ACEP Kicks Off 37th Annual National EMS Week, May 16-22: 'Anytime. Anywhere. We'll be There.'

WASHINGTON, May 7 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) will kick off the 37th annual Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week starting May 16th with events in communities across the nation, as well as several national events organized around the theme, "Anytime. Anywhere. We'll be there."  

EMS providers include paramedics, emergency medical technicians, first responders, fire fighters and police, some paid, some volunteer. National EMS Week will feature hundreds of grassroots activities coast-to-coast, including safety demonstrations, fire truck and ambulance tours, blood pressure screenings and educational programs.  

The 18th Annual National EMS Memorial Service will take place on June 26, 2010 at its new home in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This will also be the setting for the National EMS Memorial Tree of Life, previously located in Roanoke, Virginia. The name, agency and date of loss of each National EMS Memorial Service honoree is engraved on a bronze oak leaf, which is then added to the Tree of Life

In addition, Child Safety and Injury Prevention Day will be celebrated on May 19th. This annual observance draws attention to the specialized need for pediatric emergency care to ensure that every child in the nation receives the highest quality emergency care possible.

"People know when they call 911 they'll get help, no matter what their circumstance," said Angela Gardner, MD, FACEP, president of the American College of Emergency Physicians.  "One of the great rewards for every rescuer is to be part of the effort that saves a life. The less dramatic actions of EMS responders are just as important to a patient or family who are facing the unknown with fear and pain. Their presence and caring can have an impact far beyond the expert clinical care they provide."

Always call EMS if someone needs immediate medical treatment. To make this decision, ask yourself the following questions:

• Is the person's condition life-threatening?
• Could the person's condition worsen and become life-threatening on the way to the hospital?
• Does the person require the skills or equipment of paramedics or emergency medical technicians?
• Could the distance or traffic conditions cause a delay in getting the person to the hospital?  If your answer to any of these questions is "yes," or if you are unsure, it's best to call EMS. Paramedics and EMTs can begin medical treatment at the scene and on the way to the hospital and alert the emergency department of the person's condition en route.

When you call for help, speak calmly and clearly. Give your name, address and phone number; give the location of the patient and describe the problem. Don't hang up until the dispatcher tells you to, because he or she may need more information or give you instructions.

Be ready to help while you wait for emergency services to arrive. Action can mean anything from applying direct pressure on a wound, performing CPR, or splinting an injury. It may also mean keeping the person calm and telling emergency responders what you know of the person's accident, illness or medical history. Never perform a medical procedure if you're unsure about how to do it.

• Do not move anyone involved in a car accident, injured by a serious fall, or found unconscious unless he or she is in immediate danger of further injury.
• Do not give the person anything to eat or drink.
• If the person is bleeding, apply a clean cloth or sterile bandage. If possible, elevate the injury and apply direct pressure on the wound.
• If the person is not breathing or does not have a pulse, begin rescue breathing or CPR. If you do not know how to, or have concerns about performing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, the American Heart Association has endorsed "hands-only" CPR. This means "pushing hard and fast in the middle of the victim's chest with minimal interruptions," at a rate of 100 compressions per minute. The pop song "Stayin' Alive" by the Bee Gees is approximately 100 beats per minute, which is a helpful way to remember how fast to perform compressions. Continue chest compressions until the ambulance arrives. For more information, visit http://handsonlycpr.org/.

EMS Week 2010 sponsors include Genentech, MedicAlert, EmCare, American Medical Response, Vidacare, Physio Control, Graham Professionals, Kaplan University/Kaplan Continuing Education, Jones and Bartlett Publishers, OnStar, Philips and NHTSA.  

MedicAlert Foundation pioneered the first medical identification and emergency medical information service in 1956 to provide people with a simple but effective method for communicating their medical conditions. Since the organization's founding, MedicAlert Foundation has provided services and products that help to protect and save lives for its 4 million members worldwide. For more than 50 years, the nonprofit foundation has relayed vital medical information on behalf of its members to emergency responders so they receive faster and safer treatment. MedicAlert IDs alert emergency personnel to a member's primary health conditions. In addition to its 24-hour emergency response service, MedicAlert Foundation also provides family and caregiver notification so that members can be reunited with their loved ones. For more information, visit www.medicalert.org.

ACEP is a national medical specialty society representing emergency medicine. ACEP is committed to advancing emergency care through continuing education, research and public education. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, ACEP has 53 chapters representing each state, as well as Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. A Government Services Chapter represents emergency physicians employed by military branches and other government agencies.  

SOURCE American College of Emergency Physicians