Ebola brings ‘heightened awareness’ for emergency crews
DANIEL CLIFTON and CONNIE SWINNEY • PICAYUNE STAFF
MARBLE FALLS — When Marble Falls Area EMS crews responded to a woman in Horseshoe Bay on the morning of Oct. 14 who was exhibiting symptoms possibly similar to ebola, staff went in prepared for the worst.
“It was the first time to use our (high-contagion) plan,” said Jim Persons, EMS operations director. “The actual plan we had was implemented, and it worked very well.”
The plan included a higher level of notification, limiting the number of personnel in contact with the patient and donning protective gear. Persons explained that down to how they contact the receiving hospital and how the patient is handed off is covered in this plan.
Marble Falls Area EMS transported the woman to Lakeway Regional Medical Center, whose staff has been undergoing increased training in case they must deal with an ebola patient.
Fortunately, this case wasn’t one of ebola. Lakeway Regional Medical Center officials said the Centers for Disease Control staff confirmed this wasn’t the deadly disease.
And, Persons confirmed the case wasn’t a public safety risk.
But, he added, it was a good opportunity for the Marble Falls EMS, local first responders and the hospital to react as if it was a possible ebola case. From the response, Persons said the plan worked, but it did highlight the importance for continued review and practice.
Since medical and CDC personnel confirmed the first ebola case in the United States on Sept. 30, two more people have been diagnosed with it. The first person died Oct. 8. The two new cases are medical staff, who treated the first person at Texas Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas. Both nurses are undergoing treatment as CDC and medical officials began seeking out people with whom they might have come in contact.
Burnet County officials are monitoring the situation in Dallas but urged people to understand there is no direct threat to the Highland Lakes at this time. But, they pointed out, the emergency responders and medical professionals are at a “heightened awareness.”
“We are being apprised of those events (in Dallas) on a daily basis,” said Jim Barho, the Burnet County emergency management coordinator. “Our primary concern is first responders. In their primary duty, they would be the initial contact. They may or may not know if the patient (they are responding to) is suspected of being infected or having something contagious.”
Barho said dispatchers are asking extra questions when they receive a call regarding somebody with a high fever or flu-like symptoms. These questions can include if the patient recently traveled overseas.
The idea, Barho said, is to provide as much information to the EMS personnel and first responders as possible before they arrive at the residence or location.
Already, first responders have enacted protocols specifically for infectious diseases when responding to certain calls.
Dr. Juliette Madrigal, the Burnet County Health Authority, met with EMS and first responders Oct. 14 and came away secure in how they are implementing protocols and planning.
“I have the utmost confidence in our emergency services out here. They are absolutely ready,” she said. “They are absolutely on the ball and have a wonderful protocol for responding to emergency situations.”
Part of it means erring on the side of safety. This, Madrigal said, includes no direct physical contact with the patient and wearing respirators. Another part includes how EMS crews transfer patients when they arrive at the hospital. The turnover occurs in a parking lot or somewhere else outside the regular emergency room away from other people. The hospital staff then takes the patient to a special room designed to handle highly infectious patients.
While it might seem overreactive, Madrigal said there’s good reason to take these precautions considering that in West Africa, ebola has a 50-70 percent fatality rate. Though she doubts such a rate would occur in the United States, the disease still warrants necessary precautions.
“It’s one of the scariest organisms we’ve seen on this planet,” Madrigal said.
While ebola is taking the spotlight when it comes to contagious diseases, Persons said EMS crews respond to those types of calls every day. The recent attention on ebola has provided a kind of wake-up call to paramedics and other first responders.
Persons said the crews are more vigilant about putting on protective gear when responding to all possible infectious disease calls.
“It’s made us more diligent in taking care of ourselves,” he added.
But it’s also given first responders a pause to look at their current personal-protective equipment, which does meet CDC standards, and making sure they are comfortable putting it on and taking it off.
While the Highland Lakes isn’t under an ebola threat, officials urged residents to do one thing that would help everybody: Get a flu shot.
Influenza and ebola share some of the same symptoms, Persons said, so if people can limit the chances of catching the flu, it helps first responders and medical professionals as well.
Madrigal and Barho concurred with Persons’ request.
“Get your flu shot,” Madrigal said. She estimated that an ebola vaccine should be released as early as December, but even then, it’s availability may be limited. Anybody with the flu or another illness should take regular precautions and limit contact with other people as best possible. Even though the Highland Lakes remains somewhat rural, Madrigal said people tend to use the same grocery stores and other places, which means transmission of contagions can actually increase.
Other precautions are as simple as washing hands and covering up your nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing for limiting the spread of any infections or diseases.
As for emergency response crews and the local plans when it comes to infectious diseases, Madrigal remained confident.
“At this point, I believe we’re as ready as we can be,” she said.
editor@thepicayune.com
Seton Highland Lakes offering free flu shots for kids
BURNET — On Oct. 18, Seton Highland Lakes is providing free flu shots to children ages 6 months to 18 years of age. The vaccinations will be offered at Hill Country Fellowship Church, 200 Houston Clinton Drive in Burnet, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Funding from the Children’s Healthcare Endowment makes this clinic possible.
Pre-registration and appointments are not required. Call (512) 715-3363 for more information.