Leesa Zalesky

EMT‐B Refresher Course

zalesky@hughes.net — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 21:54:00 GMT

An EMT‐Basic Refresher Course will be held in the district at Station 3 beginning Monday, January 4 and ending January 30. Classes will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will be held on Monday and Wednesday evenings (with one exception) and on Saturday morning, January 30. Please see your calendar for specific dates, times and locations. If you want to take the Refresher Course and haven’t already in‐ dicated so, please let Leesa Zalesky know. This class is being held through Southwest Community
College. Mark Bauer, Adam Rodgers, Robin Walsh, Steve Ebner, Doug Zalesky and Doug Ram‐ sey have signed up for the class so far.
The curriculum for the course will include a CPR refresher for anyone who needs it on January 30. If you’d like to participate in
the CPR refresher, or if you need more information, contact Leesa.
More ...

Ambulance Inspections, by “705”

zalesky@hughes.net — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 21:52:00 GMT

Steve and I met the county inspector in mid-December to complete the annual ambulance inspection process. First the good news: both ambulance rigs passed the 2010 inspection and the licenses for BLS with IV transport have been renewed. However, the inspection process was not flawless.

For those who don’t know, the inspector has a specific list of equipment that must be available on the rigs. All of the equipment is subject to scrutiny for availability and appro- priate working order. It is a complete inspection from front bumper to rear bumper. Cleanliness is also a factor.

It was discovered during the inspection that the French catheters (all sizes) on Medic 71 had been removed from the rig. Fortunately, an extra set was available in inventory and they have been replaced. French catheters are equip- ment that must be in place on the rigs at all times.

Without going into the specifics, I want to be absolutely clear about one thing: leaving trash behind in the stiff neck bag, or anywhere else on the rig for that matter, is completely unacceptable. If you work out of a rig or out of one of the bags from a rig you are responsible for ensuring that the bag or rig is completely restocked if necessary and that all trash is properly disposed of. You are also responsible for seeing to it that the rigs are put back into service in clean, working, fueled-up order, ready for the next call. This is just common respect and courtesy for your col- leagues and patients. Everyone on scene shares this re- sponsibility, not just the driver of the rig. We all want to go home as quickly as we can after a call and if we all share in the responsibilities going home occurs faster for everyone. If you leave a scene and go directly home, you need to ask yourself how fair that decision is and what tasks you left others with through that action. No single individual in this department is any busier than the next member. At the very minimum every person on scene should ask if their help is needed to put rigs back into service. Calls don’t end until apparatus is ready to roll again. If you have any questions about this or believe that you are an exception to this rule please see me.

Will and I are working on a plan to put in place internal monthly inspections of both rigs using as a basis the county/state inspection lists. This should help ensure that necessary equipment is available at all times and that the rigs are inspection-ready at any moment. More impor- tantly, it will help ensure proper patient care, which is our highest priority.

More ...

2010 LINE OFFICER ROSTER

zalesky@hughes.net — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 21:50:00 GMT

Chief: Steve Ebner 701
Assistant Chief: Doug Zalesky 702
Fire Captain: Mark Bauer 706
Fire Lieutenant: Garret Vogel 709
Wild Land Fire Captain: John Vogel 704
Wild Land Fire Lieutenant: Cassie Ramsey 708
EMS Captain: Leesa Zalesky 705
EMS Lieutenant: Will Walsh 707
Public Information Officer: Leesa Zalesky 705

More ...

ATTENTION! Special Notice!

zalesky@hughes.net — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 21:49:00 GMT

ATTENTION! Special Notice!
The January EMS training will be held on Thursday, January 14, 1900 at Station 3.
Dr. DeMond will be conducting this session on performing EKGs in the field with the new cardiac monitors.
EMT-Basics are now permitted to run EKGs. Please be there!
More ...

Christmas for Kids Set for December19...Want to help?

zalesky@hughes.net — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 16:19:00 GMT

The Fort Lewis Mesa Fire Department will host “Christmas for Kids” on Saturday, December 19 at 2:00 p.m. at the Library on the San Juan Basin Research Center (Station 2). The event will include activities and treats for youngsters and a reading of “The Night Before Christmas.” Organizers suspect that Santa will be on hand, perhaps even arriving by fire engine. The event is open to all kids in the area, so if you know any please invite them to attend. Plenty of volunteers are needed for this event so if you’re will-ing, able and available please contact Assistant Chief Doug Zalesky for the details.
More ...

