The Responder
Official Publication of the USA Department of EMS Education and the Center for Emergency Response Training
Fall 2010
Volume 13, Issue 1
USA’S BACHELOR’S DEGREE PROGRAM PROVIDES
REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCES TO EMS STUDENTS
Students attending the Bachelor’s Degree in Emergency
Medical Services Program at USA are exposed to a wide variety of
learning experiences in different aspects of the EMS System. An
excellent example is moot court exercise conducted in the EMS Law
and Legal Issues course instructed by Lyndal Curry, the BS Degree
program’s director. For the last two years, Ms. Curry has arranged to
give her students the most realistic insight into what EMS providers
historically dread – being summoned to court. With the cooperation
of area attorneys, judges and the local court system, a “moot court”
has been held in an actual court room within the Mobile County
Courthouse. The attorneys donate their time to develop a mock
trial that replicates a civil tort hearing against a paramedic. In such
a trial, a paramedic would be accused of a “tort” or civil wrong that
stems from a breach of duty or negligence during an EMS operation.
Students are called upon to participate as the accused, coworkers
Moot Court Excercises in EMS Law Class
of the accused, witnesses and the jury. Actual lawyers are used as the
plaintiff and defense attorneys and as the judge. In the most recent moot
court, the role of the judge was assumed by John Wible, General Counsel for the Alabama Department of Public Health.
“The responses of the students and the spectators have just been fantastic,” said Ms. Curry, when asked to comment about the moot court
exercise. “Many of the students tell me that it is one of the most educational demonstrations that they are exposed to throughout the program.
(Real-World continued on page 2)
2010 Multiple Casualty Incident Drill
Each fall the USA EMS Program conducts a mass casualty
incident (MCI) exercise designed to test the students ability to react
and treat multiple patients in uncertain and unstable situations.
MCI’s are infrequently encountered by EMS workers and are
situations that overwhelm the EMS systems resources due to the
number and/or severity of patient injuries. The Clinical Coordinator
and EMS Program Director attempt to choose a topic each year that
mirrors actual incidents occurring in the U.S. In the past the incident
scenarios have ranged from overturned school buses, to explosion
and fires in clandestine drug labs, to Interstate Highway collapses.
This year the MCI Drill took on a disquieting scenario for the EMS
Program staff and faculty; a mock-shooting within the EMS training
facility during classes. The scenario; which involved about 120
students, area firefighters, area and campus police officers, and local
ambulance services; was inspired by an incident that occurred in the
last five years. The scenario surrounded a fictional disgruntled EMT
student who returned to the campus after failing classes and took
revenge by shooting EMS instructors and fellow EMT students. The
assailant was portrayed by area firefighter, and former U.S. Marine,
EMS student Michael Luttrell. Luttrell used his training and combat
experience to conceal him while student rescuers entered the building
while responding to reports of subjects shot. Upon rescuer entry into
the classroom area Luttrell sprang from his cover and fired pointblank
into the rescuers, fatally wounding three and forcing the group to
withdraw while SWAT officers neutralized the gunman. Student
rescuers were then allowed to reenter the building and evaluate, tag,
(Multiple Casualty Incident Drill continued on page 3)
Inside...
New EMT Level to Begin in Fall 2011
Gail Knox Retires
CAAHEP Re-Accreditation Process Completed in October
Spotlight on Ron Morgan
Please visit our website: www.usouthal.edu/ems
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The Responder
REAL-WORLD
managerial aspects of ambulance operations – I often learn as much
from my students as they do from me – and they always learn a great
deal from one another.”
Similarly, every Fall students in David Garmon’s EMS Systems
class are introduced to the configuration of America’s EMS System.
The hierarchical roles of local, state and federal agencies are discussed
in depth. The students are introduced to the procedural aspects of
EMS processes, such as protocol development. David Garmon,
who is also the Executive Director of Alabama Gulf EMS System
(AGEMSS) has been closely involved in the Alabama EMS system
for decades and has closely participated in the development of
Alabama’s EMS protocols. David was employed with the Alabama
Department of Public Health in what is now the ADPH’s Office of
EMS & Trauma, when he decided to join the faculty of USA’s EMS
Education Department in the 1998. Currently, in addition to his
AGEMSS duties, he is involved in several state EMS committees
including, the protocol development committee, the education
committee, and the Advanced EMT curriculum committee. Students
in the EMS Systems class are advantaged by his experience and
involvement and some classes have been very involved in some of the
state’s protocol development, including the new protocol for EMS
helicopters. “Our BS Degree graduates cannot fully contemplate
their roles in the EMS System if they aren’t aware of exactly how the
System works,” David said regarding his class. “We try to involve each
class in some aspect of rules or protocols development. The present
Alabama EMS helicopter protocols were, for all practical purposes,
developed and written by our students.”
