EMS Mental Health Study

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in Employee Wellness, Human Resources, Operations.

“Dynamic psychosocial risk and protective factors associated with mental health in Emergency Medical Service (EMS) personnel”

Published in the Journal of Affective Disorders

Highlighted Findings

  • Emergency medical service personnel have a heightened risk for PTSD and depression relative to other occupational populations.
  • Dynamic psychosocial factors contribute to this elevated risk.
  • Daily occupational stressors predicted elevated PTSD symptom severity.
  • Daily social conflicts predicted elevated depression symptom severity.
  • The meaning made from the day’s challenges and recovery activities predicted lower depression symptom severity.

Full Study

EMS Industry Targeted in Program Implemented by OSHA to Protect Employees from COVID

Written by Scott Moore on . Posted in Employee Wellness, Human Resources, Labor Relations.

One of the first actions taken by the Biden Administration the day after the Inauguration was to issue an Executive Order directing OSHA to focus their efforts on protecting the American workforce. Following that Executive Order, OSHA has implemented a National Emphasis Program (NEP) to ensure that employees in high-hazard industries, including EMS providers, are protected from contracting COVID-19. The NEP is intended to augment OSHA’s educational and enforcement efforts with unprogrammed, COVID-19 related activities, including complaints, referrals, and severe incident reports. The March 12, 2021 announcement also states that it is updating the Interim Enforcement Response Plan to prioritize on-site workplace inspections. The NEP also includes plans to ensure that workers are protected from retaliation. Lastly, states that have an OSHA-approved state-level plan, have 60 days to notify OSHA if they already have the equivalent to an NEP plan or will adopt the federal plan.

What does this mean for EMS providers? 

This should serve as an alert to EMS agencies that they should revisit their safety and risk programs, including their Respiratory Protection Programs, to ensure that they are prepared for a visit from OSHA.

Respiratory Protection Programs

At many EMS agencies, this is part of the bloodborne and airborne protection policies that have been in place for decades.  I caution agencies to review their existing plan against OSHA’s Respiratory Protection Regulations.  Under the regulations, all individuals who are mandated to wear an N95 or other respirator must complete a medical questionnaire that is reviewed by a physician or other healthcare provider prior to the employee having to donning the mask while working.

The regulation provides elements of a Respiratory Protection Program that includes identifying a Respiratory Program Administrator (RPA) that is designated by a Medical Director who will be responsible for developing, maintaining, and ensuring compliance with policies, procedures, and practices relative to the selection, storage, use, and maintenance of respirators.  Additionally, the RPA is responsible for conducting or coordinating all training, fit testing, and recordkeeping required by the regulations.

OSHA has published a Small Entity Compliance Guide for the Respiratory Protection Standard.  This is a 124-page document that outlines the Respiratory Protection Standards and provides sample templates and checklists that can be utilized by employers to assist with compliance.  Like with patient care documentation, be sure that your Respiratory Protection Program documentation is sufficiently detailed and includes:

  • A written copy of all current, and past Respiratory Protection Program documentation (P&Ps, etc.)
  • The name of all current and past RPAs
  • All medical determinations (Fit Testing Medical Questionnaire reviewed by MD)
  • All Fit Testing records
  • All Respiratory Protection Program training records
  • Personal Protection Equipment Hazard Assessments
  • All Risk Assessments post employee exposure (Unprotected Exposure Investigation Forms)
  • All exposure control records
  • Documentation demonstrating the method utilized to communicate safety related information to employees.

What do I do if I receive a call from OSHA?

It is unnerving to receive a phone call from a local, state, or federal oversight agency.  However, contact from an oversight agency does not always mean that they have received a complaint.  All U.S. Department of Labor agencies perform outreach in the various regions to educate and engage employers and different industry groups.