This n That

zalesky@hughes.net — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 16:17:00 GMT

Annual Banquet: If you’re interested in volunteering to help organize the annual banquet,
contact Chief Steve Ebner or Assistant Chief Doug Zalesky. Date, time and location
are forthcoming.
EMT-B Refresher Course: Tentatively set for the month of January, pending approval
by the college. To be held at Station 3. Leesa Zalesky will instruct the class; contact
her for details. A CPR refresher will be included. If you need a new CPR card but don’t need the EMT-B refresher
course, contact Leesa.
Cookbook Sales: The Christmas season makes this the ripe time to market our department cookbooks.
The Fundraising Committee is asking for help from each member. Please consider a commitment to sell a
minimum of five cookbooks to your friends, neighbors and family members. If you know about any events or
locations where cookbooks could be marketed, please contact Mary Ebner.
LaPlata West Water Authority Meeting: Will be held Saturday, December 5, Station 3 at 2:00 p.m. The
meeting is open to the public. Attendees will hear an update on the water authority’s progress to bring water
to the west side of the county.
Thanks to the Chefs: On two recent Saturday mornings, Mark Bauer, John Vogel, Steve Ebner and Doug Zalesky
have cooked breakfast on site for session participants. We thank them for their effort; the hot breakfasts
were terrific!
Thanks to the Auxiliary: During a recent structure fire incident members of the FLMFD Auxiliary provided hot
beverages for personnel. We give a tip of our helmets to Auxiliary members for taking care of us on such a
cooooooold night.
More ...

It’s All About Teamwork; There’s No “I” in Team by EMS Captain Leesa Zalesky “705”

zalesky@hughes.net — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 16:12:00 GMT

I may be plagiarizing the infamous University of Nebraska football coach Tom Osborne, but so be it. I mean it when I say, related to our department, that there’s no “I” in team. You’ve proven it. On any given day or night, on any given incident, I am constantly reminded about how willing FLMFD members are to ensure that a scene runs safely and smoothly. What makes a department like ours function at its best are personnel who don’t question the task assigned, but take on that task with the intention of delivering the best job they possibly can. Why do we do that? Because we know the cardinal rule of what we do is “everybody goes home”; and because we know that accomplishing that outcome requires a commit-ment from every member to do without question what’s asked at the time no matter how menial we might consider it.
I was reminded this month, when I was again asked to give statements to attorneys, of how difficult that can be. Two years ago, on what historically will be one of the most catastrophic MVAs this or any other department will ever manage, I was forced to assign a new member of this department and a newly trained EMT to assist with tasks that I deeply feared might cause that person to forever leave the service because of the severity of his patient’s condition and the treatment needed. This individual was literally baptized by fire into EMS. He did not quit and today he’s a credit to our ranks. Not long ago I watched that same EMT save a life in the field because of his decision-making capabilities. I was also on an incident the winter day this same individual saved the lives of his crew members when he was directing traffic on scene. Will Walsh is living, breathing testimony to the fact that no task assigned is beneath him or is something he considers “menial”.
No matter what we’re asked to do on scene it MATTERS and it matters in the most important ways. Your selfless egos and commitment to that sets this department apart in ways that are the envy of other agencies and that hasn’t gone unno-ticed. Today, FLMFD is setting the bar for our peers and you’re responsible for that.
This Christmas season I have much to be thankful for. Tops on my list are the people that I serve with each and every day in this department. I am a witness to the difference so many of you have made in the lives of others. Thank you for taking your jobs so seriously and for being someone we can all count on no matter what the circumstances. You’re the reason we all go home and why patients have the best chance of survival. It is my privilege and honor to serve with you.
More ...

Save the Date: 12 Lead Training on November 7

zalesky@hughes.net — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 17:57:00 GMT

Calling All EMTs!
The new LifePak 12 cardiac monitors
are in! Dr. DeMond has indicated
that EMT-Basics will be able
to utilize this equipment during patient
care, with the exception of
interpreting cardiac rhythms. Thus,
it’s imperative that we train all
EMTs on the application and use of these new monitors.
The November EMS training is scheduled for SATURDAY,
NOVEMBER 7 and will be dedicated to this
process. A complimentary hot breakfast will be
served beginning at 0830 at Station 3. Breakfast
chefs are Doug Zalesky and Mark Bauer. Training will
commence at 0930 and will end at 1100. Our instructor
for the session will be Jen Gaddis.
Please make every effort to be at this training, even
if you’re familiar with 12-Lead application. This is
new equipment for the department and we want
everyone familiarized with the units. For insurance
purposes, we need to document that all eligible personnel
have been trained. Those unable to attend
the training will need to arrange for remediation at a
later date and will not be able to use the monitors
until completed.
More ...

