often hear the worst moments of peoples’ lives, and seldom get closure. Ones responders arrive on scene, I disconnect and take another call. I don’t usually get to know the outcome, and that can be emotionally and mentally draining. 4. How do you decompress after a difficult call? It depends on call volume. If someone is already out of the room, or the call volume is too high, I’m not able to take a break to decompress. If I am able to take a break, I typically go for a walk outside. 5. What misconceptions about being a dispatcher would you like to clarify? There’s a lot more to this than just answering the phone or clicking buttons. There is a lot of critical thinking that goes into both call taking and dispatching. Having to calm a frantic caller and convince them to answer your questions or follow your instructions, while simultaneously typing information for the field responders, communicating with your fellow call-takers and the dispatchers…it can be overwhelming, and takes a lot of training and skill to be able to do well.

6. Any other information you wish to include about being a dispatcher. We are human. These calls affect us more than we sometimes let on, and sometimes we need to hear the support of our field counterparts.

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UNDERSTANDING and HONORING

Nikki Alston, Captain, 06/19 will mark 11 years with ATCEMS and 16 years in public safety communications. 1. What drove you to purse a Communications Career? I don’t think anyone spends their time as a child dreaming of working in communications. There are much more…glamorous ways to serve the public and let’s face it…dispatch, 911, call taking, whatever title you want to give it- isn’t the position that gets on the news unless something VERY BAD happens. So, my career beginnings aren’t glamorous either. I was a single parent, 1 year post divorce, making 14K a year raising 3 kids in 1990-something. A friend; who was a firefighter with one of the districts mentioned that South Carolina Highway Patrol Telecommunications was waiving their employment pre-requisites because of a short- age and he thought I might be good at it. As it turned out…I was pretty good at it and it was addictive. The adrenalin rush of law enforcement radio traffic on a busy shift it better than coffee!! In 2008 another change in my life brought me back home to Texas. I applied for several positions with surrounding law enforcement agencies in their telecommunications departments. I also applied with ATCEMS for a “communications medic” position even though I didn’t have any real idea of what it was or ANY of the medical pre-qualifications they were looking for. As luck…or fate would have it, EMS had suspended their employment pre- requisites due to a staffing crisis in communications. Over the next 11 weeks I learned what lividity meant, what supine looked like, how to get 13 people through a hole in a wall 10 feet off the ground (COPE), and what a communications medic was. 11 years later…the choice to come to ATCEMS is still one of the best choices I have made professionally. 2. A day in the life of a Communication Medic in Austin. Hmm….I would assume it is the same as a day in the life of a field medic for Austin except for the weather. J Come to work early to allow for a (hopefully) on time shift change. Pass on the appropriate information for the oncoming shift. Which of the regulars are active, what hospitals are under special restrictions, what units have or have not had crew change, what housekeeping stuff needs to be completed and where the paperwork is located followed by coffee…hopefully. The calls, depending on shift, either start coming immediately or you have a few hours before the rush hits. Over the next 12ish hours you go from talking about what the kids did last weekend with co-workers to giving a husband CPR instructions within literally seconds…there is no drive to the scene…no time to prepare. Thankfully our field counterparts are quick to respond and takeover to let us off the line for the next call who…as luck would have it wants to express their frustration that we haven’t gotten to them already because their …well, you get the picture. Of course, there are those shifts where everything just kinda falls into place and you hear the baby cry, or the AED scream “shock advised” and the caller is laughing as they tell you the patient opened their eyes. Or maybe even better still, those shifts where , while walking to your car you realize that absolutely NOTHING memorable occurred…it was just…generic…which leaves you driving home with a smile on your face. 3. What would you like the public to know about the work you do? The role of the Emergency Communications Department has changed drastically over the years; both in law enforcement and EMS. Our predecessor’s primary function was to get trained personnel to the scene. Their secondary function was paperwork. Now, our primary function remains the same however, our secondary function is patient care. We are trained to provide potentially lifesaving instructions to the public prior to the medics arrival. For us to do that effectively we have to ask question. The information we request is important. This month’s Call of the Quarter is a perfect example of this. 4. How do you decompress after a difficult call? Recovery after a call really depends on the call. I guess my first thought is to confirm that I did everything I could have for my patient. Try to get perspective on the situation. Some- times that is all it takes. But, to be honest, the “decompress” after a call generally doesn’t happen on shift. I compartmentalize to get the job done and then “deal” with the baggage later. I learned a long time ago not to take the calls home…hence the reason I opt for a significant commute time. Loud music, windows down, (in the past a pack of smokes), find my happy place just in time to kiss the husband, greet the dogs, check in with the kids, and if