That being said, the U.S. DOL is a busy agency, especially during the pandemic.  Most likely, if your organization is being contacted by OSHA, it is due to a complaint, referral, or data targeting run.  The first two are self-explanatory.  A data targeting run is the identification of a specific employer through analysis of data submitted to the agency.  This is typically information such as electronically submitted workplace injury and illness data.

If you receive a call from OSHA, my recommendation is to listen more than you speak. Take copious notes and document the conversation immediately following the call.  The OSHA representative will tell you why they are calling and will likely request various documents or other evidence be sent to their office. Do not expect that they will tell you who complained, and I would not ask.  My suggestion, request that the representative email or fax over a letter identifying the representative, the documents or other information they are seeking, the date that you must furnish the information, and the method upon which they want the information sent.

You may not have firsthand knowledge of the issue or incident that led to the complaint to OSHA. That is okay. You can tell the representative that you and your team will investigate and/or compile the requested information following the call and respond. The investigator does not expect that you will necessarily have all the answers at the time of the call. You should be courteous and responsive but remember that a response that is carefully considered and crafted is likely to lead to the best result.  Do not wing it!  Lastly, no matter whether you know who complained or not, do not take any action that can be viewed as retaliatory against employees.

What do I do if an OSHA Investigator appears at my workplace?

Generally speaking, an OSHA Investigator will not just appear in your workplace.  Not to say that they cannot.  They certainly can.  If an OSHA Investigator comes to your workplace you do have certain rights, but so does OSHA.  OSHA has the right to arrive unannounced, gain access to the workplace without significant delay, and question employees privately.  They will show you their OSHA credentials and you should ask for a business card.

An employer has the right to demand to see an inspection warrant.  This is the document that is the basis for OSHA’s probable cause for the inspection.  However, I do not recommend demanding the inspection warrant.  This will most certainly put you and the OSHA investigator in an adversarial position.  As they say, this can go one of two ways, hard or less hard.

An employer has the right to an opening conference. Many important things can happen during the opening conference. First, you can learn the nature of the complaint and related investigation and attempt keep the scope of the investigation as narrow as possible. Next, you can establish the probable cause for the visit and learn their plans for the investigation.  This will likely include a worksite “walking around” inspection, interviews, document review, etc.  You can better prepare once you know what to expect.

An employer has the right to accompany the OSHA Investigator during their site inspection.  I recommend taking photos of anything that the investigator documents or inspects and documenting physical evidence or documents that they take during the inspection.  You may also ask the investigator for a log of any evidence taken.  Lastly, you should know that the investigator has the right to interview your employees privately.  However, you have the right to be present during any management interview.

Bottom line, you should cooperate with the investigator. They are people too and generally want to help employers be complaint with the law.  They are not looking to find violations. They are looking to ensure compliance and protect workers. From my time working at the U.S. DOL, I can attest that we appreciated cooperative and friendly employers who know the law and can quickly provide the information or documents we are seeking.  The quicker and more responsive I found an employer to be, the greater likelihood my index of suspicion reduced, and that the employer was following the law.

Conclusion

OHSA has identified that the NEP will be in place for the next twelve (12) months.  NEP plans are intended to be temporary but can be extended if the pandemic continues past the anniversary of the plan.   While there were numerous industries listed in the OSHA notice, ambulance service providers were specifically identified as one of the high-risk industries that would be the focus of this new program.

If your service has questions or needs assistance with ensuring that your organization is compliant, be sure to contact hello@ambulance.org for assistance.

Webinar 5/13 | Challenges for EMS Employers in a Time of Legalized Marijuana

Written by Scott Moore on . Posted in Employee Wellness, Hiring & Screening, Human Resources, Labor Relations, Leadership & Management, Webinars.

Canna-Business Decisions: Challenges for EMS Employers in a Time of Legalized Marijuana

Regular Price: $250.00 | Member Price: $0.00
May 13, 2021 | 14:00 | Free to Members

Speakers: Scott Moore, Esq. & Margaret Keavney, Esq.

