PULSE Magazine | February 2020 Issue

P U L S E ANAUSTIN-TRAVIS COUNTY EMS PUBLICATION February 2020

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February 2020

Contents

Featured News

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COMMANDER PAUL ALVAREZ RECEIVES THE PATRIOT AWARD Commander P. Alvarez received the Patriot Award from Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve on behalf of the Office of the Secretary of Defense .

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ATCEMS AMBUS PARTICIPATES IN REGIONAL DISASTER PREPAREDNESS EXERCISE Austin Travis County Emergency Medical Services took part in a full-scale exercise was facilitated by the Capital Area Trauma Regional Advisory Council (CATRAC) this month.

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OPIOID PILOT PROGRAM SAVES 200 LIVES

The Opioid Response Pilot program saved 200 people from dying due to overdose over the past year. The pro- gram was launched by Texas Health and Human Services (HHS) with Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services, and includes both short-term and long-term measures to improve the survival of those dealing with substance abuse issues.

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RECRUITING’S MEET-A-MEDIC: ANDREW AZELTON & MEGAN ROSSI Recruiting’s Meet-A-Medic is a great way to get to know your coworkers.

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GRAY DEATH: IS CONTACT WITH THE DRUG LETHAL?

Austin Travis County EMS Associate Medical Director Dr. H. Abraham & PIO Captain C. Stedman sat down with KXAN News to talk about a potent new drug, that's making its way around the country. "Gray Death," has been inaccurately reported as being so lethal, just touch- ing it could be fatal.

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WELCOME TO THE TEAM

We are happy to announce the addition of Sue Schreffler, MD, as an Associate Medical Director in the Office of the Medical Director for the City of Austin- Travis County Emergency Medical Services System.

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Division News

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EDWD WELLNESS UPDATE

Appointments for annual medical and fitness assess- ments for the 2019-2020 fiscal year will be available at the Austin Public Safety Wellness Center (APSWC) through September 30, 2020. The APSWC is open Monday through Thursday, and will have appoint- ments available in the morning and afternoon.

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In Every Issue

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FLEET & FACILITIES

EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION

Division Chief Wes Hopkins and Facilities Coordinator Gadiel Arellano recently toured the new Del Valle / Moore’s Crossing EMS Station set to open in June 2020.

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

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WHAT IS: MYSTERIES OF THE MIND?

COMMUNICATIONS CALL OF THE QUARTER

Much of what we don't understand about being human is simply in our heads. The brain is a befuddling organ, as are the very questions of life and death, consciousness, sleep, and much more.

On December 12th, 2019 technical difficulties brought CAD and ProQa down at one of the EMS workstations during a cardiac arrest call.

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City of Austin

Emergency Medical Services Department

Emergency Services, Emergency Communications, Community Education, Community Health

ANNUAL AWARDS CEREMONY

Department Awards Department Awards are used by Austin-Travis County EMS to recognize those significant events that warrant recognition and honor by the Department and the public. They are also used to recog- nize exemplary performance by individuals and units related to either specific events or long term patterns of performance. These awards will be presented at the annual Austin-Travis County EMS Department’s awards event on an individual basis. The Austin – Travis County EMS Awards Ceremony is quickly approaching. ATCEMS will recognize the accom- plishments, achievements and outstanding performance of our employees in 2019. More information will be sent out soon on the date and location of the ceremony. Nominations - Please take a moment to consider any memorable accomplishments or situations that you think deserves consideration for formal recognition. To view the complete award program document, please click here – ATCEMS Awards Program. You can either email nominations to Milissa Warren or use the Employee Recognition Form on the departmental website at https://apps.austintexas.gov/ ems/EmpRecognition/Recognition_Form.cfm .

DEADLINE TO NOMINATE: March 16, 2020

Review Team - We strongly believe that recognition comes from all levels of the organization and that employee and peer feedback is a vital part of the process. As such, the second critical component of the nomination process is reviewing the nominations and providing recommendations to the Execu- tive Team regarding the level of award that should be considered for an individual or team. In order to provide a thorough review, we need sworn and non-sworn employees from all areas of the Depart- ment to participate. Participation in the nomination review process provides a great opportunity for you to see what we are accomplishing throughout the Department and allows you to help shape how we recognize our successes. Typically, the review team meets just once or twice to discuss the nomi- nations so it isn’t a huge time commitment but does have a big impact.

DEADLINE: If you would like to participate in the Awards Nomination Review Team, please email Milissa Warren by March 2 nd

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ACCESSIBLE PARKING ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM Austin Transportation Department, in partnership with the Austin Police Depart- ment, provides the opportunity for volunteers to assist in addressing illegally parked vehicles in designated accessible parking spaces. Through volunteering with the Accessible Parking Enforcement Program, volunteers will help ensure accessible parking is available for those who need to legally utilize accessible parking spaces. After completing the required 4 hour training course will be able to issue citations and warnings to motorists illegally parked in designated accessible parking spaces and will educate the community on the importance of keeping these spaces open for those who are legally entitled to use them.

