EMS News Briefs from Mike McEvoy

EMS Coordinator Mike McEvoy, Ph.D., NRP, RN, CCRN
NYSAFC EMS Committee

Violence Against EMS Providers
The recent murder of a FDNY*EMS lieutenant has increased awareness and accelerated work on evidence-based strategies supported by fire and EMS professional organizations. One resource recently assembled by Drexel University provides some useful recommendations for fire department policy making. Details are available here. Expect to see more on this important topic soon. For department leaders, keep in mind that you set the tone for zero tolerance. Policies must encourage reporting, take action against offenders, and protect your members.

In Flew Influenza
The last two flu seasons (2020-2021 and 2021-2022) were pretty much duds. The overwhelming number of people wearing masks reduced influenza spread to the lowest levels ever seen. Infectious disease folks take their clues from Australia, since their winter is our summer, resulting in a way earlier flu season. This year’s flu season kicked the Aussies’ butts, peaking two months earlier and sickening three times more people than ever before. The U.S. flu season usually kicks off in October and peaks between December and February. Cases have already started to rise, so much so that New York state opened its flu tracker earlier than usual. To protect yourself and your members, get a flu shot! Our workforce issues are bad enough without members being unable to respond because of a preventable illness.