There has been a wave across the U.S. of legislation that has legalized medicinal and recreational marijuana. This wave has caused considerable challenges for EMS employers given the nature of the work performed by the EMS workforce. In many instances, the state law prohibits an employer from discriminating or taking other disciplinary action against workers for their off-duty marijuana use. Many EMS employers are federal contractors or grantees and must abide by the Drug Free Workplace Act of 1988. However, due to the newness of legalized marijuana, the application of the state and federal law has not played out in the courts allowing employers to understand how to ensure compliance with laws that appear to contradict each other. EMS attorneys, Margaret Keavney of Keavney & Streger, LLC and Scott Moore, AAA HR and Operations Consultant will host a point-counterpoint town meeting where they will discuss the intersection of current law and will provide recommendations for EMS leaders to ensure that they are providing a safe working environment for both employees and patients.

Register Now

ResponderStrong | Personalized Wellness for Emergency Responders

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in Employee Benefits, Employee Wellness.

Grit Digital Health Introduces World’s First Personalized Wellness Platform for Emergency Responders

Access YOU | ResponderStrong

At a time when emergency responders are under immense stress, innovative health tech organization develops YOU | ResponderStrong wellness tool to support comprehensive well-being for at-risk group

DENVER, Aug. 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Grit Digital Health LLC, a tech startup at the intersection of behavioral health, well-being and technology, has partnered with The Anschutz Foundation, Global Medical Response (GMR) and All Clear Foundation to create YOU | ResponderStrong — the world’s first personalized wellness platform for emergency responders. Emergency responders face well-being challenges (e.g. shift work, consistent exposure to trauma, and working in high risk environments) that put them at higher risk for mental health issues and suicide, yet barriers make it difficult to seek out available resources and discuss concerns, leaving many to struggle with these challenges alone.

For emergency responders, rescuing others is second nature, but the mental and physical impacts can be debilitating if left unaddressed. Studies show that first responders are more likely to die by suicide than in the line of duty, 20 to 25 percent of all first responders experience post-traumatic stress and the life expectancy of a first responder is 20 years less than average.

“Responders shouldn’t pay for their service with their lives, either in longevity or quality,” said Rhonda Kelly, founder of ResponderStrong and director of health, wellness and resilience for GMR. “Especially now when the stressors are so extreme and prolonged, burnout is on a meteoric rise. The result of our failing to meet our basic human needs, burnout is one of our biggest enemies. This tool is a tremendous aid in supporting our self-care, building our resiliency, and improving our quality of life.”

Using a human-centered research and design process, the founding partners of you.responderstrong.org brought together national leaders across various emergency responder verticals (law enforcement, EMS, fire service, dispatch and healthcare workers, etc.) to uncover the needs, motivations and challenges of these populations with respect to their mental health and well-being. The insights gathered during this process highlighted the increased pressure and new risks currently facing emergency responders across the country.

“One challenge that has been clear for first responders is figuring out the balance between being able to perform their jobs and also act in the other roles they fill as parents and spouses,” said Caleb Demers, LCSW, who works directly with emergency responders as a clinical social worker and member of the LEADER program at McLean Hospital. “Many patients we work with use a lot of energy attempting to not ‘bring the work home,’ but now that is a tangible fear with more immediate consequences. We see first responders work very hard to maintain confidence and competence in their roles, but when their supports are not as accessible, it affects their mental health.”

The solution is a digital platform, available 24/7, with hundreds of evidence-based resources and tools to support emergency responders with their personal and professional well-being. The first platform of its kind, YOU | ResponderStrong uses a tailored profile and proprietary health assessments to personalize the experience for each emergency responder that creates an account. The platform delivers customized online resources and tools across three areas of well-being: Succeed (financial and career success), Thrive (mental and physical health) and Matter (purpose and connections). The foundations of this comprehensive approach lie in Grit Digital Health’s proprietary well-being model.

