Powder River EMS Responds to Recent Calls: A Look at Service, Safety, and Quality Care

By PR County Director of Emergency Medical Service Operations Adam Johnson

In the past year, Powder River EMS has responded to a current total of 128 calls ranging from motor vehicle accidents and other traumatic injuries to medical emergencies like heart attacks and strokes. The team's swift action and coordinated efforts have improved survivability rates for those who have suffered significant illnesses or injuries in Powder River County, with a focus on providing the highest level of care to the community.

Powder River EMS has also held multiple American Heart Association (AHA) HeartSaver First-Aid, CPR, and AED courses to increase the number of people capable of responding to emergency situations. These trainings ensure that professionally trained citizens can assist appropriately with correct knowledge and skill to reduce the potential for increasing unnecessary injuries to those in emergency situations.

Quality Medical Devices and Avoiding Gimmicks

While technology continues to evolve, Powder River County Director of EMS Adam Johnson, Critical Care Paramedic, and Powder River County EMS Captain Cressi Johnson, Critical Care Paramedic, warn the public against relying on trendy or gimmicky medical devices marketed in stores, online, and on television infomercials. Devices like unverified pulse oximeters, portable defibrillators, and so-called "miracle health monitors" can mislead people into thinking they are receiving professional-grade care.

While these companies invest large sums of money into marketing their devices to the untrained public, the efficacy and proven capability in the prehospital and emergency medical environment is absent. This frequently leads consumers to a false sense of security and safety during emergency situations. This also leaves companies open to lawsuits for wrongful death due to a critical failure of the device.

Gimmicky devices are visually and hypothetically appealing, and the sales representatives have key pitch points, the in-field use and practical application of these devices is absent. Case in point: a study published in 2023 by Apoorva Ramaswamy, MD reviewed two theoretical devices for clearing airway obstructions. Both completed trial studies in nursing homes and cadaver labs with limited success and have many documented failures to function appropriately in emergency situations. The devices in Dr. Ramaswamy's study identified both devices failed to collect grapes and cashews in a cadaver. The items used as simulated choking objects are frequently actual items people have choked on along with steak and hard candies.

Dr. Ramaswamy and his team noted both devices may cause significant pressure and injury to the oral cavity in a clinical setting due to documented new injuries found in cadaver testing. Use of testing items at nursing or assisted living homes or in cadaver lab trainings fails to actually show a use on normal people experiencing panic, fear, and impending doom. Other failures include the untrained rescuer's fear and panic, leading to unintentional injuries which can cause permanent disfiguration, chronic health problems, and increases the likelihood of unnecessary death.

Residents and community members are encouraged to call 911 in the event of an emergency and report accurate information concerning the nature of the emergency, specific address and location of the emergency, and the time of onset of the emergency. This ensures the appropriate resources are dispatched to manage an emergency in a timely manner to increase survival of patients.

Powder River EMS Critical Care Paramedics Director Johnson and Captain Johnson would like to remind community members and visitors that YouTube videos, medical device gimmicks, and outdated training increase risks and decreases the survivability of patients in need and are not substitutes for quality training, education, and experience. Furthermore, failure to act appropriately and engage in legitimate, approved training programs may reduce coverage and protections offered by the Good Samaritan Laws.

Improving Emergency Response Times

Powder River EMS is constantly working to reduce emergency response times, with a current average of 10-12 minutes within town limits i.e., center of Broadus to MT-59 junctions North or South. In the county where distances are greater, the average is 48 minutes. While these numbers seem excessive, the National Average response from dispatch to on scene arrival in rural/frontier locations is 14 to 26 minutes in the immediate area of a rural township. To improve these numbers, EMS has expanded its team and has invested in strategic placement of assets across key areas in the region. Community members should understand that rapid identification and rapid notification to 911 reduces response times and increases patient survivability.

Powder River EMS does have trained basic and advanced medical providers on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Providers do not live at the station and no provider houses an ambulance at their residence for safety and legal reasons. Providers operate on an on-call basis and all efforts have been exhausted in attempting to expand agency capabilities or to make further improvements to staffing and response times. Further improvements concerning response times would include an EMS specific building with crew quarters, 24-hour paid in-house staff, and increased staff numbers to reduce response times. Director Johnson and the County Commissioners have been discussing these points for several months.

"We understand the importance of every minute in traumatic and medical emergencies," noted Director Johnson. "That's why we have been improving our partner relationships with hospitals, flight, and other EMS agencies, as well as upgrading equipment and expanding training and educational opportunities with partnerships nationally and internationally for our staff to ensure they're prepared for every situation possible."

Supporting the Community

Powder River EMS encourages the community to stay informed and prepared by attending first aid and CPR training sessions hosted throughout the year. With the right knowledge and prompt emergency calls, we can continue to ensure the safety and health of our community.

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Director Johnson and Captain Johnson both have extensive experience in the medical field ranging from being emergency managers and direct patient care providers in urban, rural and remote locations, to dedicated work in the emergency room, operating rooms, and experience in the product development and procurement of specific medical devices. All devices and agency protocols are reviewed by our Critical Care Paramedics and Powder River County Medical Director. This information is cross referenced with current EMS National Standards, the military Joint Trauma Systems (JTS) Clinical Practice Guides (CPG), other EMS agency protocols and interventions, National Training Associations i.e. American Heart Association (Gold Standard in Medical Communities) international partners protocols and interventions i.e. UK Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM), College of Paramedics, Joint Royal Colleges Ambulance Liaison Committee (JRCALC), College of Remote and Offshore Medicine (CoROM), other military sources and guides to ensure the best training, equipment, skills, knowledge, and capabilities of the EMS service in our remote/rural/frontier community.

Residents and community members are encouraged to engage with Powder River County EMS and attend CPR and First-Aid training provided by EMS or Montana Health Network Registered Nurse (RN) Julie Russell. Experienced and qualified instructors lead these courses to ensure citizens have the most up to date information, skills, and confidence provided for their training level. Class offerings cover what to do in emergencies and the best equipment to use during emergencies.

For more information concerning educational opportunities and medical device needs contact Powder River County Director of EMS Adam Johnson.