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Application Process To apply to become a deputized Accessible Parking Enforcement Program volunteer, fill out the form linked below. Once an application has been reviewed, applicants will be contacted by an Accessible Parking Program staff member who will provide information about the mandatory training session. At the training session, information for each applicant will be collected for a mandatory background check. Once an applicant's background check has been performed, an Accessible Parking Program staff member will contact the applicant to inform them of their acceptance or denial into the program. Apply to become an Accessible Park- ing Enforcement Program volunteer If you need assistance with printing and mailing an application, please call (512) 974-1558. Training Calendar Volunteers must submit an applica- tion form three days prior to the training session in order to attend.

Date: Saturday, March 7th , 2020 Time: 8 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Place: City Hall ( 301 W. 2nd St. ) Report violations to 3-1-1

Want to help keep designated accessible parking spaces open for those who need them? You can report accessible parking violations by submitting a service request through the Austin 3-1-1 mobile app ! By reporting violations to 3-1-1, you can help our volunteers locate violators illegally parked in designated accessi- ble spaces. You can even snap a picture to include with your request. Download the app by going to Google Play or the App Store and searching Austin 311. Online Application: https://cityofaustin.formstack.com/forms/volunteer accessible parking enforcementprogram Website: http://www.austintexas.gov/department/volunteer-disabled-parking-enforcement-program

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ESGR, a Department of Defense program, was established in 1972 to promote cooperation and under- standing between Reserve Component Service members and their civilian employers and to assist in the resolution of conflicts arising from an employee's military commitment. ESGR is supported by a network of more than 3,680 volunteers in 54 committees located across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam-CNMI (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands), Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Volunteers, hailing from small business and industry, government, education, and prior military service bring a vast wealth of experience to assist in serving employers, Service members, and their families. Together with Headquarters ESGR staff and a small cadre of support staff for each State Committee, volunteers work to promote and enhance employer support for military service in the Guard and Reserve. ESGR has served our country for more than 45 years, fostering a culture in which all employers support and value the employment and military service of members of the National Guard and Reserve in the United States. These citizen warriors could not defend and protect us at home and abroad with- out the continued promise of meaningful civilian employment for themselves and their families. ESGR has continued to adapt to meet the needs of Reserve Component members, their families, and America’s employers by joining forces with a network of other national, state, and local government and professional trade organizations. Together, We All Serve!

SERVICE MEMBER PATRIOT AWARD

Our Nation has relied heavily on Guard and Reserve Service members since entering continuous opera- tions more than 14 years ago. Employer support enhances retention rates in the Armed Forces and, in the end, strengthens our national security. To recognize employers who support their Guard and Reserve employees, ESGR grants a series of Department of Defense awards. The first in ESGR's series of awards is the Patriot Award . An employee serving in the National Guard or Reserve, or the spouse of a Guard or Reserve member, may nominate individual supervisors and bosses for support provided directly to the nominating Service member and his or her family. The Patriot Award reflects the efforts made to support citizen warriors through a wide-range of measures including flexible schedules, time off prior to and after deployment, caring for families, and granting leaves of absence if needed.

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Patriot Award Recipient Commander Paul Alvarez

Commander P. Alvarez received the Patriot Award from Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve on behalf of the Office of the Secretary of Defense.

Commander Alvarez was nominated by Clinical Specialist R. Murry who points out that he has had to spend quite a lot of time away from ATCEMS for training in the reserves. Specialist Murry states that ATCEMS, as well as Commander Alvarez, have been nothing but supportive of his commitment to the reserves.

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EMS-1.COM, L. French

Opioid pilot program saved 200 lives in Texas county

The program includes both short-term and long-term measures to improve the survival of those dealing with substance abuse issues

TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas — A pilot program at a Texas county EMS saved 200 people from dying due to overdose over the past year, officials say. The Opioid Emergency Response program, launched by Texas Health and Human Services (HHS) with Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services, includes both short-term and long-term measures to improve the survival of those dealing with substance abuse issues, according to KVUE. Through the program, EMS providers have distributed opioid rescue kits containing gloves, fentanyl test strips and doses of naloxone, which EMS Commander Blake Hardy says have reduced the opioid overdose calls the agency has received since the program began last year. The opioid response team also connects overdose patients with resources, including medication-assisted treatment and peer support, recovery and preven- tion programs, as well as makes follow up visits to check in on patients’ progress. Hardy said if someone uses their kit, the agency will refill it for them, which he says occurs about 10 times per month

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GREY DEATH Can you overdose by touching it? NO!

Austin Travis County EMS Associate Medical Director Dr. H. Abraham & PIO Captain C. Stedman sat down w ith KXAN News to talk about a potent new drug, that's making its way around the country. "Gray Death," has been inaccurately reported as being so lethal, just touching it could be fatal.

The drug is a mixture of heroin, fentanyl, and carafentanil, an elephant tranquilizer, taking these drugs is like playing Russian Roulette.

Associate Medical Director Dr. Heidi Abraham says reports of the drug’s potency are over- blown.

“Gray death is not harmful if touched, and you cannot absorb the drug, overdose, or die simply by touching or being close to the drug,” said Abraham. “This is an unreasonable panic, usually inflamed by irresponsible sources.”