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ur COMMUNICATION MEDICS cont.

I am lucky cuddle up with the grandbaby. If, after all that I am not okay…it is time for the professionals. My 2 cents on misconceptions… Being called a “911 operator” is akin to being called an “ambulance driver”. We don’t simply con- nect the public to someone that can help them. For most of us…this isn’t the “backup plan”. We may have happened into the career, but we stay because we love it. Like our field counterparts….the calls that do damage, do REAL damage. Unfortunately true devasta- tion has a unique sound. Those of us that choose to wear a headset can create our own images, smells, and temperatures to accompany the screams. “Multitasking” and “global listening” are words that cannot be fully comprehended until you have worked a BUSY shift in an Austin communications center…or any other big city for that mat- ter. When my kids were young they would always ask me to tell them about a funny call when I got home. I made it a point to have one…even if I had to make it up. Don’t ask anyone in public safety about their worst call…even a dispatcher. They will just make something up.

I work with an extremely talented, educated, dedicated group of people who choose to serve the public in a unique way. It is often thankless and hard….but it is equally rewarding.

Noshin Ferdous. I’ve served Austin-Travis County EMS as a Communications Medic for two years (Class 0417).

1. What drove you to purse a Communications Career? I chose ATCEMS Communications because I was fascinated how linguistics and different computer gadgets are used to provide medical/life-saving instructions. My mom is from Bangla- desh- she grew up in a culture where women are given less opportunities and less respect than other people. I chose this career to break those stigmas, and be a unique, positive role model for the community. 2. Tell me about a day in the life of a Comm Medic: We have four squads in Communications, I work in C-Shift under Commander Thornhill. Our hours are 7:00pm to 7:00am. After shift I go to sleep, wake around noon, spend time with my mom and sisters, pack food, and head back to shift. 3. What would you like the public to know about the work you do? I love the City of Austin’s personality and uniqueness. I always give my best effort and knowledge on every call because I genuinely love the people who live here. It really is an honor and privilege to be trusted with the city’s public safety, physical, and mental health. 4. How do you decompress after a difficult call? To decompress, I step away from the Operations Floor after the call. I carry different facemasks in my backpack and spend about ten-minutes on self-care. We also have a gym at CTECC, so I’ll do small (but relaxing) stretches. 5. What misconception about being a Communications Medic would you like to clarify? All ATCEMS Communication Medics are credentialed to at least an EMT-B level. Some also achieved additional certifications for knowledge, such as in mental health. When a civilian calls 911, our questions are pinpointed to better understand the patient/situation – as well as provide as using our knowledge to provide immediate life-saving medical aid the over the phone. 6. Any other pertinent information you wish to discuss? Text-to-911 is available in Austin and Travis County! If there is a situation where you cannot speak/hear the call-taker, text 911 for help. Replying back is still very vital for us to best assist you. Also, deactivated phones can still be used to call 911. Many people carry them as backup emergency phones. Being aware of these resources can really change lives during an emergency.

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UNDERSTANDING and HONORING our COMMUNICATION MEDICS cont.

JC Ferguson, Commander 8 yrs.

1. What drove you to purse a dispatch career? Nothing! I was seeking a position in the organization but wasn’t certified as a paramedic which was required at the time to be a field medic. I applied to communications to begin working while pursuing further certification. I ended up loving the high speed cognitive challenge of 911 call taking and dispatching. 2. Tell me about a day in the life of a 911 dispatcher It’s like chess on crack. You have all these pieces to move around (get units to incidents) but every time you make a move, the conditions change. To do this well, it takes constant evaluation of a multitude of factors in order to make the most efficient and reasonable choices to ensure the right help gets to the right places in the quickest and safest manner possible.

3. What would you like the public to know about the work you do? I’d like the public to know that we’re here to help, and part of that help includes balancing their emergency against other emergencies in the system. But regardless of where their priority falls, they will get excellent care and instructions on what to do from our Medics.

4. How do you decompress after a difficult call? I decompress by taking a break and spending some time in the center gym.

5. What misconceptions about being a dispatcher would you like to clarify? A common misconception is that dispatchers just gather information and send resources. This is an over simplification of a process that requires rapid behavior modifica- tion, knowledge of triage, and the ability to simultaneously process information from multiple sources. And while we may be able to “find” you, that process can take time and is still lacking absolute accuracy. Always know where you are!

6. Any other information you wish to include about being a dispatcher. Public Safety dispatch is a unique world where psychology, multi-tasking, and life/death situations merge and are applied or realized in a matter of seconds to minutes. Few other jobs involve this range of skills/needs in such a short time frame.

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CALL OF THE QUARTER

Captain Stanford / Cadet Delle

“On January 28 th , 2019 Cadet Bridgett Delle answered a 911 call from caller reporting an infant in distress. The caller advised that the family was out for a walk and they noticed the 2 month old boy in the stroller was turning blue. The caller also advised that her wife was attempting CPR. Cadet Delle with the assistance of Captain Leslie Stanford provided pre-arrival instructions to the caller. Cadet Delle continued to coach the caller through compressions and ventilations. Responders advised that the child was blue and they were unable to find a pulse and did not see chest rise. The end of the recording captured the infant crying and the relief in the responder’s voices.

Cadet Delle and Captain Stanford did an amazing job providing instructions and providing reassurance on this call. Well Done!”

Please join us in recognizing these two communications medics for winning Call of the Quarter. Keep up the great work!

Captain Nikki Alston, QA/QI - Communications

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HISTORY OF 9-1-1: A TIMELINE

This timeline provides a look back at the history of 9-1-1 and emergency communications. It tracks the key legislative events and technological advancements that have helped shape 9-1-1 into the system we know today. 1957 The National Association of Fire Chiefs introduces the concept of a single emergency number to report fires. 1967 A report to President Lyndon Johnson recommends the establishment of a single national emergency number. 1968 AT&T designates 9-1-1 as the national emergency telephone number. On February 16, 1968, Alabama Senator Rankin Fite made the first 9-1-1 call in the United States in Haleyville, Alabama. The Alabama Telephone Company carried the call.

1972 Canada adopts 9-1-1 as the national emergency number. The FCC recommends that 9-1-1 be implemented nationwide.

1973 The White House’s Office of Telecommunications issues National Policy Bulletin Number 73-1, which recognizes the benefits of 9-1-1 and encouraging its nationwide adoption.

1976 19% of US population is covered by 9-1-1.

1979 25% of US population is covered by 9-1-1.

1983 The first commercially-available cell phone is produced, setting the stage for dramatic changes in how the public communicates with 9-1-1. 1996 The FCC adopts rules for Phase I wireless location. Phase I wireless location mandates require carriers to provide a 9-1-1 caller’s phone number plus the location of the cell tower transmitting the call to public safety. Phase II location requires that carriers provide the latitude/longitude (X/Y) of 9-1-1 callers to public safety. 5 An X/Y is still not an optimal location for public safety, as it does provide a physical—or civic— address for the first responders. President Clinton signs the Wireless Communications and Public Safety Act into law.  The Act outlines increased support for states to perform system upgrades and promotes further build out of wireless 9-1-1 service and “seamless, ubiquitous, and reliable networks”. 1999 The FCC adopts rules for Phase II wireless location. 