“High stress work environments invariably lead to stress that carries into one’s personal life,” said Nathaan Demers, Psy.D., VP and director of clinical programs at Grit Digital Health. “It’s essential that we support the comprehensive well-being of emergency responders by decreasing the stigma and providing educational resources regarding how to support peers, as well as oneself. This is especially important in times of heightened stress, as we see now in light of COVID-19.”

The platform is built on a research-backed tool called YOU, a personalized well-being software created for college campuses and later expanded to serve rural veterans, community mental health centers, workplace wellness and now emergency responders. The platform provides an experience aligned with key research insights gathered from emergency responders: maintaining confidentiality, keeping data secure, including crisis information and providing 24/7 access to support any need any time. Data provided to tap into the platform’s personalization algorithm is completely anonymous, an essential aspect in building trust with emergency responders using the platform.

“Emergency Responders sacrifice more than most and shoulder unfathomable burdens to keep us all safe,” said Janell Farr, president of All Clear Foundation. “They are so focused on helping others that they often don’t take time to help themselves. And if they would like to, options have previously been limited. With YOU | ResponderStrong, responders can now easily assess their overall well-being and immediately access content to enhance their health, well-being and everything in-between.”

The platform is currently undergoing further testing and iteration efforts. Grit Digital Health will collaborate with the founding partner organizations to roll out a second version of the ResponderStrong wellness tool in fall 2020. The release will include learnings from testing with emergency responders and analysis of impact/engagement data. See the tool in action by visiting you.responderstrong.org.

About Grit Digital Health

Grit Digital Health develops behavioral health and well-being solutions through design and technology that envision a new way to approach mental health and well-being. The company solves complex health problems through innovation and creativity, including products that address veteran transitions to civilian life, student loneliness and well-being, employee satisfaction and the mental health of working-age men. For more information, visit www.gritdigitalhealth.com.

About All Clear Foundation

All Clear Foundation is a nonpartisan, nonprofit 501(c)3 supporting First Responders by creating, convening, amplifying and funding innovative programs to improve their life expectancy and wellbeing – as well as the wellbeing of their families. In addition to YOU | ResponderStrong, the foundation has curated a First Responder Resource Database with thousands of resources for responders and their families, and recently launched  ResponderRel8, a peer-to-peer chat app that enables First Responders to connect, celebrate and commiserate with peers without fear or stigma getting in the way, and anonymously if they choose. To learn more about All Clear Foundation’s programs or to join the cause, visit AllClearFoundation.org.

About The Anschutz Foundation

Founded in 1984, The Anschutz Foundation was created by Philip F. Anschutz as a private charitable foundation. Over three decades, the foundation has given substantially to hundreds of nonprofit organizations primarily concentrated in Colorado. The Anschutz Foundation currently makes more than 500 grants annually. In 2016, The Anschutz Foundation received the Outstanding Foundation award from National Philanthropy Day in Colorado. This annual event celebrates exceptional philanthropic and volunteer contributions in Colorado. For more information, visit theanschutzfoundation.org.

About Global Medical Response (GMR)

With more than 38,000 employees, Global Medical Response teams deliver compassionate, quality medical care, primarily in the areas of emergency and patient relocation services in the United States, the District of Columbia and around the world. GMR was formed by combining the industry leaders in air, ground, managed medical transportation, and community, industrial/specialty and wildland fire services. Each of our companies have long histories of proudly serving the communities where we live: American Medical Response (AMR), Rural Metro Fire, Air Evac Lifeteam, REACH Air Medical Services, Med-Trans Corporation, AirMed International and Guardian Flight. Combined, we completed 4.9 million patient transports last year utilizing 7,000 ground vehicles, 111 fire vehicles, 306 rotor-wing aircraft and 106 fixed-wing aircraft. We are the largest medical transport company in the world, focusing on intimate and high-service solutions at a local level. For more information, visit globalmedicalresponse.com.