Officials say if you come across this drug, you should not pick it up or even touch it, or any other drug for that matter. Instead, you should report it to authorities.

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Office of the Medical Director

PL6 Training Opportunity

We have posted the next dates for PL6 training on ATCEMSinside.org. Slots are offered on a first come, first served basis.

This will comprise approximately 40 hours of intensive didactic, hands on, and simulation training. We will split these days up to give you time to absorb the material and perform any necessary additional reading between training days.

The goal of this training is to develop your critical care and clinical decision making skills in order to prepare you for performing the more advanced procedures within the PL6 scope of practice.

Current PL5 credential and Critical Care Paramedic, Flight Paramedic, CCEMT-P, CFRN, or CCRN certifi- cation are prerequisites for PL6 training. This is to ensure you have the strong critical care knowledge base required for this training and credential level and so you can get the most out of the training. The PL6 credentialing process is concentrated on application of this knowledge in addition to other proce- dures. Exceptions to policy may be granted on a case by case basis.

Topics to be covered include:

Airway decision making Team management in resuscitation Closed loop communication and error prevention Rapid sequence intubation Intensive blood pressure management and resuscitation Finger thoracostomy Blood transfusion management

Chest tube setup and maintenance Transvenous pacer maintenance Electrolyte management Burn resuscitation Fracture and dislocation reduction Field amputation Escharotomy

Training will take place at EDWD from 1100-2000 . You must attend all 5 days to complete the training. Each day is offered twice to accommodate different shift schedules.

Day 1: April 14, 16 Day 2: April 23, 24 Day 3: April 28, 30 Day 4: May 5, 7 Day 5: May 19, 21

As this training is voluntary and considered "off duty", you are not required to wear any uniform. Wear clothing appropriate for being actively managing simulated patients. You are not paid to attend this training. You will earn CEUs for attending.

I look forward to seeing you there!

Jason R. Pickett, MD, FACEP FAEMS Deputy Medical Director, Austin Travis County EMS

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EDWD

PINK GOES RED CPR TRAINING

John Villanueva Commander Piker, I just want to thank you and your team for supporting the "Pink Goes Red" event that supports heart health. This year in addition to the Zumba class, John Villanueva provided CPR training to the over 40 participants. He also shared valuable life-saving information to the group. On behalf of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., the Beta Psi Omega Chapter and the American Heart Association, we extend our sincere thanks to John for making our event a success. I hope we can count on you next year.

Judy M. Garner Board Member—American Heart Association

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WELLNESS UPDATE Mandatory Annual Medical Assessments for Sworn Employees

Appointments for annual medical and fitness assessments for the 2019-2020 fiscal year will be available at the Austin Public Safety Wellness Center (APSWC) through September 30, 2020. The APSWC is open Monday through Thursday, and will have appointments available in the morning and afternoon. Medical assessments should take approximately one hour to complete. The optional fitness assessment will add an additional 30 minutes. All sworn personnel who complete their assessments at the APSWC will be compensated for their time. Lab work that is completed as part of the APSWC assessment will also be compensated (up to 30 minutes) and will be added to the employee’s time once the EMS department re- ceives verification that it has been completed. Austin Public Safety Wellness Center Assessments and Blood Work Sworn EMS employees are required to complete an annual medical assessment, per EMS Department Policy 703 – EMS Health and Wellness Program. Sworn EMS employees may complete the medical as- sessment and an optional fitness assessment with the APSWC. Fitness assessments are only available as part of the total medical assessment at the Wellness Center and cannot be scheduled independently as a stand-alone assessment. As part of the medical assessment offered at the APSWC, standard blood work is ordered to assess a number of health indicators, including cholesterol, fasting blood glucose, etc. EMS employees will need to visit a local CPL lab to have this blood work drawn. Your orders for lab work will be submitted to CPL when you call the APSWC to make an appointment. Use of Personal Physician for Annual Medical Assessment Medical assessments may also be completed by the employee’s personal physician at his/her own cost. A verification form to be completed by the physician must be submitted to EMS HR as proof of medical assessment completion (the submission contacts are listed on the form). Sworn employees who utilize the personal physician option will be compensated 1.5 hours upon receipt of physician verification by the EMS HR department. Forms for personal physician use are located at atcemsinside.org in the ATCEMS employee portal, under the section titled “ Other Documents .” If using a personal physician, blood work is only required at the practitioner’s discretion. You may schedule your APSWC assessments by calling them directly at 512-974-0200 . Business hours are Monday – Thursday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Any cancellations or reschedules will need to be taken care of directly with them at the same number. In an attempt to ensure that employee appointments are available and distributed throughout the year, scheduling guidelines have been created according to shifts. Scheduling your appointment within your designated shift is highly encouraged in order to prevent a last minute rush on a limited number of ap- pointments at the end of the year. The following guidelines apply to sworn EMS staff scheduling annual medical appointments with the APSWC: February: A shift March: B shift Contact Information

April: C shift May: D shift June: A shift July: B shift August: C shift Sept: D shift Please direct any questions to Division Chief Ed Piker at ed.piker@austintexas.gov.

