Project Grant H79TI086737

NVT RURAL EMS 2023 - NATIVE VILLAGE OF TYONEK (NVT), A FEDERAL RECOGNIZED TRIBE IN ALASKA, WILL SERVE A POPULATION OF 373 COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND OTHER RESIDENTS IN THE AREA BY PROVIDING TIMELY RESPONSES TO EMERGENCY MEDICAL INCIDENTS IN THE AREA BY INCREASING THE CAPACITY OF RURAL EMERGENCY RESPONDERS. A RESPONDER TRAINED AND COMPETENT WILL PROVIDE ANY EMERGENCY AID NECESSARY TO SUSTAIN LIFE AND MINIMIZE IMPACT OF PHYSICAL AND BEHAVIORAL CONDITIONS. THE STRATEGY IS: 1) TO ASSURE ADEQUATE 24/7/365 COVERAGE BY INCREASING THE POOL OF EMS (EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE) RESPONDERS BY 3 LOCALLY TRAINED PERSONNEL; 2) TO ASSURE COMPETENT PERSONNEL RESPOND TO ALL EMS CALLS, SIX PERSONNEL LACKING FORMAL CERTIFICATION WILL BE TRAINED TO EMT (EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN) LEVEL 1; 3) TO ASSURE COMPETENT EMERGENCY MEDICAL RESPONSE TO OPIOID OVERDOSE, ALL EMS STAFF WILL BE TRAINED TO RECOGNIZE OVERDOSE AND ADMINISTER NARCAN (NALOXONE); 4) TO ASSURE EMERGENCY RESPONDERS IN THIS ISOLATED VILLAGE AREA TRAINED TO THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF PROFICIENCY POSSIBLE, EXISTING CERTIFIED EMS RESPONDERS WILL RECEIVE UPGRADED TRAINING RESULTING IN AN ADDITIONAL THREE EMS PERSONNEL CERTIFIED AS ETT (EMERGENCY TRAUMA TECHNICIANS), EMT-I OR EMT-II; 5) TO ASSURE THAT PEOPLE IN THE VILLAGE HAVING A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS ARE PROVIDED BEST PRACTICE EMERGENCY CARE, ALL EMTS WILL RECEIVED MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID TRAINING. BECAUSE TYONEK IS A SMALL, CLOSE KNIT TRIBAL COMMUNITY, RECRUITMENT METHODS FOCUS ON "WORD OF MOUTH" DISSEMINATION WITHIN THE VILLAGE. EACH TRIBAL LEADER AND OTHER STAFF WILL ALSO PARTICIPATE IN SPREADING THE WORD. TRAINING WILL BE CONDUCTED USING SEVERAL RESOURCES SUCH AS STATE TRAINING MATERIALS AND TRAINERS AS WELL AS APPROVED CURRICULUM. EACH TRAINED EMT IS ALSO COMMISSIONED TO KEEP ON TRAINING EACH OTHER AND OTHER TRIBAL MEMBERS AS THE NEED FOR MORE EMTS BECOMES EVIDENT. WITH THE HIGH RATE OF SUICIDE AS WELL AS IMPACTS OF THE MOST RECENT CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) PANDEMIC OVERWHELM THE NVT HEALTH SYSTEM, MORE PEOPLE MAY NEED TO GET TRAINING IN MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID. THIS PROJECT, AS DOES OTHER NVT PROJECTS, INCLUDE A STRONG PARTNERSHIP WITH SOUTHCENTRAL FOUNDATION (SCF), THE NIKISKI FIRE DEPARTMENT (NFD), AND THE COOK INLET TRIBAL COUNCIL (CITC).