SOURCE Grit Digital Health LLC

Updated CDC Guidance for Fully Vaccinated Individuals

Written by Scott Moore on . Posted in Employee Wellness, Regulatory.

This past week, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) updated their guidance related to the COVID-19 vaccination. The guidance modifies the quarantine restrictions for fully vaccinated individuals who were exposed to COVID-19. The guidance is a small sign of progress for many EMS organizations who have been on the frontlines of the pandemic.

Under the most recent guidance, those individuals who are fully vaccinated (defined as those who are two weeks following the second dose administration), are within three months following the last dose in the series and have remained asymptomatic since the current COVID-19 exposure, are not required to quarantine. Individuals who do not meet all three criteria, must follow the current quarantine guidance. The guidance recommends that individuals who meet all three criteria should continue to monitor for COVID-19 related symptoms for two weeks following the exposure. If symptoms develop, individuals should be tested.

Many EMS organizations have inquired if the administration of the COVID-19 vaccination to their workforce modifies the state-level mask mandates or other bloodborne/airborne pathogen protection practices or procedures that are currently in place at EMS organizations or other healthcare facilities.  While the roll-out of the vaccination is a step in the direction of returning to a “new normal”, employers should know that this does not modify any existing COVID-19 related restrictions or requirements.  Employees should continue to wear masks, socially distance, and follow all other COVID-19 recommended safety precautions.

We will keep you informed of updates to the guidance by the CDC and other regulatory agencies.  Be sure to visit the CDC’s website for more information on the current CDC guidance for COVID-19 or the COVID-19 vaccination.  As always, if you have questions or need assistance, contact the AAA at hello@ambulance.org.

EMS.gov | Response to Incidents w Electric / Hybrid Vehicles

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in Employee Wellness, Operations, Professional Standards.

From NHTSA’s EMS.gov on February 11

New Report Highlights Potential Risks While Responding to Incidents Involving Electric or Hybrid Vehicles

Responders urged to review NHTSA guidance for vehicles equipped with high-voltage batteries

A new National Transportation Safety Board report offers safety recommendations for emergency response involving electric vehicles (EV) and hybrid-electric vehicles (HEV) equipped with high-voltage batteries.

NTSB investigations into four electric vehicle fires identified two major safety issues:

  • The inadequacy of vehicle manufacturers’ emergency response guides.
  • The gaps in safety standards and research related to high-voltage lithium-ion batteries involved in high-speed, high-severity crashes.

EMS, fire and law enforcement personnel are encouraged to review the report to stay up to date on the latest safety advisories for responding to vehicle crashes of this nature. In addition, NHTSA’s guidance for responding to emergency incidents involving these types of vehicles provides important information for all first responders and can be accessed on NHTSA.gov.

To access the full report, read the official NTSB announcement.

EMS.gov | Training Resources for Vaccination Programs Using EMTs

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in Drugs & Pharma, Emergency Preparedness, Employee Wellness, Operations, Patient Care.

From EMS.gov on February 10

These resources can serve as just in time training for vaccination programs utilizing emergency medical technicians:

Training video on COVID-19 intramuscular vaccine administration
This video created by the Maryland Institute of Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS) can be used to provide EMTs with didactic knowledge to administer IM injections. With the exception of the MIEMSS link referenced in the video, it can be used by EMTs in any state or territory. It should be accompanied by a skills assessment, which is discussed below.

Intramuscular Injection Skill Checklist
A clinical skills assessment checklist for EMTs preparing to administer IM injections.

SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Training for EMTs
A written description of the skills required of EMTs to administer the vaccine.

Moderna and Pfizer Vaccine Comparison
A simple side-by-side comparison of the Pfizer and Moderna SARS-CoV-2 vaccines

Vaccine Update Video
In this presentation from late January 2021, Florida State EMS Medical Director Kenneth Scheppke, MD, provides an overview of the latest science related to COVID vaccines.