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Capital Area of Texas Regional Advisory Council (CATRAC) is mandated by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to serve our 11 county region, also known as Trauma Service Area O (TSA -O). Our objective is to reduce the incidence of trauma, acute illness, and injury through education, data collection/analysis, disaster preparedness, and performance improvement. CATRAC is comprised of representatives from hospitals, EMS agencies, fire departments, first responders, long-term care facilities, and other healthcare and emergency preparedness related agencies. Regions served: Bastrop, Blanco, Burnet, Caldwell, Fayette, Hays, Lee, Llano, San Saba, Travis, and Williamson Counties

Austin Travis County Emergency Medical Services took part in a full-scale exercise was facilitated by the Capital Area Trauma Regional Advisory Council (CATRAC) this month. ATCEMS AMBUS was on scene participating in multiple regional disaster preparedness exercises. This exercise included a command element in the EOC, to test medical surge, disaster plans, and coordination of regional response with multiple agencies.

This exercise included a full scale simulated scenario consisting of a large crowd mass casualty event taking place in Austin, Texas . The scenario challenged hospitals with an influx of patients that triggered the need for healthcare facilities to institute their internal disaster plans, the activation and coordination of the regional medical operations coordination group, and response to a medical surge of patients. During the exercise the Ambus transported 39 simulated trauma patients to three different regional hos- pitals including St. David's South Austin Medical Center , Ascension Seton Williamson, and Dell Seton Medical Center at The University of Texas.

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PEER SUPPORT

855-321-3332

Confidential line

Shoulder to Shoulder we will never walk alone

We have some new faces within the PEER support team. This group of EMS professionals recently had a training session to sharpen their skills. A special thank you to the new and current team members for stepping up and provid- ing your time, dedication and concern for your fellow medics.

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Fleet & Facilities

New Del Valle / Moore’s Crossing Station

Division Chief Wes Hopkins and Facilities Coordinator Gadiel Arellano recently toured the new Del Valle / Moore’s Crossing Station set to open in June 2020. The station will house a new 24 hr. ambulance and this will be EMS Station #36. Chief Hopkins is overseeing the construction for EMS

The site includes an additional five bay EMS storage facility that will house special events assets includ- ing offices, showers/bathroom, and a safe sleep area.

Chief Hopkins and Gadiel Arellano also took a virtual reality tour of the station. This allowed them to confirm dimensions, egress, exiting, etc. J.E. Dunn Construction and PGAL Architectural Designer are the construction company and architectural firm that are designing and building the proposed five new EMS/Fire stations.

In addition to the new stations the new Dodge 5500s set to hit the street in about a month. This is the first 5500 EMS has deployed. A new command truck (District Command 1’s new unit and the Dodge 5500 are pictured on the following pages) will hit the street in a few weeks.

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Storage facility

Virtual Tour Image

Virtual Tour Image Virtual Tour Image

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DC 1’s new command vehicle will hit the streets in a few weeks.

DC 1 command vehicle

The new Dodge 5500 will deploy in late March.

New Dodge 5500

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Texas congressional candidate becomes 1st in state history to pledge to join EMS Caucus Republican Elianor Vessali of Texas' 17th Congressional District paused her campaign activities to ride along with local EMS providers By Laura French TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas — Elianor Vessali, a Republican candidate for Texas’ 17th Congressional District (TX17) became the first Texas congressional candidate in state history to promise participation in the Congressional EMS Caucus upon election.

“I had the opportunity to do a ride-along with medics Daniel Owens and Andre Thompson, and I saw an oppor- tunity to serve my constituents upon learning about the EMS complications related to the 17th Congressional District,” said Vessali, according to the Association of Texas EMS Professionals.

Texas Republican Elianor Vessali, who is running for U.S. Congress, participated in a ride-along with Austin-Travis County EMS providers and vowed to join the Congressional EMS Caucus if she is elected. (Photo/Association of Texas EMS Professionals)

“This is why, if elected, I intend to join the Congressional EMS Caucus. I have been on the record that I consider myself a public servant, not a politician,” she said.

The Congressional EMS Caucus is a bipartisan caucus educat- ing decision-makers about federal EMS policy.

“The role of EMS is evolving beyond 911,” said Daniel Owens, Association of Texas EMS Profession- als (ATEMSP) executive director. “Legislators engaged with this process are invaluable assets to their districts, especially in rural communities.” In 2019, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released EMS Agenda 2050 , the federal vision for EMS. By 2050, paramedics are expected to perform expanded medical roles in their communities in addition to being emergency re- sponders.

“EMS is considered a key component to reducing future healthcare costs, increasing healthcare access, and pro- moting injury and illness prevention,” said Owens. “It’s a lot for policymakers to follow, but their decisions deter- mine the future.” TX17 represents urban and rural communities surrounding Bryan-College Station, Waco, and north Travis County. This representation creates one of the most complex EMS districts in the state. “TX17 communities deliver EMS through fire departments, hospitals, nonprofit agencies, private companies, and county or city governments,” said Owens. “If legislators don’t understand this diversity, it’s difficult to create poli- cy representing their constituents. This impacts everything from first responder mental health to rural EMS grant funding.”

