MARCH 2020
PMREMS newsletter
RegionalResource
A Commitment to Caring
A
s we dutifully abide by directives brought on by the Coronavirus/COVD19 pandemic; we feel a need to assure the community of Pocono Mountain Regional Emergency Medical Services’ unwavering commitment. Joining our fellow front line first responders, we continuously monitor government and health agency guidelines. This knowledge
is shared with our professionals to ensure not only public safety but the welfare of our valuable team. This edition of Regional Resource newsletter looks back at March, reminding all, now is the time to stick to Social Distancing and other directives intended to conquer this depilating virus –for you –for your fellow man.
P oco n o M ou nta in R eg io n a l E m e rg e n cy M e dica l S e rv ice s Headquarters135 Tegawitha Rd, Tobyhanna, PA 18466 WebPMREMS.org
Phone570.839.8485 EMAILINFO.PMREMS@gmail.com
IN THIS EDITION
2 Community Message COVID19 Communications 4 Sharing a LVHN Note
Facemasks Sew or Not to Sew
6 Staff Spotlights
Your PMREMS Professionals
7 St Lukes
Connection
8 Subscribe Help Us Help You
Stay connected
for videos, photos and up to the minute news
COVID19
Commu Due to recent events as the result of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), Pocono Mountain Regional EMS has taken a proactive approach to the crisis from the beginning. PMREMS has increased necessary supplies and has enacted policies/procedures specific to the virus. PMREMS asks that all patients and family members to be transparent during the 911 call questioning and with our providers. Additional and more specific questions may be asked of the patient/ family during our initial contact with the patient. Our ambulances will continue to respond to all incidents in the same urgency regardless of suspected symptoms similar to the Coronavirus. By being transparent and answering the questions appropriately, it allows our providers to be better prepared. This also
unity MESSAGE
Instructional Communications have been, and will continue to also be, given to our valued professionals on the front line to ensure their safety and the safety of others.
PMREMS reduces the risk to our first responders so they can remain healthy in order to continue serving the community during this concerning and stressful time. Our providers may ask patients to wear a mask during assessment and transport. Don’t be alarmed, providers may be wearing gloves, masks, safety goggles, and gowns. This does not mean you are diagnosed with the virus, it is PMREMS policy following recommendations from the CDC. We must take all necessary precautions as our providers are on the frontline of emergency healthcare. PMREMS will continue to be available for patients that may experience a medical emergency in our communities providing the best pre-hospital care.
Employee Directives MESSAGES WERE PRESENTED BY Board President
Logan Evans
Business Manager
Nick DeWitt
BLS Manager
Mark Lemley ALS Manager
Lee V. Rosato
Face Mask Ask:
How Our Communities Can Help by Making Face Masks
SHARING
A MARCH MESSAGE FROM
We have had an outpouring of support from the community with offers of help. See the story below we shared with our community to help us during the coronavirus (COVID-19) health emergency. Please share the message with anyone who is handy with a sewing machine, so we can provide as many home-sewn face masks to our colleagues. You can direct people to: LVHN.org/facemask.
Where to bring completed face masks Bring completed face masks (in a clearly marked bag, box or container), to 2024 Lehigh St., Allentown, Pa., Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. More locations are coming soon.
Community is invited to donate materials that can be used to make face masks
Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) is seeking the community’s help to sew face masks for LVHN Those who have a sewing machine and sewing skills are invited to make fabric face masks for our team. Each person can use and reuse the same mask after laundering it. This helps us preserve our supply of professionally manufactured PPE. If you would like to sew face masks for LVHN, look for face mask sewing patterns and instructions on the web or use instructions (and watch video tutorials) at LVHN.org/ facemask.
Materials you will need to sew a face mask Use tightly-woven, breathable cotton fabric (preferred) or another tightly-woven, breathable fabric blend, in any color or pattern. You also will need elastic banding that’s used for sewing. Important: To ensure the health and safety of our employees, only healthy individuals with no one in their household experiencing symptoms should consider donating fabric and masks. Masks donated to LVHN will be laundered prior to use by LVHN colleagues.
Those who don’t sew, or don’t have a sewing machine, can still help by donating any of the following materials that can be used to make face masks. LVHN will get these materials to people who can sew to make more face masks. Needed materials include: • Fabric bolts – Tightly-woven, breathable cotton fabric (preferred), or fabric blend, also tightly-woven and breathable, in any color or pattern, can be donated to help us create face masks. • Cut pieces of fabric – Tightly-woven, breathable cotton fabric (preferred), or fabric blend, also tightly-woven and breathable, cut to 6-inches by 10-inches. • Swatches of fabric – If you have swatches of tightly-woven, breathable cotton fabric (preferred), or fabric blend, also tightly-woven and breathable fabric, we can use that as well. • Elastic used for sewing
Where to bring items that can be used to make masks Should you be able to donate any of the above materials, please clearly label the items and bring your fabric or elastic to 2024 Lehigh St., Allentown, Pa., Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.3 p.m.* Information subject to change- confirm with LVHN
Community is invited to donate new, unused PPE Bring completed face masks (in a clearly marked bag, box or container), to 2024 Lehigh St., Allentown, Pa., Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. More locations are coming soon.