COVID-19 Vaccination Training Programs and Reference Materials for Healthcare Professionals
CDC recommended resources to prepare healthcare workers to administer COVID-19 vaccines.

EMS Vaccine Administration Program Manual
This guide from the State of Indiana can serve as a resource to help state and local officials and EMS organizations with the creation and implementation of EMS vaccination programs.

CDC | National Forum on COVID-19 Vaccine

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in Employee Wellness, Operations, Patient Care.

Download CDC Fact Sheet

In support of the Biden-Harris administration’s National Strategy for the COVID-19 Response and Pandemic Preparedness, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is organizing a virtual National Forum on COVID-19 Vaccine that will bring together practitioners from national, state, tribal, local, and territorial levels who are engaged in vaccinating communities across the nation.

The Forum will facilitate information exchange on the most effective strategies to:

  • Build trust and confidence in COVID-19 vaccines
  • Use data to drive vaccine implementation
  • Provide practical information for optimizing and maximizing equitable vaccine access

Practitioners include representatives of organizations focused on vaccine implementation in communities from:

  • State, tribal, local, and territorial public health departments
  • Healthcare system providers and administrators and their national affiliate organizations
  • Pharmacies
  • Medical and public health academic institutions
  • Community-based health service organizations

Dates and Deadlines:

  • February 9: Registration opens: www.cdc.gov/covidvaccineforum
  • February 16: Last day to register
  • February 22: Building Trust and Vaccine Confidence
  • February 23: Data to Drive Vaccine Implementation
  • February 24: Optimize and Maximize Equitable Access

Download CDC Fact Sheet

US Department of Labor issues stronger workplace guidance on coronavirus

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in Employee Wellness, Regulatory.

U.S. Department of Labor | January 29, 2021

US Department of Labor issues stronger workplace guidance on coronavirus
New OSHA guidance seeks to mitigate, prevent viral spread in the workplace

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that its Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued stronger worker safety guidance to help employers and workers implement a coronavirus protection program and better identify risks which could lead to exposure and contraction. Last week, President Biden directed OSHA to release clear guidance for employers to help keep workers safe from COVID-19 exposure.

“Protecting Workers: Guidance on Mitigating and Preventing the Spread of COVID-19 in the Workplace” provides updated guidance and recommendations, and outlines existing safety and health standards. OSHA is providing the recommendations to assist employers in providing a safe and healthful workplace.

“More than 400,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 and millions of people are out of work as a result of this crisis. Employers and workers can help our nation fight and overcome this deadly pandemic by committing themselves to making their workplaces as safe as possible,” said Senior Counselor to the Secretary of Labor M. Patricia Smith. “The recommendations in OSHA’s updated guidance will help us defeat the virus, strengthen our economy and bring an end to the staggering human and economic toll that the coronavirus has taken on our nation.”

Implementing a coronavirus protection program is the most effective way to reduce the spread of the virus. The guidance announced today recommends several essential elements in a prevention program:

  • Conduct a hazard assessment.
  • Identify control measures to limit the spread of the virus.
  • Adopt policies for employee absences that don’t punish workers as a way to encourage potentially infected workers to remain home.
  • Ensure that coronavirus policies and procedures are communicated to both English and non-English speaking workers.
  • Implement protections from retaliation for workers who raise coronavirus-related concerns.

“OSHA is updating its guidance to reduce the risk of transmission of the coronavirus and improve worker protections so businesses can operate safely and employees can stay safe and working,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health Jim Frederick.

The guidance details key measures for limiting coronavirus’s spread, including ensuring infected or potentially infected people are not in the workplace, implementing and following physical distancing protocols and using surgical masks or cloth face coverings. It also provides guidance on use of personal protective equipment, improving ventilation, good hygiene and routine cleaning.

OSHA will update today’s guidance as developments in science, best practices and standards warrant.