Other classes in the EMS core of the BS Degree curriculum
include Instructional Methods in EMS, Disaster Management,
Health Insurance and Managed Care in EMS and EMS Research. A
description of the program and its requirements can be found at the
Department website (www.usouthal.edu/ems) and specifically on the
Bachelor Degree Program page: www.usouthal.edu/ems/bachelor.html.
(continued from page 1)
The one aspect that all of them agree upon is that it is an eye-opener
regarding the responsibilities of a paramedic and the potential for
liability.” Lyndal extends an opportunity for others to share in the
court experience, including USA’s EMT and Paramedic students
and others within the EMS community who have an interest in the
process.
Invariably during the moot court process the emphasis returns
to the quality of documentation that the paramedic records in
regard to the incident. Students and spectators alike study the legal
scrutiny that revolves around vaguely stated patient care observations,
evaluations or treatment actions. In addition it becomes quite obvious
that the credence of field providers is judged by their ability to
communicate verbally and in writing. Instructors in the USA EMS
Program teach their students that they are always judged by the
professionalism of how they appear, how they speak and how they
write. The dynamics of “moot court” and within an actual legal trial
are the best evidence of that fact. Interested parties are encouraged to
contact Lyndal Curry at the EMS Education Department (251-4316418) or email her at Lcurry@usouthal.edu.
Every Fall, incoming BS Degree students also receive a dose of
EMS-reality in Gary Varner’s EMS Administration class. In addition
to instruction in leadership and management, the class as a whole
is required to assume the role of an EMS consulting group who are
tasked with setting up a commercial ambulance service from scratch
in a rural, underserved county. In the process, the class must elect a
director from the group and research the county’s population, medical
facilities and resources by assignment. They must also evaluate the
personnel salary, tax, and insurance costs as well as the materials
costs for initiating an ambulance service. After compiling the data,
they must evaluate the start up and operating costs compared to the
potential revenue from their area of operation and declare whether
the project is viable or not, given a set of parameters for capital from
the instructor. They must present the data, their recommendations for
operations, and their advice from a business viewpoint in the form of
a business presentation and convince the investor/entrepreneur that
the plan is financially viable or foolhardy. “Some classes are assigned
a county that could support an independent ambulance operation
and some classes are not,” said Gary Varner when asked to comment
about the project. “The students work diligently,” he continued, “both
as a group and independently on tasks assigned by the group. The
exercise teaches team work and cooperation as well as introduces the
students to the true costs and dynamics of opening and operating
an ambulance service. We have been very fortunate to have some
students with experience and expertise in the business aspects and
NEW EMT LEVEL TO BEGIN IN FALL 2011
Beginning Fall 2011 USA EMS will begin
instruction of a new EMT level, “Advanced EMT.”
This national level was adopted by the State of
Alabama through EMS legislation passed in 2010.
Advanced EMT will fill the void between EMT
and Paramedic. This level will be instructed in one
semester, accompanied by a National Registry of
EMTs certification examination, and application
for an Advanced EMT license. Privileges of care in
the AEMT level include intravenous line initiation
and maintenance and administration of numerous
medications. Cardiac interventions are limited
with only an Automated External Defibrillators
(AEDs). Airway management will be utilization of
blind insertion devices. Paramedic education will
be adjusted to compensate for the Advanced EMT
requirement and the levels of education will now
be EMT (1 semester) Advanced EMT (1 semester)
and Paramedic (3 semesters).
