Help Keep Advanced Life Support on Beaver Island

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BeaverIslandAssociation
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Joined: Fri Jul 15, 2011 7:57 am
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Help Keep Advanced Life Support on Beaver Island

Post by BeaverIslandAssociation »

There has been a lot of discussion over the past few months about losing Advanced Life Support Service as part of Beaver Island EMS. After two very well attended Emergency Services Authority meetings, it appears clear that there is significant community interest in maintaining ALSâ??which requires paramedics on the island. But, current funding is apparently not sufficient to attract paramedics to the island. The townships have both allocated additional resources to help address this issue through the end of the summer season and plan to place millage proposals on the November ballot for a longer term solution, but it remains unclear whether there will be sufficient funding to assure continued service from the end of August until millage revenue becomes available if the ballot proposals pass. In response to suggestions made at the EAS meetings, the Beaver Island Association working in cooperation with the Preservation Association of Beaver Island and Beaver Island Emergency Services has developed a website to help raise this money to fill this gap to the extent possible and as needed and, after ALS needs are met, help update equipment and meet other needs.

If you are convinced of the need for Advanced Life Support on the island and want to help, you can stop reading now and go to www.biems.org to make a contribution by credit card, check or direct bank transfer. Your donation will be deposited in a special account set up by PABI and administered by the BIA.

If you have questions about what ALS is or why it is necessary on Beaver Island, please keep reading.


What is Advanced Life Support?

Advanced Life Support (ALS for short) is provided by paramedics who have received more than 3,000 hours of training in aggressive cardiac life support, pediatric life support, severe trauma and more than 200 other life-threatening emergency medical conditions. Paramedics can administer more than 30 advanced medications and can perform many medical procedures. They work to orchestrate an emergency medical scene and direct the operations inside the medical transport unit (ambulance). During an emergency medical call, the paramedic is in constant contact with a hospital emergency room physician. The paramedic and the physician pair together in making critical life-care decisions.

How does ALS differ from Basic Life Support?

Basic Life Support (BLS)

Ambulances provide transport to patients who do not require extra support or cardiac monitoring. A typical BLS ambulance staffed by EMT level caregivers transport includes:

· Lower extremity fractures

· Discharges to home and sub-acute care facilities (nursing homes)

· Medical and Surgical patients who do not require cardiac monitoring

· Psychiatric patients


Advanced Life Support (ALS)

Ambulances staffed by a paramedic transport patients who need a higher level of care during transport above those services provided by a BLS ambulance, but still do not require an R.N. Patients who typically require ALS transport include:

Any medical/surgical patient with a continuous IV medicine but does not need a RN per state protocols

· Any patient on a cardiac monitor

· Obstetrical patients

· Patients from urgent care centers

· Patients with potential airway compromise

· Any patient deemed to have a potential complication during transport when report is received from the sending facility


Why do we need ALS on Beaver Island?

Without ALS capability on the island, air transport of critically ill patients (often cardiac and neurological emergencies) must wait an hour or more for off-island providers to arrive. Research clearly shows that â??Time is Muscleâ?￾ in a cardiac related event and that â??Time is Brainâ?￾ in a neurological stroke-like event. With island ALS, a patient can be at the hospital within an hourâ??at least 45 minutes more quickly than without. Research shows that delay in this critical period makes a substantial difference in patient outcomes.

It seems to make good sense that a community as rural and isolated as Beaver Island should retain and support the highest level of competence available for our Emergency Medical Service. Since the â??Time to Hospitalâ?￾ can be prolonged and even uncertain with inclement weather, our local capabilities should be even better than those on the mainland. An ALS ambulance unit is effectively a â??Mobile Emergency Roomâ?￾ when in real-time communication with an Emergency Physician.

You Can Help


You can help assure the continued availability of Advanced Life Support on Beaver Island by making a contribution to the cause at www.biems.org. Your donation will help assure the availability of funding for paramedic staffing until the Beaver Island Emergency Services Authority is able to work out a longer term funding plan with the townships and island taxpayers. All donations will be received in a separate account established and controlled by the Preservation Association of Beaver Island and will be dispersed to BIEMS as directed by the Beaver Island Association.

About BIEMS

BIEMS provides emergency medical services to Beaver Island. If you need urgent medical help, dial 911 and allow about 30 seconds for the call to transfer to the 911 center. They will dispatch BIEMS 24x7 to provide assistance. Dialing 911 is the fastest and safest way to get help. Patients in distress should not be driven or drive themselves in a private vehicle.
The Beaver Island Association
P.O. Box 390
Beaver Island, MI 49782

beaverislandassociation@gmail.com
PScott
Posts: 103
Joined: Sat Jun 25, 2016 9:41 pm
Location: Here and Mason, MI

Post by PScott »

Thank you taking a lead on this.
Trish Scott
salwag
Posts: 8
Joined: Tue Jun 17, 2014 7:49 am

Donate to ALS

Post by salwag »

Is there a goal amount to reach to fill the (hopefully) temporary gap in funding until a tax comes through? Can the current donated amount be posted with ongoing updates on the donation website? It may be more inspiring and may encourage more donations if progress is visible and applauded. Thanks!
PScott
Posts: 103
Joined: Sat Jun 25, 2016 9:41 pm
Location: Here and Mason, MI

Post by PScott »

How much has been donated thus far?
Trish Scott
duffer
Posts: 302
Joined: Mon Dec 10, 2012 8:47 pm
Location: beaver island

help

Post by duffer »

I have mentioned about taking classes as they used to educate people here. I have studied physiology and could pass the test and my son has said before he would be interested. its sad that program went away. I do believe we can do this and the island needs to work hard to keep als going.. glad to see there is such a response to this challenge!
duffy
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