Project Grant H79TI084707

AMBOY EMS TRAINING & EXPANSION IMPROVEMENT PROJECT - THE AMBOY, ILLINOIS RURAL EMS TRAINING PROJECT WILL TRAIN FIVE EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIANS (EMTS) AND TWO PARAMEDICS TO ILLINOIS AND NATIONAL CERTIFICATION LEVELS. THE CERTIFIED PERSONNEL WILL CLOSE THE AMBOY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT'S SERVICE GAP OF TOO FEW EMT PERSONNEL RESPONDING TO AMBULANCE ALARMS AND TOO FEW PARAMEDIC PERSONNEL RESPONDING TO MAINTAIN ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT LICENSING FOR ILLINOIS AMBULANCE RUNS. THE AMBOY FIRE PROTECT DISTRICT (AFPD) PROVIDES EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES (EMS) FOR 200 SQUARE MILES OF THE 729 SQUARE MILES THAT MAKE-UP LEE COUNTY, ILLINOIS. THE POPULATION SERVED IS 4,999 WITH AN INCREASE OF 30,000-40,000 DURING THE SUMMER WHEN URBAN VISITORS ENJOY THE OUTDOOR RECREATION AREAS, AVERAGING ABOUT 400 EMS ALARMS PER YEAR. LEE COUNTY'S POPULATION'S AVERAGE AGE IS OLDER THAN THE STATE OR NATIONAL AVERAGE POPULATION AGE. MORE THAN 50% OF RESPONDENTS TO THE 2019 COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT SAID THEY OR SOMEONE IN THEIR HOUSEHOLD HAD A MENTAL ILLNESS. THE TOP HEALTH NEEDS OF COUNTY RESIDENTS ARE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, OBESITY AND PHYSICAL INACTIVITY, ACCESS TO CARE AND TRANSPORTATION, FOOD INSECURITY, AND TOBACCO AND E-CIGARETTE USE, ALL OF WHICH CAN RESULT IN THE NEED FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES. IN THIS EMS TRAINING GRANT PROJECT, AFPD PLANS TO TRAIN FIVE PERSONNEL TO EMT CERTIFICATION LEVELS, TRAIN TWO PARAMEDICS, AND EQUIP THESE PERSONNEL MEMBERS WITH PRE-EMPLOYMENT PHYSICAL EXAMINATIONS, IMMUNIZATIONS, AND PERSONNEL AND PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT. AFPD WILL IMPLEMENT A PEDIATRIC TRAINING SIMULATION MANIKIN FOR PATIENT ASSESSMENT AND BLS SKILLS DEVELOPMENT. FURTHERMORE, AFPD WILL TRAIN ITS ENTIRE EMS DEPARTMENT OF TWENTY-NINE (29) PERSONNEL MEMBERS WITH SAMHSA VIRTUAL TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER CENTERS IN MENTAL AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS AND CARE FOR SUCH PEOPLE IN EMERGENCIES AND WITH THE USE OF NALOXONE OPIOID OVERDOSE ANTIDOTE ANT THE CARE OF OVERDOSE PATIENTS. AFPD WILL ADD MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING TO ITS TRAINING CURRICULUM AND ACQUIRE, TRAIN, AND IMPLEMENT THE USE OF FENTANYL TEST STRIPS. AFPD WILL PLACE ONE LAPTOP INTO SERVICE WITH ITS MASTER COMPUTER TO MANAGE ITS IN-HOUSE SOFTWARE AND DISTANCE-LEARNING CURRICULUM. AFPD HAS THE CAPACITY FOR ALL ITS PERSONNEL TO COMPLETE CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS IN IN-SERVICE GROUP TRAININGS AND SELF-STUDY TO MAINTAIN THEIR EMS CERTIFICATIONS AND HR REQUIREMENTS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO STANDARD MEDICAL ORDERS (SMOS), ANNUAL CLINICAL RECERTIFICATION; OSHA BLOODBORNE PATHOGENS, PATIENT LIFTING, HEARING LOSS, SEXUAL HARASSMENT, AND HIPPA REQUIREMENTS. AT THE END OF THIS GRANT PROJECT'S YEAR, AFPD WILL BE FULLY STAFFED, ALS LICENSED ON ALL ITS AMBULANCE ALARMS, AND SITUATED TO CONTINUE AN IN-HOUSE TRAINING CURRICULUM FOR ALL ITS PERSONNEL TO MEET THEIR CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS AND MAINTAIN THEIR EMS CERTIFICATIONS. A FULLY STAFFED EMS AGENCY WILL BE AT THE CAPACITY TO PROVIDE HIGH-QUALITY ALS EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY IT SERVES.