Assembly Bill 310 relating to funding for first responder and emergency medical technician training and certification and making an appropriation. 
>> Click for Bill history.

Assembly Bill 311 relating to upgrading service levels for ambulances in rural areas.  >> Click for Bill history.

Assembly Bill 356 relating to licensure or certificate renewal for certain emergency medical services personnel and ambulance service providers.  >> Click for Bill history.

EMS Live in Wisconsin Podcast Archive

Our most popular podcast ever just reached 2,500 downloads!

>> Click for on-demand download and listen now!

On Monday, May 4, 2015, PAAW completed a special EMS Live in Wisconsin podcast with guests Dr. Eugene Nagel, Randolph Mantooth and Nancy McFarland. 

The 60-minute program was dedicated to discussing the start of Paramedic systems, those responsible for its rise in the 1960's and 70's, the determination and vision it took, and based on their experiences how they see the industry evolving into Community Paramedicine!

Eugene Nagel is a retired anesthesiologist. He was an innovative pioneer who served as medical director for the City of Miami Fire Department's rescue operation from 1964 to 1974. During those 10 years, Dr. Nagel developed the first paramedic program utilizing telemetry and voice medical control.  The biophone or “orange box” was a familiar piece of equipment on the TV show EMERENCY!  The TV show’s unit now resides on display at the Smithsonian Institute. 

Randolph Mantooth is an actor, producer and speaker. Widely known for his role as Paramedic John Gage in the TV series EMERGENCY! -- the show that transformed America's perception and approach to emergency medical care in the 1970s and introduced millions to the word "paramedic" for the first time. Mr. Mantooth is a popular speaker at Fire and EMS events, and an advocate for firefighter health and safety.  His website is www.RandolphMantooth.com.

Nancy McFarland is a retired LA County Fire Museum board director and Chair of the Pioneers of Paramedicine Committee. Ms. McFarland was instrumental in uniting the four doctors credited with starting the first (fire-based) paramedic programs in the United States in the late 1960s for taped interviews and a Lifetime Achievement Awards Gala in May of 2010.  The Pioneers of Paramedicine website and video is located at >> http://pioneersofparamedicine.com/

>> Click for on-demand download and listen now!

EMS Live in Wisconsin is broadcast live on the phone and via the internet the second and fourth Tuesday every month starting at 9:00 a.m. and typically running 30 minutes. 

Don't miss a beat of the action - listen to EMS Live in Wisconsin.

Standby for Tones Blog

It’s hot, and she’s not dressed for it. Sweatshirt and sweatpants, tee shirt and socks with laced up tennies. She’s currently sitting in the rear of a squad car, guzzling on a bottle of Sprite that is sweating only slightly less than she is.

Passersby found her, she was down on the ground and it was pretty clear she’d fallen. Someone helped her up, but then she fell again. So they called it in, the nice officer who responded scoped out the clothing situation and her speech, and activated EMS non-emergent. Now we’re here, and I lead my student across the street from our parking spot towards the black and white. My partner updates MedComm that we are on location, and brings up the rear. On this initial evaluation we’ve got the cardiac monitor. The bag is feet away should we need anything.

The lady was assisted out of her sweatshirt by the officer prior to our arrival. Pink and white camouflage, it’s more at home in a rural environment than here in the city but I guess you never know where people hail from originally. Little bits of home from all over converge in any metropolis, and you get what you get. The only constant is that the kaleidoscope keeps moving, the bits and pieces keep on tumbling.

>> Click to read more of the story...

"Standby for Tones" is a blog written by Crystal Wallin, a La Crosse paramedic.  Her stories, written from real life events, bring to light the human experience in having an EMS career and work life. 

>> Click to read Crystal's blog.

The program will start at 10:00 AM on Wednesday morning September 20 with initial individual and provider introductions.  Thursday and Friday will continue on with excellent presentations that will have everyone talking all year long.  The conference agenda and list of topics and presenters will be made available sometime in  August.

For more information or to register, click here or go to PSOW.org.

Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) provided guidance on certain drugs that can be used beyond the manufacturer's labeled expiration date. At this time, the drugs listed below can be used during the shortage or while available. Per the FDA, to ensure patient safety, these products should have been—and should continue to be—stored as per labeled conditions.  >> Click for FDA information on drug shortage.

The medications included in this expiration date waiver include the following drugs manufactured by Hospira Inc, a Pfizer company:

• Epinephrine Injection, USP 0.1 mg/mL; 10 mL ABBOJECT syringe (NDC 0409-4921-34)

• Dextrose 50% Injection, USP, 50 mL ABBOJECT Syringe (NDC 0409-4902-34)

• Atropine Sulfate Injection, USP 0.1 mg/mL; 10 mL ABBOJECT syringe (NDC 0409-4911-34)

• Atropine Sulfate Injection, USP 0.1 mg/mL; 5 mL ABBOJECT syringe (NDC 0409-4910-34

The Wisconsin EMS Office recommends practitioners work with their local medical director to determine the most appropriate response to these drug shortages. In addition, the Department of Health Services and Department of Transportation (DOT) discussed these shortages and the DOT ambulance inspector will not cite for these identified expired medications. However, all other expired medication dates will be subject to DOT enforcement action.  EMS services will not be required to submit drug shortage protocols but will need to follow FDA recommendations.

The memo issued on this will be in effect until December 31, 2017.  >> Click to read memo 17-04.

This EMS Live in Wisconsin podcast was recorded on Tuesday, June 27.   Program guests from the Milwaukee County Office of Emergency Management, included Director Christine Westrich, Dr. Colella and EMS Division Director Ken Sternig.

Wisconsin is not immune from the national opioid epidemic and spike in deaths related to overdoses.  According to the Wisconsin Opioid Task Force, opioid-related overdose deaths more than tripled in Wisconsin from 194 deaths in 2003 to 622 deaths in 2014.  >> Report:  Governor's Task Force on Opioid Abuse

EMS is on the front-line in responding to these calls in both urban and rural areas of the state.

>> Wisconsin Naloxone/Narcan Rebate Program

>> Click to listen now for on-demand playback.

Wisconsin EMS Advisory Board

The Governor's Office notified Chris Anderson, Operations Director at Bell Ambulance, Milwaukee, he is the newest appointment by Governor Scott Walker to the State's EMS Advisory Board.

In 2011, Chris joined the Professional Ambulance Association of Wisconsin as a Board of Directors member, where he also holds an executive officer position as Secretary for the state ambulance member association.

National Drug Shortage Information Session

Speakers: 
Stacey Barksdale Price, Senior Product Manager, Bound Tree Medical
James Augustine, MD, US Acute Care Solutions

When: Friday, June 30th at 11:00 pm (CDT)

Did you know within the last three weeks the number of products on the Bound Tree weekly backorder report has grown from 50 to 70? It appears the current national drug shortages impacting EMS agencies are very similar to the shortages experienced back in 2012.

Join our free webinar to learn more about the current drug shortages, the products involved, and coping strategies commonly seen in EMS from Stacey Barksdale Price and James Augustine, MD.

Reserve your seat now »

Pharmaceuticals

Due to the ongoing critical shortages of injectable drugs used in critical care, the FDA is alerting health care professionals and emergency responders of updated dates through which some of these injectable drugs, manufactured by Hospira Inc, a Pfizer company, may be used beyond the manufacturer’s labeled expiration date.   A few days ago, the FDA announced extending expiration dates on Pfizer Atropine, D50 and epi. >> Click for related article.

Bound Tree Medical will be hosting a conference call on Friday, June 30 regarding the epi shortage.  PAAW will pass along the call-in information once received.

FDA approves new, cheaper rival to EpiPen
U.S. regulators have approved new competition for EpiPen, the emergency allergy medicine that made Mylan a poster child for pharmaceutical company greed.  Last summer, the company came under fire for repeatedly raising the price of EpiPens and CEO Heather Bresch was grilled by a Congressional panel.

Mylan hiked the price of a pair of EpiPens from $94 in 2007, when the company acquired the product, to $608 last year. The devices need to be replaced each year, adding to the financial sting.  Analysts and others have estimated that it costs less than $20 to produce a pair of EpiPens.