2
The Responder
Gail Knox Retires
Long time USA employee and member of the EMS Department, Gail Knox, retired
on April 1, 2011 after serving the university for over 28 years. Gail began working for the
University in 1983 at the Brookley Campus administrative offices and transferred to the
EMS department in 1988. Here she worked as the senior administrative assistant for twenty
years. She began her service under Department Chair Mary Ann Talley, who succumbed to
cancer in 1993. After Mary Ann’s passing Gail continued work with Chairman David Burns
for fifteen years. Three years ago she was promoted and transferred to the office of the Dean
of the School of Continuing Education and Special Programs as executive administrative
assistant for SCESP Dean, Dr. Tom Wells, until his retirement. She has remained in that role
for SCESP’s new Dean, Dr. Vaughn Milner.
Gail’s presence in our department served to bring a continuum to the instruction of our
students. Her experience with the University made everyone’s job a little easier in dealing
with the day-to-day tasks required in academia. Gail was an extremely dedicated and loyal
employee of this department and the University. She will definitely be missed by all of us in
the EMS department.
Our department, alumni and profession wish a wonderful retirement to Gail. She has
been to many a symbol of stability and efficiency in an otherwise work-intensive and chaotic
endeavor – EMS.
Gail Knox, EMS Department
Secretary from 1988 to 2008
GARY VARNER PROMOTED TO SENIOR INSTRUCTOR
On August 1, 2010, Gary Varner was promoted to Senior Instructor in the Department of Emergency Medical Services. Gary has
been with the University and the Department of EMS since May 2002. He currently serves as the Department’s Research Program
Coordinator and teaches in both the BS Degree and Paramedic Certificate programs.
Multiple Casualty Incident Drill (continued from page 1)
casualty techniques such as scene rescuer safety, triage, removal to
treatment areas and site-morgue, interim on-scene care, prioritization
for transport and transportation to definitive care. Situational
dynamics included bystander/crowd control considerations, patient
condition changes and radio communication between rescue
component groups and during transport to the receiving facility.
The USA EMS Program wishes to thank all of the individuals
and agencies, too numerous to list here, without whose assistance
the MCI drill could not have taken place. Every lesson learned by all
involved, no matter how small, may be taken to the future to one day
save a life.
remove and treat the survivors; and to retrieve their fallen coworkers.
The situation was an appropriate learning scenario for EMS students
as a study published in 2002 in the Annals of Emergency Medicine
described the on-duty death rate (1992-1997) of EMS workers as
12.7 per 100,000, which is significantly higher than the public at large
and not significantly different from police officers and firefighters
(at 14.2 and 16.5 per 100,000 respectively). The study also identified
that about 8.8% of the EMS on-duty fatalities were homicides, while
75.4% were transportation related.
The exercise featured 23 patients at the onset and involved 32
student-rescuers who were being critiqued by USA EMS faculty, staff
and proctors. Students were evaluated on their ability to employ mass
3
The Responder
CAAHEP Re-Accreditation Process Completed in October
are all designed to improve standardize EMS throughout the nation
in a manner similar to nursing and other allied healthcare fields.
Part of this process is to drive education quality through CAAHEP
accreditation.
The process of accreditation and renewal requires that the
paramedic program conduct an extensive self-study and evaluate data
from every aspect of the training process. Clinical education records
must be flawlessly maintained to assure that every student not only
has access to the standard hours and individual clinical experiences
required by CAAHEP, but that performance has been evaluated by
the clinical coordinator and proper responses occurred. Similarly
didactic and skills training must follow lesson plans approved by
the program’s medical director and must be consistently monitored
and evaluation by the program’s director. The site visit component
facilitates an objective review of the program’s processes and also an
opportunity for the site visitors to query participants that range from
the medical director, associated physicians and clinical site personnel
down to the students themselves.
“The site visit went very well” said Charlie Erwin, USA EMS’s
EMT & Paramedic Program Director. “We were closely evaluated
and found to have no issues of note and were rated as excellent. The
process, though, was a great opportunity to review all of the aspects of
the program and to make notes for future changes that we can make
to improve the program in the future.” CAAHEP will advise USA
EMS of the actual reaccreditation status in early 2011.
USA EMS would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone
who assisted in the process of the site visit. We appreciate you taking
time from your busy schedules to help us promote a better paramedic
education for our students.
A site visit by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied
Health Programs (CAAHEP) was completed in October 2010 as the
final step in this five year cycle of review. The last site visit in August
2005 resulted in a recommendation for renewal of accreditation for
the Department of EMS Paramedic Training Program.
