FAREMS

News

Recruitment and Retention Manual Available

The FAREMS-produced manual R&R: Recruitment and Retention of EMS Professionals in Rural Florida is now available. This 29-page manual is a compendium of research and best practices directly from Florida's rural agencies as well as organizations around the country. Get tips on how to recruit and retain quality EMS professionals for your agency. Become an agency member and get your manual free, or purchase a copy for $25. Click the link below to read the President's Message.

Rural EMS Managers Awareness Program

This document was published by the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and intended to provide new EMS agency managers with an orientation and reference guide to the broad scope of the EMS system.

Rural and Frontier EMS Agenda for the Future: A Service Chief's Guide to Creating Community Support of Excellence in EMS

As a companion to the Rural and Frontier EMS Agenda for the Future this document outlines some tasks in community assessment and planning, integration and regionalization, and quality and performance improvement that may be started by any rural or frontier EMS agency to improve access to timely, quality pre-hospital care. Click here to read the entire document. (From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Rural Health Policy.)

Farm Rescue and EMS

Agriculture is one of the most dangerous industries in the country. Too many EMS responders have been injured or killed due to lack of knowledge and training on farm equipment and machinery. This document provides U.S. Department of Health and Human Resources, Office of Rural Health Policy recommendations for farm rescue training in rural communities. Click here for the complete document.

Opportunities

Mental Health First Aid

Meridian Behavioral Healthcare is offering a Mental Health First Aid course for EMS professionals in north central Florida. This is a 12-hour course and covers the following topics: mental health and emotional problems; depression; crisis first aid for suicidal behavior; anxiety disorders, panic attacks and acute stress reaction; psychotic disorders; substance abuse disorders; and self-injury. The course is $19.95 per person and a class can be scheduled for your agency, or individuals may sign-up to attend nearby agency classes. For more information, contact Tracy at 352-256-5503 or tburger@farems.org, or Karen Rice at 352-374-5600 ext. 8187.

Medtronic HeartRescue Grant

The goal of the HeartRescue program in the U.S. is to have a long-term impact in our communities by creating a new generation of people who will understand the risk factors for SCA, will recognize SCA when it happens, and take immediate action to help save a life when it does. School-based training in emergency activation and CPR, particularly in high school, is an effective investment because these skills provide potential benefit throughout the community and not just at school. School training contributes to life long awareness, knowledge, and skills that can lead to more lives saved now, and in the future. Grant awards are in the range of $5,000 to $30,000 and can be for multiple years. Funds may NOT be used to purchase AEDs. Grant deadline is October 2010. For more information and grant guidance, go to: http://www.medtronic.com/foundation/programs_hr_guidelines_us.html

USDA Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant