Submitted by Powder River EMS
Powder River Emergency Medical Services (EMS) has been operating as a basic life support (BLS) system since July of 2021. In June of this year, Powder River EMS received two new critical care paramedics to the service to provide advanced life support (ALS) services to community members.
With the addition of Director of Emergency Medical Service (EMS) Operations Adam Johnson, Powder River EMS has seen multiple improvements and advancements over these last six months. Director Johnson has promoted the addition of and upgrades to equipment, medications, training, and advancements of the EMS providers.
Recently Powder River EMS received a new Dodge Ram 4500 4x4 ambulance to respond to calls. Community members will see this vehicle operating in the coming months. In addition to the overall vehicle, the new ambulance is equipped with a new stretcher (cot) system to make patient lifting and movement to the ambulance safer and easier. This system also assists staff with a safer and more controlled loading of patients into the unit while reducing potential injuries common in the EMS field.
In the last few months Director Johnson has secured a partnership with Montana Health Network to assist in training of community members in First Aid, CPR, and Automated External Defibrillator (AED), as well as advanced courses for community medical providers in EMS, Powder River Manor, and Powder River Clinic. Director Johnson has also aligned Powder River EMS with Logan Health in Kalispell to assist with basic medical training classes for community members and advance trainings for EMS staff.
Powder River EMS does carry stuffed animals on the ambulances for children of all ages to offer as a comfort measure in emergency situations. Powder River EMS has also received support from Powder River County Project Linus who supplies quilts and blankets for EMS providers to give to children their time of need. Powder River EMS and Powder River County Project Linus are working together to supply the Powder River Sheriff’s Department, Broadus Fire Department, Powder River Clinic, etc. with blankets for the children of the county. These blankest and stuffed animals are given to the patients and they become theirs. The animals and blankets are not reused for other patients. No organization associated with the disbursement of Project Linus materials will charge for these pieces.
Working with other county entities, plans are being made to increase the medical training for both the Powder River Sheriff’s Deputies, members of Broadus Fire Department, and other Powder River County assets to obtain this training. The increase of trained, knowledgeable, and skilled providers increases the likelihood of appropriate interventions to community members in their time of need until definitive care can be reached.
Director Johnson has also spent time researching new advancements in the EMS field ranging from improved uniforms and advanced procedures to new innovations not only in Montana and surrounding states but has also secured a partnership with a United Kingdom critical care air medical service that provides emergency medical care in rural, remote, and austere environments in the north of England. The partnership and sharing of information between Director Johnson of Powder River EMS and Director of Operations Andy Mawson of the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) United Kingdom is a great advancement for Powder River County. GNAAS crews are critical care paramedics and emergency care physicians whom operate as Helicopter EMS (HEMS) teams to provide emergency care to the sick and injured in remote and austere locations in the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man between England and Ireland. The skills, knowledge and information from these teams can assist and benefit the EMS responders in the area to provide a greater level of care to community members.
As a reminder to all community members, Powder River EMS has two Critical Care Paramedics and a team of 10 Emergency Medical Technicians that are trained in emergency medical care. All efforts to ensure that a patient’s requested facility will be evaluated, however our providers on scene with the knowledge of the facilities around us and the national, state and agency protocols that govern them will be the overall ruling factor. While this may be frustrating to community members, our providers are making the best decisions to increase the chance of survival with the least delays to definitive care for our patients.
Powder River EMS is looking to begin offering Emergency Medical Responder classes beginning in January. At present the dates and times are being discussed with the current medical director and members of Logan Health. A general notice and student application will be posted on the Powder River County EMS webpage and other notices will be made as well. Director Johnson is encouraging all county members that wish to engage in the exciting and regarding field of emergency medical care to sign up for classes. Director Johnson is hopeful that members from all over the county including those in the Powderville, Biddle, Otter, etc. areas have an interest to join as these areas may see longer delays in definitive care arrival mainly due to distance of responding units from Broadus. The more people trained and capable to respond increases the survivability of our community members. Those interested in classes can contact Director Johnson at ajohnson@prco .mt.gov for further information.
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