Earlier this month, Vessali paused campaign activities to ride out with TX17 medics in Austin and gain a greater understanding of EMS. Vessali participated in 911 calls, learned about EMS delivery models and engaged with medics on a personal level.

“It was great having a congressional candidate running 911 calls with us,” said Owens. “Elianor took time out of her campaign to experience what we do. She showed no hesitation during calls and actively listened during some challenging conversations.”

The ride out created an impression on the greater EMS community. “It goes a long way to see a leader spend time with their first responders,” said ATEMSP President Brandon Means. “I think it says even more when they take action following that experience.”

If elected, Vessali would be the third Texan to join the Congressional EMS Caucus. “I’d like to thank ATEMSP for announcing my intention to join the Congressional EMS Caucus, but more importantly, for giving me the oppor- tunity to participate in a ride along,” said Vessali. “It was a learning experience I intend to take with me to Con- gress. Representatives should always be looking to educate themselves on the various needs of their district.”

Congress currently has 36 pieces of active EMS-related legislation. Surprise billing, first responder suicide, and rural EMS funding are examples of priority issues.

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Meet-A-Medic: Andrew Azelton, Clinical Specialist Special Operations

I’m Andrew Azelton. I wear a few different hats at ATCEMS. I’m currently a Clinical Specialist in our Special Operations section where I function as a Rescue Medic. I’m also a Field Educator, and train our new hires as well as paramedic students. I’m a founding member of our Association Competition Team, and travel all around the country competing in EMS competitions. I live just outside of Austin with my amaz- ing wife Kendra and a few old, broken down dogs we’ve rescued. I enjoy traveling and have been all over the world.

Where are you from originally and what brought you to Austin? I moved to Austin for a position with ATCEMS. I came from Oklahoma City where I was a medic for 7 years. I graduated Paramedic school in 2008 and moved to Austin shortly after that. What inspired you to become a medic/What attracted you to this career choice? After graduating high school I started to attend college but did not really feel I was interested in anything. Being a young adult I was looking for some kind of career path to go down. One day I went to the movies and watched Bringing out the Dead. If you’ve seen the movie you know it’s not the most feel-good movie about EMS. Despite this, I found the job interest- ing in that you drove around going to crazy situations trying to help peo- ple. Soon after, I signed up for EMT-Basic class and after my first clinical I was hooked. I quickly fell in love with the job, and never left. How long have you been with ATCEMS and what motivated you to work here? I’ve been with ATCEMS for 11 years. While I was in my Paramedic program I began searching for EMS departments that I thought would give me the best chance of having a career in EMS. I was attracted to ATCEMS because

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it is a third service department — I could focus on being a para- medic and have similar pay and benefits one might have working for a fire department. ATCEMS looked to give me the ability to be a single role paramedic in a city department with good pay and benefits, and a retirement at the end of my career was a plus. What is your favorite part about working here at ATCEMS? The people, hands down. I work with some of the coolest people around. Paramedics tend to have some of the best humor one can find. They constantly make me laugh and make my shifts very fun. I have made some great friends over the years, and many times I feel like I get paid to go hang out with my buddies for 24 hours. Who can beat that?! If you had guests visiting Austin for the weekend, where is the first place you would take them? I would start out at the Cathedral of Junk. One of Austin’s hidden and strange gems, I think it represents Austin’s true character. A close second would be a nice run around Lady Bird Lake, renting a paddle board, or hiking through the green belt. What is your favorite taco joint in town? Rudy’s breakfast tacos. Not a very hipster taco, but they are delicious, and Rudy’s takes excellent care of Austin’s first re- sponders. What do you do on your days off to relax and unwind? The wife and I like to travel a lot. I take time off and we go to lots of places. I’ve been doing triathlons and marathons for the last five years. I’ve found that working out helps with the stress of the job and keeps me healthy and strong for the mental and physical stress that comes with becoming an older paramedic. When I’m not doing any of that, I’m usually found at the park with our dogs, or at the movies or out on the town with the wife. Who inspires you? My teammates in Special Operations. They constantly push me to be better, and are some of the most talented medics I’ve ever worked with. Don’t tell them that, however; they already have big heads. What is the next place you would like to visit? Why? We are planning on going to Australia next summer. It’s been on our list of countries to visit for some time. I want to swim in Great Barrier Reef for my 40th birthday. Word of advice for an aspiring medic? Never forget that you and your family always come before a job. EMS is a 24 hour business and is always open and operating. If you’re not careful you can easily give more of yourself than there is, and that’s called burnout. Avoid overtime and build a life outside of this job. Remember that EMS is more about helping people and fixing problems than saving lives. You will indeed save some lives and get on the news, but you will help thousands more by just being there for them and being kind and competent in their own time of need. If you can find joy in the simplicity of being a helper of people and not just a life saver you will have a long and rewarding career in EMS. Also, read Thom Dick’s book “People Care” once a year — really!

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Meet-A-Medic: Megan Rossi, Medic—Field

I’m Megan Rossi and I work as a field medic for ATCEMS. I am brand new to Austin and have currently been enjoying getting to know everything this great city has to offer. I’ve been in EMS for a little over 3 years, after spending several years deciding what career was best for me. I love animals, especially my dachshund Chubbs and my tortoise Frankie. You can typically find me hang- ing with my friends listening to live music, and trying new food places in town.