This guidance is not a standard or regulation, and it creates no new legal obligations. It contains recommendations as well as descriptions of existing mandatory safety and health standards. The recommendations are advisory in nature, informational in content and are intended to assist employers in recognizing and abating hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm as part of their obligation to provide a safe and healthful workplace.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to help ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance.

LODD Grants | Brave of Heart Fund

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in Emergency Preparedness, Employee Wellness.

The Brave of Heart Fund provides monetary grants to eligible family members of frontline healthcare workers, healthcare volunteers and healthcare support staff who have lost their lives because of COVID-19. A spouse or domestic partner, a dependent child, or dependent parent are eligible. The Fund also offers behavioral and emotional support services from Cigna and grief coping resources from New York Life.

Established by the Foundations of New York Life and Cigna, the Brave of Heart Fund is owned and administered by E4E Relief, a disaster relief-focused subsidiary of Foundation For The Carolinas, a Section 501(c)(3) public charity.

Learn More & Apply

Eligible Healthcare Workers

For the purpose of the Brave of Heart Fund, an eligible healthcare worker is a person who lived in the U.S. at time of death and who worked or volunteered in or for a:

  • Licensed hospital
  • Medical center or clinic
  • Nursing home
  • Medical transport vehicle
  • Triage center
  • Other licensed medical facility, provider or setting

Also those who worked or volunteered as an emergency medical technician, ambulance technician or paramedic and who died from COVID-19-related causes any time through May 15, 2021.

Grants Description

There are two phases of grants available. Eligible expenses vary based upon which grant phase the eligible family member is applying . You may be eligible for both a Phase 1 and Phase 2 grant.

Phase 1

Phase 1 assistance is intended to cover expenses related to funeral and burial costs.

The family member who is eligible for a Phase 1 grant is the family member who is responsible for the funeral/burial expenses. Only one family member is eligible for a Phase 1 grant.

Phase 1 grants are $15,000. Only one Phase 1 grant is available in connection with each eligible healthcare worker or healthcare volunteer.

Phase 2

Phase 2 assistance is intended to cover long-term expenses such as food, clothing, housing, basic essential utilities, daycare/ childcare expenses, educational expenses, counseling, medical expenses for deceased healthcare worker, and transportation.

The family member(s) who is eligible for a Phase 2 grant is the family member(s) who was dependent on the deceased healthcare worker’s income for those expenses.

Phase 2 grants range up to $60,000 per eligible healthcare worker.
The exact amount will depend on a variety of factors including the applicant’s demonstration of financial need and the number of
eligible beneficiaries.

Learn More & Apply

For answers to frequently asked questions, including questions about eligibility, visit braveofheartfund.com/FAOs. Grant awards are discretionary and e final determination of grant eligibility and amounts will be made by E4E Relief, which is the public charity that owns and administers the Fund.

Questions about the Fund: (855) 334-7932 or email: questions@replyemail.braveofheartfund.com
Learn More & Apply

BMJ | Pfizer Second Dose Efficacy 95%

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in Employee Wellness, Operations, Patient Care.

Covid-19: Pfizer vaccine efficacy was 52% after first dose and 95% after second dose, paper shows
BMJ 2020; 371 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m4826 (Published 11 December 2020)
Cite this as: BMJ 2020;371:m4826

The Pfizer and BioNTech covid-19 vaccine may provide some early protection, starting 12 days after the first dose, the peer reviewed results of a phase III trial have found.

The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine,1 found that vaccine efficacy between the first and second doses was 52% (95% credible interval 29.5% to 68.4%), with 39 cases of covid-19 in the vaccine group and 82 cases in the placebo group.

Seven or more days after the second dose, vaccine efficacy then rose to 95% (90.3% to 97.6%), with eight covid-19 cases reported in the vaccine group and 162 cases in the placebo group.