2001 97% of Us population is covered by 9-1-1.

2005 FCC adopts E911 mandates for voice-over-IP (VoIP) service providers.  The legislation requires VoIP service providers (VSPs) to deliver a 9-1-1 caller’s phone number and registered location to public safety.

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2009 First successful text-to-911 message is sent in Black Hawk County, Iowa.

2012 Washington state implements the first statewide ESInet. 

ESInets are interconnected IP-based 9-1-1 networks capable of enabling text, video and photo communications (in addition to voice), as well as providing backup support during periods of high call volume. 2015 FCC adopts rules to improve location accuracy using a “dispatchable address” or X/Y within 50 meters for wireless 9-1-1 calls.  The FCC’s Fourth Report & Order introduces the concept of a “dispatchable address”, which is the address that first responders will knock on in case of emergency.

2016 AT&T announces a nationwide ESInet.

2017 Kari’s Law passes both House and Senate. 

House and Senate have each passed their own version of the bill, which eliminates the need to dial a prefix i.e., “9” before calling 9-1-1 from multi-line telephone system. It also requires that a central contact at the facility be notified of a 9-1-1 call (if the system can be configured to do so without improvement to hardware or software).

2018 President Trump signs H.R. 582 (Kari’s Law)

All 50 U.S. states, Washington, D.C. and 5 territories opt into FirstNet.

 FirstNet is a dedicated nationwide broadband network that will help first responders and public safety agencies communicate and share information during emergencies, large events or when commercial 9-1-1 networks become congested.

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100 Club of Central Texas Guardian Angel Award Recipients

The 36th Annual Awards Banquet honors first responders across Central Texas for their out- standing service to our communities. This years event took place on Saturday April 6th, at The LINE in Austin. Our very own medics where recognized and honored to receive the 2019 Guard- ian Angels Award.

Captain Matthew Pearson, Clinical Specialist Heather Coy, Medic Anthony Ferrando, Medic Ryan James, Communications Medic Ken Bostick

This team of dedicated professionals received the honor of this award for their seamless teamwork and efficient medical skills in the delivery of a premature baby that was in cardiac arrest. CONGRATULATIONS

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Grand Opening Medic 20 ATCEMS officially opened its newest station in early April. This is now the home of Medic-20 along with AFD Engine-49. Chief E. Rodriguez, EMS executive staff, community members, Mayor Adler, Mayor Pro Tem Delia Garza, and Assistant City Manger Ray Arellano were in attendance to officially open the doors. We are excited about this new station for the South Austin community!

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THE FAMILY OF CARDIAC ARREST SURVIVOR CHRISTI HESSON & CE BAR FIRE DEPARTMENT INVITE YOU TO A CELEBRATION OF LIFE

EVENT HONORING THE LOCAL FIRST RESPONDERS WHO SAVED CHRISTI’S LIFE 15 YEARS AGO

SUNDAY, APRIL 28th FROM 1:00—3:30 PM

CE BAR FIRE DEPARTMENT

353 S. COMMONS FORD RD., AUSTIN, TX 78733

Please joins us for live music, lunch and refreshments!

This is a family and dog friendly event.