The Department was first accredited in 1990 by the American
Medical Association and its accrediting agency, CAHEA. In 1994
the AMA ceased accrediting EMS programs and the Commission on
Accreditation of Allied Health Programs assumed the responsibility.
USA EMS has retained national accreditation for twenty years
and until recently was one of the few. Currently, advances in EMS
nationwide have mandated national accreditation for paramedic
training programs to assure quality of instruction in order to
standardize and advance EMS levels and services throughout the
United States.
In 1996 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) and the Health Resources and Services Administration
(HRSA) published the national consensus document entitled EMS
Agenda for the Future. The intent of the Agenda is to create a
common vision for the future of EMS and is designed for use by
government and private organizations at the national, state and local
levels to help guide EMS planning, decision making, and policy
including EMS education. In 2000, the Agenda was followed by the
EMS Education Agenda for the Future: A Systems Approach. The
purpose of the Education Agenda is to establish a system of EMS
education that more closely parallels that of other allied health care
professions. Following the release of the Education Agenda, the
National EMS Core Content (Core Content), National EMS Scope
of Practice Model (Scope of Practice Model), and National EMS
Education Standards (Education Standards) were completed and
Bachelors Degree Students
Earn Academic Honors and Awards
EMS Paramedic Graduates for 2009 - 2010
Neslon Arguetta
Joel Atwell
Daryl Berry
William Boykin
Matthew Brown
Cameron Capps
Antonio Corlette
Matt Corley
Adam Crandall
Joe D’Angelo
Jeffery Eberlein
Alex Eynon
Stephanie Few
Troy Gorlott
Traci Hall
Samuel Haney
Dewayne Haverstick
Jonathan Herrington
Jonathan Horst
James Humphries
John Johnson
Greg Johnson
James Jordan
Morgan Kamphuis
Zane La Bounty
Terri Lewis
Sean Maurin
Carlos McKnight
Courtney Merritt
Donna Moore
Justin Morris
Richard Ogle
Gordon Pierce
Michael Ramer
William Roberts
David Saraceno
Evan Seaman
Mark Shobe
Jameson Smith
Joseph Smith
Warren Stanley
Steven Stewart
William Sutton
Scott Vanderkooi
Jon Wilson
Our Department salutes the accomplishments of our Bachelor’s Degree in EMS
2009 – 2010
Charles Andrews
Kristina Moore
Jason Eversull
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Joycelyn Smith
The Responder
SPOTLIGHT ON RON MORGAN
The newest full-time faculty member of the EMS Education Department is Ronald
(Ronnie) Morgan, paramedic and retired District Chief of the Mobile Fire-Rescue
Department. After serving as a part-time faculty member in EMS Education for several years
Ron began full time work on August 15, 2010 which was also his 40th birthday.
After high school graduation Ron attended the University of South Alabama and
studied mechanical engineering for two years until deciding to join the Mobile Fire-Rescue
Department in 1990. He married his wife, Samantha (Sam) in 1992 and they now have four
children; two boys (Erik and Kyle) and two girls (Charlotte and Savannah).
Ron is a second generation Mobile firefighter whose father and uncle were also career
firefighters with the department. As a firefighter he continued his academic endeavors and
earned an Associate Degree in Fire Science from Bishop State Community College. At the
same time he began training at the University of South Alabama’s School of Continuing
Education & Special Programs and completed each of the three EMT levels, completing his
paramedic training in 1998. He continued on to earn a Bachelor of Professional Studies in
Fire Administration from the University of Memphis, graduating Magna Cum Laude and
receiving the 2002 Edward A. Hamilton Firefighter Scholarship. He earned his Master of
Science in Healthcare Management from Troy University in 2007.
As a Captain with the MFRD he served at the Lead Instructor for the training
division and gained great experience instructing fire recruits, especially in the EMT training
component of fire training. Ron’s preference for instructing EMT Basic brings his special
talents to the ground level in our student’s training process. In addition he teaches classes in the paramedic curriculum and two classes within
his specialty in the Bachelor of Science in EMS Program - Healthcare Insurance in EMS and Issues and Trends in EMS - and serves as
academic advisor for paramedic students and as secondary academic advisor for bachelor program students.
Ron defines his career success by the hard work he has put into his efforts – which is also an attribute he encourages in his students.
He is currently pursuing his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Instructional Design and Development here at USA. Ron aspires to one day
achieve a tenured position at the professor level and perhaps work in the administrative area of academia as a Department Chair or Dean. Our
department feels fortunate to have Ron onboard and looks forward to many years of working with him. Welcome Ron!
2010 Christmas Toy Drive an EMS Success
Shown here are (left) Liane Harding,
graduate of the department’s Bachelor of
Science degree in EMS, and (right) Lyndal
Curry, Director of the EMS Bachelor’s
program. Paramedic Harding was the
recipient of the 2010 Dean’s Award for
Academic Excellence in Emergency Medical
Services. The Dean’s Award is awarded
yearly by The College of Allied Health
Professions for EMS-BS graduates excelling
in leadership and academic performance. We
congratulate Liane for her well-deserved
recognition of excellence in our BS Degree
Program and wish for her the best in
her career.
Pictured from L to R: “Uncle Dave” Faggard, Scotty MacArthur, Kristen McKenna,
Charlie Erwin, Ron Morgan
The 2010 WKRG Christmas Toy Drive was a success due, in part, to the efforts of
Kristen McKenna, the Alabama Gulf EMS System and the staff and faculty of the USA
EMS Education Department. Kristen enthusiastically spearheaded the efforts to ensure that
some underprivileged area children were not allowed to have a Christmas without presents.
AGEMSS and the department transferred care of over 100 toys to the WKRG staff on
Monday, December 6th. The toys were collected by AGEMSS staff EMS Education staff
and faculty from different sources, however many toys were selflessly donated by the students
of the EMS Education Department. AGEMSS and the EMS Program would like to thank
everyone who participated in this very worthy cause. We would also like to specially thank
EMT Basic student Amberly Landis for her extraordinary contributions from family and her
Sisters of Chi Omega.
5
The Responder
Charlie Erwin Promoted to EMS Program Director
On October 1, 2010, long-time clinical coordinator and faculty member Charles
(Charlie) Erwin was promoted to the position of EMS Program Director. He brings with
him many years of administrative and command experience in the military and in civilian
EMS organizations. Upon graduating high school in 1984 Charlie immediately entered
Marine Recruit Training at Paris Island, South Carolina. He served eight years in various
assignments such as Sea Duty Marine, Security Forces Supervisor, Infantry Forward Observer
Scout and close quarters battle instructor. He left the Marine Corps in 1992 and entered
EMT and Paramedic training at the University of South Alabama while simultaneously
working for AMSERV Ambulance Service in Bioloxi, Mississippi and LifeStar Ambulance
Service in Baldwin County where he served as a shift supervisor. He continued working as
a supervisor and paramedic for MedStar Ambulance Service and was transferred to Rural
Metro Ambulance Service, after the purchase of MedStar, where he served as the Personnel
Manager. Charlie continued to work as a field paramedic and EMS administrator until 1999
when he accepted the position of Clinical Coordinator. Charlie completed his B.A. degree in
May 2007 and was promoted to the faculty after which he instructed several EMT and paramedic classes and served as clinical supervisor for
all paramedic labs and clinical experiences. In June 2007 Charlie began graduate school at American Military University pursuing a Masters
Degree in Classical and Ancient History and is anticipated to complete in February of 2011. He also earned the rank of Chief Petty Officer
in the Coast Guard Reserve and is a Marine Science Technician. Charlie continues to work on a part time basis as a paramedic clinician and
considers the tactile and tactical aspects of paramedic training to be paramount in producing excellent paramedic program graduates.
EMS Students Visit Homeless and Elderly
Through USA’s CASCLE Program
and the Dumas Wesley Center for Senior Adults. “Very often our
graduates only sporadically visit homeless shelters and senior citizen
care centers,” advised Morgan, “this opportunity allowed the students
to spend time actually interacting with people in those situations at
length so that they could come to appreciate both their problems and
their humanity.” The homeless and senior citizen service projects were
sanctioned through USA’s Center for Academic Service Leaning &
Civic Engagement (CASCLE). Our department wishes to especially
thank Karen Peterson and Dawn McKinney of CASCLE for their
cooperation and support and Dr. Linda Roussel and her entire staff at
Our Neighborhood Clinic for their assistance and guidance in these
service projects.