Where are you from originally and what brought you to Austin? I’m originally from Albuquerque, NM. Lived there my whole life. About 5 years ago I visited Austin and I fell in love with the city. Then I found out about ATCEMS, and I knew it was the place I wanted to be working in EMS.

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What inspired you to become a medic/What attracted you to this career choice? The thrill of the job! We get to be a part of many different moments in people’s lives, and that’s a great feeling. There’s nothing better than being the person that shows up for someone else on their worst day. How long have you been with ATCEMS and what motivated you to work here? I’m still new to ATCEMS. I’ve been here almost a

year. The people, the professionalism of the department, and being a part of working for the great city of Austin is what motivated me. You can’t find that just anywhere. What is your favorite part about working here at ATCEMS? I’d say there are two things: 1) The people. I’ve made some of my greatest friends here. Moving to a city all alone, it’s awesome to be surrounded by some of the best people. 2) Working for a public service. You actually feel like you matter here. The community recognizes and thanks you for the services we provide. You don’t get that in private EMS. If you had guests visiting Austin for the weekend, where is the first place you would take them? That’s such a hard question because I’m still learning places myself. But I usually take them to my favorite grilled cheese food truck, Burro. It’s the best grilled cheese you’ll ever have! What is your favorite taco joint in town? My favorite breakfast tacos are at Casa Vallarta! And after breakfast I’d have to say Tacodeli is number one right now. What do you do on your days off to relax and unwind? Find anything new I can explore in the city with my friends. There’s so much to see and do. Who inspires you? My grandpa. He’s always been my role model in life. You can say he’s definitely my best friend. What is the next place you would like to visit? Why? There are so many, but my dream vacation would be Italy. Because well, it’s Italy! Word of advice for an aspiring medic? Don’t stop having fun. It’s the best, most rewarding career you will be a part of. And, of course, follow your dreams!

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JANUARY 2020 Medic of the Month

Clinical Specialist, W. Settlemyre

South Austin staff says: • My vote is for Walt, the “Man About Town”…for real, he has a business card that says that. • Knowledgeable and personable…It’s always a better day when we see Walt. • He is always in a good mood, always understanding when we haven’t been able to turn over a room in time for EMS arrival. He also gives thorough reports which makes it easier for us to know what to anticipate with a patient. • Walt advocates for his patients, and always has a smile on his face. We are glad he left Spec.Ops. to come back home to the “dirty south”.

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FEBRUARY 2020

Clinical Specialist, R. Chhabra

Captain Chhabra teaches Safe Baby Academy at SDMC every month and has impacted and educated many expectant and new parents in our community! Thank you for all your hard work Captain Chhabra!

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Community Relations/Injury Prevention

The ATCEMS Safety Lab is a regional resource that can deploy to rural areas outside of Travis County and conduct Car Seat Check events and hands-on education where people have limited or no access to these types of services.

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Out in the Community

Medics from Medic-32 (Clinical Specialist M. Tarrillion & Medic C. Emmick) visited Oak Hill United Method- ist for their Community Helper Day. About 60 students and faculty attended. and all had a great time.

Below: Ambassadors Cassie Lydon and Noshin Ferdous at the Manor High School Career Day.

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TRAVIS BAKER

Growing up in the Austin area, many of my family members have worked and retired from public service with the City of Austin. I obtained my paramedic certification in 2004, and worked as a volunteer paramedic with Texas A&M EMS. After graduating in 2008 from Texas A&M I worked as a paramedic/ firefighter for several local fire departments and EMS agencies, including ATC-EMS (EM2425)!

Travis Baker, MCHS, PA-C, EMT-P Paramedic Practitioner Office of the Medical Director

My goals as the first PL7 with ATCEMS is to forge a new and effective way of delivering care to our ever growing pre-hospital population. With the support and vision of Chief Rodriguez and Dr. Escott I will focus on those patients who can be dispositioned without ambulance transport, work alongside our CHP team and assist with critical care in the streets. We are hopeful this vision can be reinforced when we are selected for the ET3 project by the federal government. My long term goal is to have PL7’s available 24 hours a day in-person and via tele-health connection, as a resource for the EMS system. In 2013 I graduated from University of Washington-Seattle MEDEX PA program, followed in 2014 by a fellowship in emergency medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. After the fellowship, I worked full time in the Emergency department at Ben Taub General Hospital. While working as a PA I also stayed active with HCESD #48 and Montgomery County Hospital District EMS as well. For the past three years I have been working critical care and emergency medicine in the Austin area.

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R. Treffer O. Kipp

The crew self-assigned to a public safety assist when they encounter a stranded motorist. The driver was a young female that was pulled into a driveway in a secluded area off Parmer lane. The driver stated she ran out of gas and was not from the Austin area. The crew attempted to assist by calling for the TXDOT hero service only to find out that her vehicle was not in their service area. The crew took her gas can and purchased gas for the driver. The driver was then able to move from that location with the help provided by the crew. This crew demonstrated the level of service and dedication for the wellbeing of the public that our department was built upon. Despite an incredibly busy shift, this crew recognized the driver to be in distress and exposed to the elements in an unsafe area. They acted in such a manner that is both admirable and rises to the level of dedicated service that we should be proud of. I would expect nothing less from this crew.

Thank you for making ATCEMS a better place.

Millie Zapata, EMT-P Commander-Field Operations

Randy Treffer

Oliver Kipp

Thank you for stopping and assisting this citizen in her time of need. I am proud to call you colleagues and peers. Strong work!

Adam Johnson, Division Chief

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Employee Recognition

CONGRATULATIONS

EMS Commander- Field , Kurtis T. Brown will be retiring effective February 29, 2020 with 30 years and 1 month of credited service. Thank you and congratulations for your dedication and long term commitment to ATCEMS and the citizens of Austin and Travis County.

K. Davis

A. Balboa

G. Winslow

Clinical Specialists Ken Davis, Adam Balboa and Captain Geoffrey Winslow will be reassigned to the Community Health Paramedic team. Ken and Adam bring with them a wide variety of experience and education and a combined 15 years of experience with the department. Captain Winslow brings with him excel- lent medical and leadership skills and over 16 years of experience with ATCEMS. We are excited to have them join the team and contribute to the continued success of the Community Health Paramedics. All three medics are a strong additions to the CHP team.

Please join us in welcoming Ken, Adam and Geoffrey to the Community Health Paramedic team!

Ed Piker, Division Chief

Ken Davis

Adam Balboa

Geoff Winslow

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CALL OF THE QUARTER Communications Medic Kristina Pena

On December 12 th , 2019 technical difficulties brought CAD and ProQa down at one of the EMS workstations. Communications Medic Robin Krasher was in the middle of managing a patient in cardiac arrest when it happened. Communications Medic Kristina Pena was seated at the adjoining position and realized that Medic Krasher’s technology had failed and that she had resorted to triaging the call manually via card set. Medic Pena confirmed unit response, tracked down the problem, and restarted the software. She made sure that the information was correct and current in the CAD record and ProQa before turning the console back over to Medic Krasher so she could continue patient care. Although, Medic Krasher was able to provide continued care to her patient, it would have been much more difficult without Medic Pena’s assistance.

Medic Krasher said it best in her recognition submission:

“Without her, it wouldn’t have been as smooth as it was….in the world of communications, where there is a lot of individual work, Kristina showed the true meaning of team work. I appreciated her help immensely.”

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Our values and principles are Excellence in Service, by People Who Care. Your dedication and commitment serve as a vital link in the chain which drives our department. The years of service award symbolizes the time you’ve given to help us as we pursue those values and principles. It is also a token of appreciation for the part you’ve played in making ATCEMS what it is today. Your talents and efforts have helped us achieve excellence in many areas. YEARS OF SERVICE RECOGNIZING LOYALTY & LONGEVITY

C. Cadena 5 years

N. LaFuente 15 years

C. Johnson 5 years

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Thank you

for your service

M. Malone 5 years

D. Montana 5 years

B. McGarrh 5 years

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Sue Schreffler, MD

We are happy to announce the addition of Sue Schreffler, MD, as an Associate Medical Director in the Office of the Medical Director for the City of Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services System. Prior to attending medical school, Dr. Schreffler worked for 12 years as an EMT, EMT-I and paramedic for both ATCEMS and Williamson County EMS. She has proudly maintained her Nationally Registered Paramedic

since 1996. Dr. Schreffler is a Fellow of the American College of Em ergency Physicians, a member of the National

Association of EMS Physicians and a member of the American Medical Association.

Dr. Schreffler has co-authored book chapters and articles in toxicology and articles/presentations in event medicine. Her

primary interests are clinical education, quality improvement, toxicology, and event/disaster medicine. She has participat-

ed in multiple disaster relief missions both domestically and abroad. Dr. Schreffler has recently joined Texas Task Force 1

(TX-TF1) as a Medical Team Manager.

Prior to joining the team in Austin, Dr. Schreffler served as the EMS System Medical Director for Durham County EMS and

Director of Prehospital Medicine for the Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina. She completed resi-

dency in Emergency Medicine and Fellowship in EMS and Disaster Medicine at Upstate Medical University (SUNY) in

Syracuse, NY. She is excited to join a team of such distinguished colleagues and looks forward to providing the most inno-

vative and technologically advanced medical care to the Austin/Travis County Community.

Welcome (back) to Austin, Dr. Schreffler!

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Live Science, J. Bryner, Human Neuroscience

WHAT IS...

MYSTERIES OF THE MIND?