EVENT IS FREE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC

RSVP on the Facebook Event Page

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INVITATION FOR LOCAL FIRST RESPONDERS

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Safety Division

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SAFETY UPDATE

CARBON MONOXIDE (CO) DETECTOR TEST

In an effort to enhance our capabilities for your safety, the department will be testing personal CO detectors. This will be a month long beta test to gather data on usability of the detector. The detectors will be tested on M01, M03, M18, and DC06 from April 8th – May 6th. The detector will be secured to the Zoll Monitor through the loop of the shoulder strap and tethered. This provides protection for the detector while not blocking the air inlet for fresh air sampling. The CO detector is always on, testing for CO, and has a two year battery life. There is no reason to push any of the buttons and it should NEVER be turned off. This devise is maintenance free and requires nothing other than knowing it is there and action on your part if it alarms or gets heavily soiled. The CO detector range is 0-2000 ppm. The alarm limits for the detector are set at 50 ppm for Alarm 1 and 125 ppm for Alarm 2. The alarm is audible, visual (flashing red light), and the unit will vibrate. If the detector alarms, one of the crew members must stop what they are doing and look at the CO detector. That crew member must make note of the parts per million reading and inform everyone on scene of that reading.

Once it has been determined that an alarm level of CO is present, then the crew and everyone on scene must be promptly evacuated from the area. This includes all first responders, the patient, family, and if any bystanders. Evacuation to outside or known ventilating space is ideal.

The CO detector will continue to monitor, so as you are evacuating, five (5) minute checks of the CO level is required until level is below 35 ppm.

Goals of the Test:

1. Deploy CO detector on busy units and one commander during the test phase

2. Determine the durability of the device

3. Determine if location on Zoll monitor is best for:

a. Air sampling

b. User interface and compliance

c. Accountability

d. Durability

4. Determine if the commander CO detector should be carried on the person vs. Zoll monitor

5. Seek feedback from crews and commanders

6. Determine if it’s a good safety device for system wide deployment

More detailed instructions are available in the emailed Safety Update dated April 4th, 2019

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SAFETY SCOREBOARD

All percentages are for FY19 Quarter 1 and Quarter Q2

Fleet Collisions

58% of our total collisions have been preventable by the driver 21% of our preventable collisions are due to spatial awareness on the right side of the unit

14% of our preventable collisions are due to backing skill errors 10% of our preventable collisions are due to pivot point errors 34% of our preventable collisions happen between the hours of 1400-1800 38% of our preventable collisions occur on Friday

Majority of our collisions occur during slow speed maneuvers. Please take your time and pay extra attention when maneuvering in tight spaces. Don’t “push-it”; if you can’t safely perform a maneuver, look for a safer alternative. Remember, the mirrors are the widest part of the unit and our ambulances will “walk” or move towards the direction you are turning. This is basic vehicle dynamics with longer wheel base vehicles.

OJI’s and Exposures

25% of our reported OJI’s dealt with body movement. 28% of those involved getting in and out of the ambulance. 25% of our reported OJI’s were exposures.

***You can prevent your exposure***

16% of reported OJI’s involved a combative patient.

Please think about your body mechanics as you move throughout your day. Not just around lifting and moving gear and patients, but also during every day movements. Repetitive motions, for example getting in and out of our ambulances, can lead to injury if you are not thinking about basic mechanics. Prevent your exposure! Don appropriate PPE for your patient. Identify those high-risk patients (intoxication, OD, cough, fever, rash, etc…) for provider exposure and take the extra minute to protect yourself.

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COMMUNITY EDUCATION EVENTS |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||

ATCEMS Trains ABC Home & Commercial Services Employees Hands-Only CPR

On Tuesday, April 16th, Austin-Travis County EMS and the American Heart Association co-hosted training for ABC Home and Commercial Services employees in lifesaving Hands-Only CPR. ABC employees are always out in the community, helping in homes and businesses across Austin. They have committed to training a portion of their work force in Hands-Only CPR to be able to assist their customers, or bystand- ers, in case of emergency. “We at ABC Home & Commercial Services have seen firsthand the effects that heart disease and stroke can have on our families, friends, and co-workers. We are committed to working with the American Heart Association to help reduce the effects of these deadly diseases, which is why we support the Hands-Only CPR Training Initiative the AHA provides to our community. By training ABC employees, we have the opportunity to have hundreds of people out in the community that can provide lifesaving chest compressions in an emergency situation” said Bobby Jenkins, Owner, ABC Home & Commercial Services. The Event emphasized the importance of Hands-Only CPR Training as well as the American Heart Association’s Mission to combat Heart Disease & Stroke through the funding of life-saving research and providing free public programs, such as Hands- Only CPR, to our community. Approximately 100 employees took part in this training opportunity.

McCallum High School Trains Faculty to Save Lives

On Friday, April 19, 2019 McCallum High School teachers and staff used a portion of their in-service day to learn how to Stop the Bleed, ™ a community-focused training program that teaches the basics of severe bleeding control in an effort to preserve life and prevent death. Through lecture and hands-on practical exercises, participants learned how to use tourniquets, pack wounds, and take other critical steps in the moments following a traumatic event before first responders arrive.

Stop the Bleed instructors involved in this life saving training event were:

Austin-Travis County EMS Capital Area Trauma Regional Advisory Council (CATRAC)

Austin Fire Department Austin Police Department Williamson County EMS (WCEMS) Baylor Scott & White Health

This group of professionals conducted the training for 160 teachers and staff.

Educating the public on how to stop severe bleeding can mean the difference between life and death for an injured person, and empower non-medically trained bystanders to intervene and save a life in the event of a bleeding emergency.

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by Andy Rather-Murry ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Explorer Spotlight

Future career goal?

He is considering being a medical dispatcher, or a TV news anchor.

Interests?

Nolan enjoys cooking, running, traveling, and spending time with family.

Most memorable experience?

His most memorable was his very first call. They responded to a Cardiac Arrest, CPR was performed and they got pulses back. He remembers being able to watch their patient in the cath lab.

Accomplishments

Community Service Recognition

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Eagle Scout

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Take Away

Nolan Screen Events Captain and Quartermaster

Nolan has taken away medical skills, and what he considers most important are the leadership skills.

Honor Guard member since December 2017

Post member since March 2016

Interested in getting to know more about Nolan and the other members of Explorer Post 247?

Visit emspost247.org to learn more and register to join .

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Employee Recognition EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT Non-uniform staff

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Lynn Cohee is an IT Database Administrator Sr. with the Business Analysis and Research Team and has been with EMS for 21 years. He was born in Killeen, TX. His parents moved to Austin for work when he was around 2 years old and has been here since! What's your favorite part about working at ATCEMS? One of my favorite things is the proximity to the walking trail on Lady Bird lake. I also really love my coworkers in the BAR team office. Who inspires you? My kids inspire me the most. They inspire me to always improve, and they challenge me to see things in new ways.

I want to learn how to? Speak German. Guten Tag!

BBQ or Burgers? BBQ

From his Supervisor: " I really can’t say enough about Lynn and his work in regards to data architecture! He has set a department and city standard in regards to the importance of a data warehouse strategy and how it relates to business intelligence and reporting. More importantly, Lynn always seeks to improve what he has created. He is innovative, a strong partner, and has a great attitude. I look forward to watching him grow and watching how his work will change our data landscape!"

Rick Branning is a Compliance Officer who has been with EMS for 8 years. He was born in Del Rio, Texas at Laughlin Air Force Base. His father was then assigned to Bergstrom AFB, and that is how he got to Austin. What's your favorite part about working at ATCEMS? The day to day challenges of monitoring the system for compliance.

If you had guests visiting Austin for the weekend, where is the first place you would take them? Chuy's

If you played hooky for a day, where would we find you? At home working on a project.

Dogs or Cats? Dogs

From his supervisor: As the Compliance Officer, Rick has a tough task in ensuring the department remains in compliance with Federal, State and local laws and policies. Rick does great work in reviewing everything many areas in the department including PCRs, franchise applications and pay- roll audits in an effort to help the department identify areas for improvement and ensure compliance. Kudos to Rick & his team for successfully leading the department through the approval of the records retention schedule as we work towards completing the City Clerk’s 10-Step Records Management Program.

