Equipment
This piece of equipment is used to deliver ventilations to a patient who is not breathing, or who is breathing inadequately.
BVM (Bag Valve Mask Resuscitator)
If a patient is found unconscious in a smoky room, this is the first step that should be taken.
Rapid extrication of the patient out of the building
H stands for this
History (medical history: asthma, diabetes, seizures, depression, anxiety, high blood pressure...)
A patient complains of difficulty breathing that started last night.
Oxygen (nasal cannula if mild difficulty, mask if moderate or severe difficulty)
A patient accidentally cut off their hand with a chainsaw and was bleeding severely. You have applied a tourniquet and the bleeding has slowed. You should make sure to document this information on the tourniquet itself and on our sheet to give to paramedics.
The exact time the tourniquet was applied
This piece of equipment should be applied to an upper arm or a thigh to stop severe bleeding.
Tourniquet
If the Hutton House were to explode and dozens of patients were injured, this would be the first step before any treatment would be rendered to patients.
Triage
A stands for this
Allergies (to medications, animals, or foods: penicillin, beestings, peanuts...)
A small child has fallen out of a tree and broken their leg. They are awake and seem to be breathing normally.
No oxygen
You arrive at a home after dispatch advises that there is an unknown medical situation but there was a language barrier and the exact nature of the emergency was unclear. You discover three patients are all severely ill. You should communicate this information to dispatch as soon as possible.
The number of patients (so additional resources can be dispatched)
This piece of equipment can be used to remove vomit, saliva, or blood from an unconscious patient's mouth.
V-VAC manual suction device
If a patient were found unconscious floating in the lake, this is always the appropriate step unless law enforcement is already on scene and commanding otherwise.
Removal of the patient from the water
M stands for this
Medications (that the patient takes every day, or has taken recently: Aspirin, Lasix, home oxygen, Tylenol, Hydrochlorothiazide, medical marijuana...)
An unconscious patient has a pulse, but is taking very slow and shallow breaths and is beginning to turn blue.
Oxygen (first priority is to begin assisting ventilations, then connect to oxygen as soon as possible)
You come home after a medical call for a good friend and neighbor of yours who had a foreign object lodged in a bodily orifice which they could not remove. This law applies to MLFD personnel and prevents you from telling your family about what happened.
HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996)
This medication can be offered by MLFD personnel to a patient who might be suffering a heart attack and is complaining of chest pain.
Aspirin
Three patients are evacuated from a housefire. One has no pulse and no breathing. One is unconscious and gasping for air. One is awake and coughing with burns to their arms. Efforts should be focused on this patient.
The patient who is unconscious and gasping for air
If a patient is unconscious, this might be a good way of getting their HAM.
Asking a family member or friend with the patient if they are aware of the patient's HAM.
A patient is removed from a home with carbon monoxide exposure and is vomiting.
Oxygen (via mask, but remove mask when patient is actively vomiting to keep their airway clear)
You respond to a medical call on Engine 12 with five other firefighters. You have heard on your pager that Lieutenant 3 has already been on scene for a few minutes. You should do this upon arrival.
Attempt to contact LT3 on the OPS2 radio channel to seek out further instructions. (To bring or not to bring the E12 medical bag, to come inside and assist with care, to wait outside for the ambulance and direct paramedics to the patient...)
This piece of equipment can be used to quickly move an unresponsive or weak patient from where they are found to the ambulance stretcher.
Mega Mover
Headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, shortness of breath, and altered mental status
If a patient reports that they are chronically ill and take numerous medications, this might be an appropriate alternative to trying to write down all of their medications down on our sheet.
Asking if they already have a list of medications written out or printed from their clinic, and passing this list along to paramedics when they arrive.
You're not quite sure if a patient requires oxygen or not.
Oxygen (good to err on the side of oxygen administration if ever uncertain)
You are paged for a cardiac arrest. You arrive on scene with three other firefighters and find the patient's spouse performing chest compressions on the bed. You confirm that the patient won't wake up and is not breathing. You should do these steps next in this particular order.
Move the patient to the floor, resume chest compressions, use the AED, deliver ventilations with oxygen, insert an oral airway, and reassure the patient's spouse. Also advise dispatch of CPR in progress as soon as possible.