Our department was very fortunate this year to have had the
opportunity to send beginning EMS students into the community
to experience working with the homeless and elderly, as well as
participating in weekend community health fairs. The health fairs
were sponsored by USA’s Biomedical Library and Judy Burnham and
allowed the students the opportunity to bring basic medical services
and information into the community. “Such exposure helps our
students to develop as they continue their paramedic training because
paramedics are often the only health educators that some patients are
ever exposed to,” said Ron Morgan, instructor of the participating
students. The EMS students were also able to provide a service to the
community by working with citizens in the 15 Place for Homeless
USA PARAMEDIC ALUMNA DIES
IN LINE OF DUTY
We are saddened to report that Paramedic Laura E. Smith Pullam, a 2002 graduate
of our program, was killed in the line of duty on December 15, 2010. She was struck by an
out of control vehicle on a roadside near Montgomery, Alabama while attending to a motor
vehicle accident victim. Those of us who had the privilege of instructing Laura remember
her as a diligent student who was focused upon achieving maximum skills and knowledge.
Those that worked with her in her tragically shortened eight year career report that she was
not only an outstanding paramedic but a staunch patient advocate and excellent partner.
We extend our condolences to her family, friends and coworkers. They have suffered an
irretrievable loss, as has our profession.
Laura’s was the last honored death of an Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
professional recorded by the National EMS Memorial Service in 2010. She was the second
EMT to die in 2010 from traffic related causes. She was the 34th to fall in 2010 on duty in
the United States, and the 9th Alabama EMS professional honored by the national EMS
Memorial Service (http://www.nemsms.org).
6
The Responder
THE REGIONAL REPORT
University of South Alabama
Alabama Gulf Emergency Medical Services System (AGEMSS)
100% compliance with CPR training and Alabama protocol updates
and education. AGEMSS provided several education opportunities,
including an EMS Refresher in Mobile in January and an Education
Conference in Orange Beach in September 2010 within which over
100 people received continuing education. AGEMSS sponsored an
Advanced Pediatric Education for Prehospital Providers (PEPP)
course in September conducted by Dr. James R. Hanley. Dr. Hanley
practices pediatric emergency medicine at The Oshsner’s Medical
Center in New Orleans, LA, and served as the course medical
director and primary instructor. The provider course certified 19
providers and the follow-up instructor course certified 8 to be PEPP
instructors.
The Alabama Trauma System was activated in the AGEMSS
region on September 14, 2009 at noon. The AGEMSS staff has
worked tirelessly to assist the Alabama Department of Public Health’s
Division of EMS & Trauma to maintain flawless operation of the
system – the first of its kind in the United States – within EMS
Region 6. The AGEMSS staff presented the statewide trauma system
orientation to over 2000 personnel in anticipation of the system’s
initiation and has continued throughout 2010 to coordinate between
the eighteen area hospitals, twenty five area EMS provider services
and the Alabama EMS & Trauma office and associated committees.
AGEMSS boasts three participating level one hospitals, USA’s
Medical Center in Mobile, and Sacred Heart Hospital and Baptist
Hospital in Pensacola, Florida. The Pensacola hospitals are available
and easily accessible from anywhere in the region by air and from the
eastern most counties by ground EMS transport. In addition, Region
6 has level two Thomas Hospital in Baldwin County as well as 12
level three hospitals and 2 community based hospitals throughout
spread throughout the seven counties.
AGEMSS is offering an EMS Educational Conference aboard
the Carnival Cruise Ship “Elation” and is scheduled to set sail on
April 9, 2011. If you are interested please contact AGEMSS or you
can access the registration on their website: http://agemss.com
The overall goal of AGEMSS is “Quality Improvement in
Emergency Care.” If you have questions or comments, please feel free
to contact AGEMSS.
Contact Information
Executive Director David Garmon advises that 2010 was a
busy year in Alabama EMS Region 6 (AGEMSS). The University
of South Alabama’s Alabama Gulf EMS System has been in
operation since 2006 as Alabama’s EMS Region 6 and secured a
grant for $245,122.00 for Fiscal Year 2011 to continue its services.