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KUDOS Chris Kelter and Austin Peele

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT Non-uniform staff Cont.

I just wanted to write and thank you for the outstanding service we received from Chris and Austin on the afternoon of April 6th. They responded to a call for E. Taylor, an elderly man who was having a bit of anxiety. Your team was able to calm Mr. Taylor down in preparation for transport to the hospital. Mary Lou (his daughter) and I were impressed with the professionalism and kindness shown by team.

Guillermo Mireles is an HR advisor with our HR division. He has been with EMS for almost two years. Guillermo is originally from Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico (the birthplace of the nacho!) and came to Austin to purse his bache- lors and Masters degree at Texas

Thank you very much for keeping us safe!

Mike Wuamett

Random Fun Pics

State University in San Marcos, Texas and seek a career in local government which brought him to the City of Austin. What's you're favorite part about working at ATCEMS? My HR team, I have a lot pride in the work that I do and the people I serve. And that pride is energized from working with my colleagues in HR which are the most hard working and dedicated HR coworkers I have had the pleasure of working with. I learn a lot from them and they motivate me to be better. What is the best vacation spot you have ever visited and why? Visting Bruges, such an amazing place and a real medieval beauty. From his Supervisor: "Guillermo began his employment with our department on August 20, 2017. Since the start of his employment with ATCEMS, Guillermo has strived to offer the best service he can and be a positive resource for all of EMS HR’s customers. He continually goes above and beyond to assist his HR peers where he can with all program areas of HR. There are many accomplishments Guillermo has achieved in his short time with us. He has been instrumental in assisting with the creation and implementation of the EMS Leadership Academy for Supervisors and Managers as well as collaboration with other colleagues to create and implement an internal NEO program. I am very proud to know that Guillermo has been selected for employee spotlight as I know he is very deserving of this recognition." Favorite taco joint in town? El Taquito Mountains or Beach? Beach

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Wear the badge Walk the line Carry the baggage

Honor and duty bound with integrity and courage... this is how we wear the badge. Alarms sound, duty calls, responding with sirens blaring another tragedy, a life in peril, death and dying, accidents and violence meet once again. What waits at the end of the line weighs upon the soul. At the end of shift you shed the uniform remove the badge and empty the carried baggage but residual memories and emotions cling to you like a coat wrapping around you, whispering in your ear things that can never be forgotten. A game of cloak and dagger waiting in the mist to strike when the armor slips. Tainted souls of destroyed lives, bad decisions and broken hearts are the persistent ghosts that haunt the halls within ones mind and lives in the corridors of your soul.

A new beginning, a new day Wear the badge Walk the line Carry the baggage

Honor and duty, Integrity and courage Wear the badge Walk the line Dress the bandage.

by, S.S chwall

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THE MIND REPLAYS WHAT THE HEART CAN NOT FORGET

Professional ~ Effective Empathetic ~ Respectful PEER SUPPORT

Confidential line 855-321-3332

“ Alone we can do so little, TOGETHER We can do so

much”. Helen Keller

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WHAT IS... IN A THUNDERCLOUD

A Single Thundercloud Carries 1 Billion Volts of Electricity

When Benjamin Franklin tied a key to a kite and flew it into a lightning storm, he briefly became an appliance plugged into the strongest power generator on Earth.

