Project Grant H79TI086764

PARAMEDIC TRAINING IN TOOELE, UT - OUR RAPIDLY GROWING AREA DEMANDS A CAPABLE AND EFFECTIVE FIRE AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES PROVIDER. OUR DISTRICT IS WORKING TO KEEP PACE WITH A QUICKLY DEVELOPING RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL BASE. OUR PLAN IS TO ESTABLISH A PARAMEDIC-LEVEL TRANSPORT AGENCY (FIRE-BASED EMS) WITHIN THE NEXT 3-5 YEARS. OUR PROGRAM STARTS WITH PARAMEDIC TRAINING. WITHIN THE PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE, WE CAN ONLY TRAIN 3 PARAMEDICS; HOWEVER, THESE THREE - DISTRIBUTED APPROPRIATELY WILL BE ABLE TO SERVE A COMMUNITY OF 16,800 PEOPLE WITHIN 1,300 CALLS PER YEAR. THIS TRAINING IS INTENDED TO BE A BEGINNING PUSH FOR A LARGER COMMITTED PROGRAM AS A DEDICATED FIXTURE IN THE COMMUNITY. ALL MEDICAL SERVICES WITHIN THE TOOELE VALLEY ARE LIMITED. OUR LOCAL EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT AND HOSPITAL ARE ONLY CAPABLE OF A TRAUMA 4 RESPONSE. HELICOPTER FLIGHTS ARE A COMMON TRANSPORT ALTERNATIVE DUE TO THE MINIMUM OF A 45-MINUTE GROUND TRANSPORT TIME. OUR AMBULANCE SERVICE PROVIDES AN AEMT-LEVEL CREW WITH A PARAMEDIC CHASE VEHICLE. THEY TRY TO PLACE PARAMEDICS ON THE AMBULANCES, BUT THAT'S NOT ALWAYS THE CASE. TO SUPPORT THE NEED FOR THIS GRANT-FUNDED PROGRAM, THERE IS NO PARAMEDIC-LEVEL TRAINING PROGRAM IN TOOELE COUNTY. EMERGENCY MEDICAL TRAINING JUST CAME TO THE LOCAL TECHNICAL COLLEGE. EMERGENCY MEDICAL TRAINING HAS JUST NEVER BEEN A PRIORITY UNTIL THE COUNTY BEGAN TO GROW EXPONENTIALLY. OUR PROGRAM OF TRAINING A FEW PARAMEDICS IS SIMPLY A STOP-GAP MEASURE UNTIL THE LOCAL UNIVERSITY OR TECHNICAL COLLEGE PICKS UP THE CURRICULUM. TO SUPPORT A GROWING POPULATION, WE NEED A PARAMEDIC PROGRAM IN TOOELE COUNTY! WITHIN THE GUIDANCE FOR THIS GRANT, THIS IS THE ENTIRE REASON FOR FUNDING. AS PART OF OUR MISSION STATEMENT, NTFD PROVIDES EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES BY STATE AND NATIONALLY LICENSED FIRST RESPONDERS (COMPENSATED AND VOLUNTEER). OUR ROSTER INCLUDES 14 AEMTS, 8 EMT-BS AND 11 VOLUNTEERS WITH NO MEDICAL TRAINING. UPON RECEIPT OF GRANT FUNDING, WE WILL PROVIDE SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS (SUD), CO-OCCURRING DISORDERS (COD) AND MENTAL DISORDERS TRAINING. WE NEED TO PROVIDE THIS TYPE OF TRAINING FOR ALL OUR PERSONNEL SUCH THAT THEY RECOGNIZE POOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH FOR THEMSELVES AND FOR PATIENTS THEY ENCOUNTER WITHIN THEIR LINE OF WORK. ONLINE TRAINING WILL BE ACCESSED THROUGH SAMHSA'S TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER CENTER, THE RURAL OPIOID TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (ROTA) OR THE OPIOID RESPONSE NETWORK (ORN). TRAINING WILL ALSO INCLUDE THE USE OF NALOXONE IN EMERGENCY OPIOID OVERDOSE SITUATIONS. AFTER RECEIVING PROPER EDUCATION; EMS PERSONNEL WILL BETTER BE ABLE TO ENGAGE INDIVIDUALS WHO USE SUBSTANCES AND/OR WHO SUFFER MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS. THROUGH MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING, THEY WILL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE PATIENT REFERRALS TO BETTER TREATMENT. THE FOCUS FOR THIS GOAL PROVIDES TRAINING FOR AT LEAST 33 FIREFIGHTERS/EMS PERSONNEL IN A PROGRAM THAT IS RECOVERY-ORIENTED, TRAUMA INFORMED AND EQUITY-BASED. EMS PERSONNEL WILL WORK WITH PEER-SUPPORT SPECIALISTS IN TREATING THOSE WHO HAVE UNDERGONE OVERDOSE REVERSAL TO INCLUDE A WARM HANDOFF BETWEEN MEMBERS OF A HEALTH CARE TEAM AND FAMILY. EMS PERSONNEL WILL MAINTAIN ALL LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS IN ADDITION TO TRAINING ALL STAFF, OUR DESIRE WITHIN THE DISTRICT IS TO PROVIDE PARAMEDIC-LEVEL SERVICES. THIS GOAL ALSO REVEALS A LARGER VISION TO PROMOTE HIGHER EDUCATION WITHIN OUR FIRST RESPONDERS. PROVIDING TRAINING ALONE IS NOT ENOUGH, THESE 3 STUDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO OBTAIN LICENSURE THROUGH THE STATE OF UTAH, ACHIEVE NATIONAL REGISTRY CERTIFICATION AND GRADUATE WITH THEIR ASSOCIATES IN APPLIED SCIENCE. THIS GOAL MEETS THE GRANT GUIDANCE EXPECTATION TO PROVIDE FEDERAL OR STATE LICENSING AND CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS. THE CURRICULUM IS NOT DEVELOPED BY OUR DISTRICT, THEY WILL FOLLOW NATIONAL ACCREDITATION STANDARDS THAT INCLUDE NEARLY 1,500 HOURS OF CLINICAL EDUCATION LEADING THE STUDENTS TO AN ASSOCIATE OF APPLIED SCIENCE DEGREE AND POTENTIALLY A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN EMERGENCY HEALTHCARE SERVICES.