Community is invited to donate materials that can be used to make face masks LVHN also will gladly accept new, unused PPE, such as: • N95 respirators • Dust masks • Eye protection • Goggles • Face shields
want to be a part
locally
and sew on...
Drop of your
facemasks for PMREMS
• Boxes of nitrile gloves • Hand sanitizer
Where to bring PPE donations To donate PPE, clearly mark contents and bring the items to: 2024 Lehigh St., Allentown, Pa., Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.- 3 p.m. Additional drop off locations for homemade masks will be coming soon. If you have any questions about donations, email covid19donations@lvhn.org. To stay up to date with information about COVID-19, visit LVHN.org/COVID19.
AT OUR STATION OFF ROUTE 611 ON
135 TEGAWITHA TOBYHANNA, PA QUESTIONS on coordination?
click here *All information provided above by LVHN is subject to change To ensure up-to-date direction please be sure to visit
LVHN.org/facemask
to send a
facebook dm (direct Message)
segment
Created by TJ Prince & Sunshine VanGorder
Joe VanOrden, NREMT-P Joe VanOrden was born in Carbondale, PA. He got his start in EMS in 2010 as an EMT. He was working as a fitness trainer, and it was suggested he get his CPR certification. From there, he looked into EMT, decided that it sounded interesting, and that got the ball rolling! In 2011, he received his paramedic certification, and soon after, certified as a flight medic. He came a long way from a lowly CPR certification! Joe has been a paramedic with us at PMR for 1 1/2 years. Joe says that his favorite part of EMS is helping others. He also likes helping other crews learn and assisting them with their care. Like the rest of us, he gets frustrated when patients misuse and abuse our ambulance service, but still puts his best foot forward and gives them the care they asked for.
Angel Manzueta, NREMT Angel has been working with PMR EMS since August 2019. Before working for PMR, Angel worked at Citizens Ambulance. He got involved in EMS through an internship he did his last year of college. He says the EMT program was an option to take as a free course. He said “ok, sounds really cool,” finished his internship and found out being an EMT was something he really wanted to do. He says the job “really keeps him on his toes and it’s important to stay sharp.” There’s a lot of developmental moments you see within yourself. It’s very rewarding and feels really
good to know you’ve done a good job when those moments come.
When seconds count, count on St. Luke’s.
Now a level IV Trauma Center Visit sluhn.org for the emergency room that’s closest to you.
State-of-the-Art Technology. New facilities and advanced medical and surgical equipment allow us to diagnose and treat the problem to get you the help you need. Patient-Centered Health Care Experience. Patient-friendly exam and waiting rooms, staffed by a collaborative team committed to providing the highest level of care for you and your family. P9117/10-19
How PMREMS
subscription
DRIVE Helps Us & Helps You
Comprising nearly 10% of revenue sources, our annual Subscription Drive is not only a critical part of Pocono Mountain Regional EMS revenue; it enables families to pay a fee of just $75 for emergency ambulance transport coverage June 1, 2020 to May 31, 2021. Responding to nearly 6900 emergency calls shows an elevated need. As call volume increases, so do
operating costs which include building and vehicle maintenance, equipment purchases, and training classes for our medical professionals. To help offset these costs and continue to give the quality of care you deserve, we turn to our community for help. While fundraising isn’t a new thing, we see it as an opportunity to not only subsidize operational expenses, but also cut costs for residents.
SEE HOW HELPING US HELPS YOU YOUR $75 Subscription
WITHOUT
•
Covers your household
•
•
Unlimited medically necessary 911 transports
•
PMREMS bills your insurance directly
•
No co-pay or deductible associated with your medical insurance coverage -plus- you will not be billed for the portion not covered by insurance
•
Accepted by ambulance services providing mutual aid to PMREMS A Note to Medicare Beneficiaries
Billed for the portion not covered by insurance that could mount to hundreds of dollars
Medicare pays 80% of their fee schedule leaving the patient responsible for a 20% balance
•
20% Medicare balance waived
•
Billed 20% Medicare Balance
Medicare beneficiaries may still be billed for co-payments & deductible if required by law
download a subscription Drive form
today
Did You Also Know
PMREMS is a nonprofit 501c3 donations may be ta x deductible* *Consult your tax /financial advisor to see how
donate
here