Mortal Mystery Living forever is just for Hollywood. But why do humans age? You are born with a robust toolbox full of mechanisms to fight disease and injury, which you might think should arm you against stiff joints and other ailments. But as we age, the body's repair mechanisms get out of shape. In effect, your resilience to physical injury and stress declines. Theories for why people age can be divided into two categories: 1) Like other human characteristics, aging could just be a part of human genetics and is somehow beneficial. 2) In the less optimistic view, aging has no purpose and results from cellular damage that occurs over a person's lifetime. A handful of researchers, however, think science will ultimately delay aging at least long enough to double life spans. Nature vs. Nurture In the long-running battle of whether our thoughts and personalities are controlled by genes or environment, scientists are building a convincing body of evidence that it could be either or both! The ability to study individual genes points to many human traits that we have little control over, yet in many realms, peer pressure or upbringing has been shown heavily influence who we are and what we do. Brain Teaser Laughter is one of the least understood of human behaviors. Scientists have found that during a good laugh three parts of the brain light up: A thinking part that helps you get the joke, a movement area that tells your muscles to move, and an emotional region that elicits the "giddy" feeling. But it remains unknown why one person laughs at your brother's foolish jokes while another chuckles while watching a horror movie.

Mysteries of the Mind

Much of what we don't understand about being human is simply in our heads. The brain is a befuddling organ, as are the very questions of life and death, consciousness, sleep, and much more. Here's a heads-up on what's known and what's not understood about your noggin Consciousness When you wake up in the morning, you might perceive that the Sun is just rising, hear a few birds chirping, and maybe even feel a flash of happiness as the fresh morning air hits your face. In other words, you are conscious. This complex topic has plagued the scientific community since antiquity. Only recently have neuroscientists considered consciousness a realistic research topic. The greatest brainteaser in this field has been to explain how processes in the brain give rise to subjective experiences. So far, scientists have managed to develop a great list of questions Deep Freeze Living forever may not be a reality. But a pioneer- ing field called cryonics give some people two lives. Cryonics centers like Alcor Life Extension Founda- tion, in Arizona, store posthumous bodies in vats filled with liquid nitrogen at bone-chilling tempera- tures of minus 320 degrees Fahrenheit (negative 195 degrees Celsius). The idea is that a person who dies from a presently incurable disease could be thawed and revived in the future when a cure has been found. The body of the late baseball legend Ted Williams is stored in one of Alcor's freezers. Like the other human popsicles, Williams is positioned head down. That way, if there were ever a leak in the tank, the brain would stay submerged in the cold liquid. Not one of the cryopreserved bodies has been revived, because that technology doesn't exist. For one, if the body isn't thawed at exactly the right tempera- ture, the person's cells could turn to ice and blast into pieces.

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John Morreall, who is a pioneer of humor research at the College of William and Mary, has found that laughter is a playful response to incongruities stories that disobey conventional expectations. Others in the humor field point to laughter as a way of signaling to another person that this action is meant "in fun." One thing is clear: Laughter makes us feel better. Memory Lane Some experiences are hard to forget, like perhaps your first kiss. But how does a person hold onto these personal movies? Using brain-imaging tech- niques, scientists are unraveling the mechanism responsible for creating and storing memories. They are finding that the hippocampus, within the brain's gray matter, could act as a memory box. But this storage area isn't so discriminatory. It turns out that both true and false memories activate similar brain regions. To pull out the real memory, some researchers ask a subject to recall the memory in context, something that's much more difficult when the event didn't actually occur. Mission Control Residing in the hypothalamus of the brain, the suprachiasmatic nucleus, or biological clock, pro- grams the body to follow a 24-hour rhythm. The most evident effect of circadian rhythm is the sleep -wake cycle, but the biological clock also impacts digestion, body temperature, blood pressure, and hormone production. Researchers have found that light intensity can adjust the clock forward or backward by regulating the hormone melatonin. The latest debate is whether or not melatonin supplements could help prevent jet lag — the drowsy, achy feeling you get when "jetting" across time zones Phantom Feelings It's estimated that about 80 percent of amputees experience sensations, including warmth, itching, pressure and pain, coming from the missing limb. People who experience this phenomenon, known as "phantom limb," feel sensations as if the missing limb were part of their bodies. One explanation says that the nerves area where the limb severed create new connections to the spinal cord and continue to send signals to the brain as if the missing limb was still there. Another possibility is that the brain is "hard-wired" to operate as if the body were fully intact — meaning the brain holds a blueprint of the body with all parts attached. Slumber Sleuth Fruit flies do it. Tigers do it. And humans can't seem to get enough of it. No, not that. We're talk- ing about shut-eye, so crucial we spend more than a quarter of our lives at it. Yet the underlying rea- sons for sleep remain as puzzling as a rambling dream.

One thing scientists do know: Sleep is crucial for survival in mammals. Extended sleeplessness can lead to mood swings, hallucination, and in extreme cases, death. There are two states of sleep non- rapid eye movement (NREM), during which the brain exhibits low metabolic activity, and rapid eye movement (REM), during which the brain is very active. Some scientists think NREM sleep gives your body a break, and in turn conserves energy, similar to hibernation. REM sleep could help to organize memories. However, this idea isn't proven, and dreams during REM sleep don't always correlate with memories. Sweet Dreams If you were to ask 10 people what dreams are made of, you'd probably get 10 different answers. That's because scientists are still unraveling this mystery. One possibility: Dreaming exercises brain by stimulating the trafficking of synapses between brain cells. Another theory is that people dream about tasks and emotions that they didn't take care of during the day, and that the process can help solidify thoughts and memories. In general, scientists agree that dreaming happens during your deepest sleep, called Rapid Eye Movement.

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