Franklin knew, as most people do, that thunderstorms are incredibly powerful. Researchers have tried to estimate precisely how powerful for more than a century, but have always come up short — even the most sophisticated airborne sensors are inadequate because thunderclouds are just too big and unpredictable to measure. Now, in a paper published Mar. 15 in the journal Physical Review Letters, researchers in Ooty, India, have come up with a shocking new answer — thanks to a little help from some cosmic rays. [Electric Earth: Stunning Images of Lightning] Using an array of sensors designed to measure electric fields and the intensity of muons — heavy particles that constantly rain down from Earth's upper atmosphere, decaying as they pass through matter — the team measured the voltage of a large thundercloud that rolled over Ooty for 18 minutes on Dec. 1, 2014. The researchers found that, on average, the cloud was charged with about 1.3 gigavolts of electricity, which is 1.3 times 10^9 volts — roughly 10 million times more voltage than is supplied by a typical power outlet in North America. "This explains why thunderclouds are so destructive," study co-author Sunil Gupta, a cosmic ray researcher at India's Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, told Live Science. "If you dissipate this massive amount of energy through anything, it is going to cause severe devastation."

It's raining muons

Gupta and his colleagues primarily study muons — electron-like particles that are created when cosmic rays bash into various atoms in Earth's atmosphere. These particles have about half the spin of electrons but 200 times the weight, and are very good at penetrating matter. A muon raining down from the atmosphere can travel deep into the ocean or miles underground in just a fraction of a second, as long as it has enough energy.

Muons lose their energy when something gets in their way — say, a pyramid, for example. In early 2018, scientists discovered two previously unknown chambers inside the Great Pyramid of Giza by setting up muon detectors around the structure and measuring where the particles lost (and didn't lose) energy.

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Muons passing through the pyramid's stone walls lost more energy than muons passing through the large, empty chambers. The results allowed the researchers to create a new map of the pyramid's interior without setting foot inside of it. Gupta and his colleagues used a similar method to map the energy inside the Ooty thundercloud. Instead of contending with stone, however, muons falling through the cloud faced a turbulent electric field. "Thunderstorms have a positively charged layer on top and a negatively charged layer on bottom," Gupta said. "If a positively charged muon hits the cloud as it rains down from the upper atmosphere, it's going to be repelled and lose energy." [Infographic: How Lightning Works] Using an array of muon-detecting sensors and four electric field monitors spread over several miles, the researchers measured the average drop in energy between muons that passed through the thundercloud and those that didn't pass through it. From this energy loss, the team was able to calculate how much electric potential the particles had passed through in the thunder cloud.

It was massive.

"Scientists estimated that thunderclouds could have gigavolt potential in the 1920s," Gupta said, "But it was never proven — until now."

Mapping the thunder

Once the researchers knew the cloud's electric potential, they wanted to go a step further and measure precisely how much power the thundercloud carried as it roared over Ooty.

Using the data from their widely dispersed electric field monitors, the team filled in some important details about the cloud — that is was traveling at roughly 40 mph (60 km/h) at an altitude of 7 miles (11.4 kilometers) above sea level, had an estimated area of 146 square miles (380 square km, an area about six times the size of Manhattan), and reached its maximum electrical potential just six minutes after appearing. Armed with this knowledge, the researchers were finally able to calculate that the thunderstorm carried about 2 gigawatts of power, making this single cloud more powerful than the most powerful nuclear power plants in the world, Gupta said.

"The amount of energy stored here is enough to supply all the power needs of a city like New York City for 26 minutes," Gupta said. " If you could harness it."

With current technology, that's an unlikely prospect, Gupta noted: The amount of energy dissipated by such a storm is so high that it would probably melt any conductor.

Still, the violently powerful potential of thunderstorms could help settle a cosmic mystery that scientists like Gupta and his colleagues have asked for decades: Why do satellites sometimes detect high-energy gamma rays blasting out of Earth's atmosphere, when they should be raining down from space? According to Gupta, if thunderstorms can indeed create an electric potential greater than one gigavolt, they could also accelerate electrons quickly enough to break apart other atoms in the atmosphere, producing gamma-ray flashes.

This explanation requires more research to verify its accuracy, Gupta said. In the meantime, be sure to marvel at the next thundercloud you see, for it is an unfathomably mighty force of nature — and, please, think twice before flying a kite.

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