The grant is from the Alabama Department of Public Health for
a performance based contract to provide administrative services
to the seven southwest counties in Alabama; Washington, Clarke,
Monroe, Conecuh, Escambia, Baldwin and Mobile. Components
of the AGEMSS mandate are to serve as a local liaison between
EMS providers and state EMS staff and also to network EMS with
hospitals in the seven counties of EMS Region 6. In performance
of the mandate AGEMSS strives to maintain communication
between all components of the EMS system in the seven counties
and to coordinate meetings between the state EMS & Trauma staff,
EMS providers and Medical Direction Hospitals. The mandate also
requires that AGEMSS provide continuing education to providers
who do not, or cannot, attend required training elsewhere. Such
training includes CPR, Protocol Updates, Full Protocol Education
and other continuing education such as National Registry Refresher
classes. AGEMSS is also at the forefront of implementation and
management of the Alabama Trauma System (ATS) in the region;
maintaining ATS computer access in the regional hospitals, ensuring
their functionality and handling computer issues. AGEMSS is also
responsible for ATS Quality Assurance (QA) – reporting quality
control issues to state authorities, providing educational follow-up
as needed, and providing patient outcome reports to first responder
and transport agencies involved with each ATC patient. Probably the
most time intensive facet to AGEMSS’s role is to record and report
compliance with issues involving educational processes, such as CPR,
continuing education and protocol updates. This area of AGEMSS’s
operation will expand as Regional Agencies throughout the state
are tasked with oversight and maintenance of provider credentialing
education and status starting in 2011.
In 2010 the 25 EMS Provider Services in the EMS Region 6
Counties report 100% compliance of their 1,221 personnel with the
National Incident Management System (NIMS) 100, 200 and 700
training as required by Federal law. Provider Services also report
David Garmon, MA Ed,
NREMT-P
Executive Director
(251) 472-7810 Cell
Kristen McKenna, NREMT-P
Continuing Education
Coordinator
(251) 431-6418
Jeremy White, AS, NREMT-P
Trauma System Coordinator
Frank Pettyjohn, MD
Medical Director
David Faggard, NREMT-P
Field Coordinator
Mailing Address
Alabama Gulf EMS System
2002 Old Bay Front Drive
Mobile, AL 36615-1427
Physical Address
2002 Old Bay Front Drive
Mobile, AL 36615
Cellular: (251) 472-7810 • Office: 251-431-6418
FAX: 251-431-6525 • dgarmon@usouthal.edu
7
University of South Alabama
Department of EMS Education and
Center for Emergency Response Training
2002 Old Bay Front Drive
Mobile, AL 36615-1427
Non-Profit
U.S. Postage
PAID
Mobile, AL
Permit No. 506
The Responder
Department of EMS Education
Jeff Carter, BS, NREMT-P
David W. Burns, MPH, EMT-P
Part-time Instructor
Frank S. Pettyjohn, M.D.
Part-time Instructor
Department Chair, Senior Instructor
Department Medical Director
David Garmon, MA Ed,
NREMT-P
Senior Instructor, Program Director/
EMS Region 6
Lyndal Curry, MA, NREMT-P
Senior Instructor, Program Director/
Bachelor’s Degree Program
Gary Varner, MPH, NREMT-P
Senior Instructor, Research Coordinator
& Epidemiologist
Charlie Erwin, BA, NREMT-P
Instructor, Program Director/Paramedic
Certificate Program
Scotty McArthur, NREMT-P
Clinical Coordinator
Ron Morgan, MS,
NREMT-P
Steve White, NREMT-P
Philip Creighton, BS, NREMT-P
Part-Time Instructor
Center for Emergency
Response Training
David W. Burns, MPH, EMT-P
CERT Director
David Garmon, MA Ed.,
NREMT-P
Program Director / EMS Region 6
Kristen McKenna, NREMT-P
Continuing Education Coordinator
Jeremy White, AS, NREMT-P
Trauma Coordinator
Dave Faggard, NREMT-P
Field Coordinator
Instructor, Advisor
8
Administration
Becky McDonald
Administrative Assistant
Sharon Walker
Secretary
Alabama Gulf EMS System
ADPH EMS Region 6
David Garmon, MA Ed.,
NREMT-P
Executive Director
Frank S. Pettyjohn, M.D.
Medical Director
Kristen McKenna, NREMT-P
Continuing Education Coordinator
Jeremy White, AS, NREMT-P
Trauma Coordinator
Dave Faggard, NREMT-P
Field Coordinator