Evacuation in District

zalesky@hughes.net — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 03:01:00 GMT

Fort Lewis Mesa Fire Department

P.O. Box 11

Marvel, CO 81329

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, October 30, 2009

Contact: Steve Ebner, Fire Chief 970/259-8714 or Doug Zalesky, Assistant Chief 970/259-7118

Fort Lewis Mesa Fire Department Statement on October 30, 2009 Evacuation in District

October 30, 2009 ~ Fort Lewis Mesa Fire Department (FLMFD) representatives said today that at approximately 10:00 a.m. on October 30 the department received a report of a possible poisonous gas emission and fire west of State Highway 140 in the area of County Road 122.

A natural gas transmission line, owned and operated by an out-of-state energy company, traverses that area. It is not uncommon for natural gas transmission lines to also carry hydrogen sulfide gas (H2S). A combination of hydrogen sulfide and natural gas are commonly extracted during the drilling process, and the two are later separated during the refinement process.

Hydrogen sulfide is a colorless, highly toxic gas with a strong odor of rotten eggs.

"Upon my arrival in the vicinity a plume was visible to the naked eye," said FLMFD Chief Steve Ebner. "It is commonly understood that this particular transmission line carries high levels of hydrogen sulfide. After considering the potential risks, coupled with current weather information, the decision was made to evacuate residents in the affected area. We accomplished this through a reverse 911 effort as well as FLMFD personnel going door-to-door to contact residents in the area advising them to move to a safe location until the nature of the incident could be determined."

FLMFD and La Plata County officials moved quickly to establish an evacuation point at the Breen, CO Community Hall and residents were advised to move to that location.

"FLMFD personnel were able to access the remote area where the plume was originating from,"continued Ebner. "Because of the risks involved with hydrogen sulfide, personnel had to enter the scene in full personal protective equipment, including self-contained breathing apparatus. Access to this remote location was further complicated by the recent snowfall."

"After access was achieved, meters revealed that there was not a gas leak," said Ebner. "However, a slash pile in the near vicinity was being burned and that burn had not been called in to Durango Dispatch in advance of the burning. Subsequently, we lifted the evacuation order and allowed residents to return to their homes."

"These events underscore the need for residents to report any burning in advance to Durango Dispatch," added Ebner. "I want to stress that this incident did not involve any local energy extraction companies. FLMFD took all necessary precautions to protect residents in the area from what could have been a very serious incident and we appreciate their cooperation. I want to thank the agencies that provided mutual aid support for this event including the La Plata County Office of Emergency Management, Southern Ute Rangers, the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office, the Red Cross and Durango Fire and Rescue Authority. This incident was handled with professionalism and cooperation and the outcome was very positive."

More ...

H1N1 Info

zalesky@hughes.net — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 01:23:00 GMT

We've been notified by SJB Health that nine doses of H1N1 flu vaccine have been set aside for our department, which I'll pick up tomorrow (Tuesday). More will be coming as supplies arrive in our area. I believe this is in nasal mist form. If you're interested in getting vaccinated, please let me know asap so I can create a list and get vaccinations scheduled. First preference will be given to EMTs and First Responders (because they have direct patient contact).

My sister in Rapid City, South Dakota called this afternoon. She works in health care at Rapid City Regional Hospital. At a meeting there today it was announced that they have 12 H1N1 cases in hospital right now. There have been two deaths. The hospital there is now taking some pretty dramatic steps to control access to the facility as well as providing for infection control with staff. I think we can expect much the same to occur here in coming days or weeks.

Please remember that handwashing is the first line of defense with the flu. Anyone with a fever, cough or sniffles should stay away from the public. Anyone who is symptomatic should see their doctor right away for treatment. If you're treating anyone with flu symptoms, please use every form of BSI including gloves, mask and gown. And remember that you can mask the patient as well. Masks, gloves and gowns are all available on the medic units. Wash your hands thoroughly. Hand sterilant is also available on the units. As always, your safety and well-being is our first priority. If you have any questions or concerns at all, please give me a call.

More ...