The vaccine has so far been approved in Canada and in the UK, where it is already being rolled out to people over 80 and healthcare workers. In the US the Food and Drug Administration’s independent panel has voted in favour of emergency use authorisation for the vaccine, and the agency is expected to approve it within days.2

Continue Reading

OSHA | Submit Data to the Injury Tracking Application

Written by Scott Moore on . Posted in Employee Wellness, Regulatory.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced that it has opened the electronic Injury Tracking Application (ITA), where all employers are required to submit 2020 Injury and Illness Data.  All EMS employers are required to report their yearly Form 300A Summary of Work-Related Injuries & Illnesses.  The Form 300A Summary of Work-Related Injuries & Illnesses is the document that must also be posted in all employer work locations from February 1st through April 30th each year.  For those who have not electronically reported your injury and illness data to OSHA through the Injury Tracking Application (ITA) previously, you will need to establish a user name for your organization in order to electronically report your data.  The deadline for electronically reporting your injury and illness data is March 2, 2021.

We know that this has been an unusually busy work-related illness year for many EMS agencies due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  If you have questions or require assistance to ensure that you accurately report your work-related injury and illness data to OSHA, be sure to contact the AAA and its consultants for assistance.

JEMS Op-Ed | You Should Take the Vaccine

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in Employee Wellness, News, Press.

COVID-19 Can Kill You Now or Later. You Should Take the Vaccine.
By AJ Heightman on December 31, 2020

It pains me to have to write about a young, healthy EMS provider/firefighter from my hometown of Scranton, PA, but there is an important message for you to hear about COVID-19 and importance for all emergency responders to take the vaccines being offered to them.

Continue Reading

de Beaumont | COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance Language

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in Employee Wellness, Operations, Patient Care, Uncategorized.

From the de Beaumont Foundation

The findings of a new national poll, “The Language of Vaccine Acceptance,” reveal the urgent need for political and health leaders to adjust their messaging to improve confidence in COVID-19 vaccines. The poll identifies the language that will be most effective in reaching all Americans, especially those who are currently less likely to take a vaccine, including rural Americans, Republicans age 18-49, Black Americans 18-49, and women 18-49.

The nationwide poll was conducted by the de Beaumont Foundation and pollster Frank Luntz in partnership with the American Public Health Association, the National Collaborative for Health Equity, and Resolve to Save Lives, an Initiative of Vital Strategies.

Highlights

  • Sixty percent of Americans said they were either “absolutely certain” or would “probably” get the vaccine if they could now.
  • The groups least likely to say they were “absolutely certain” were Americans in rural/farm communities (26%), Republicans age 18-49 (27%), Black Americans 18-49 (28%), and women 18-49 (29%). This compares with 41% of all respondents who said they were “absolutely certain” they would get the vaccine.
  • When asked about the biggest concern about taking the COVID-19 vaccine, one-third of all respondents (33%) said either long-term side effects or short-term side effects. The top three statements about side effects that respondents found most reassuring were “the likelihood of experiencing a severe side effect is less than 0.5%,” mild side effects “are normal signs that their body is building protection,” and “most side effects should go away in a few days.”
  • When asked what they want most from a vaccine, respondents said “a return to normal,” followed by “safety” and “immunity.”
  • When asked which statement was the most convincing, 62% of respondents chose “getting vaccinated will help keep you, your family, your community, the economy, and your country safe and healthy” over “taking the vaccine is the right thing to do for yourself, for your family, your community, the economy, and the country” (38%). This highlights the need to avoid moralizing and lecturing Americans when it comes to the importance of vaccine acceptance.
  • Family is by far the most powerful motivator for vaccine acceptance. Significantly more Americans said they’d be most willing to take the vaccine for their family as opposed to “your country,” “the economy,” “your community,” or “your friends.”
  • The most convincing reasons to take the vaccine were “at 95 percent efficacy, this vaccine is extraordinarily effective at protecting you from the virus” and “vaccines will help bring this pandemic to an end,” and “getting vaccinated will help keep you, your family, your community, and your country healthy and safe.”

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