CAP medical support staff

[manfredvonrichthofen]

There is one issue that I see, and please just take this as an opinin, because that is what it is.

When it comes to search and rescue, which almost any real mission can become including missing aircraft and disaster relief, the chances for first aid and CPR become a real need. When you become first aid and CPR certified it should be known that because someone is certified that they know it doesn't mean that they will be able to perform correctly when they are in a real world situation with the stresses that come wih the situation. Personally I would like EMTs to be able to operate within their basic scope of practice, not including standing orders of medical direction at the local hospital. Because there can be factors in trauma and things of the sort that make a standard mouth to mouth procedure ineffective. I we do not have EMS we need the ability to sustain life the best we can until we can get them to EMS. I do believe with out members we have the best chance to sustain life with basic CPR, especially when it comes to the average teenagers, for the most part our cadets are above the average teenager. But if we had better capabilities we could have a better chance. This just comes from someone who has been studying and training to be an EMT, and has been looking at the potential application for GSAR.

[RADIOMAN015]

There is one issue that I see, and please just take this as an opinin, because that is what it is.

When it comes to search and rescue, which almost any real mission can become including missing aircraft and disaster relief, the chances for first aid and CPR become a real need. When you become first aid and CPR certified it should be known that because someone is certified that they know it doesn't mean that they will be able to perform correctly when they are in a real world situation with the stresses that come wih the situation. Personally I would like EMTs to be able to operate within their basic scope of practice, not including standing orders of medical direction at the local hospital. Because there can be factors in trauma and things of the sort that make a standard mouth to mouth procedure ineffective. I we do not have EMS we need the ability to sustain life the best we can until we can get them to EMS. I do believe with out members we have the best chance to sustain life with basic CPR, especially when it comes to the average teenagers, for the most part our cadets are above the average teenager. But if we had better capabilities we could have a better chance. This just comes from someone who has been studying and training to be an EMT, and has been looking at the potential application for GSAR.

This all gets down to liability and insurance costs.  CAP is never going to authorize as an organization anything more than basic type CPR and first aid.   IF it's a response to an aircraft crash, it is likely that public safety EMS will be with you (or not that far behind you. Even in disaster relief the geographic area you are supporting should have a plan in place for emergency medical care, that isn't CAP responsibility.  As far as CAP activities are concern, that's defined in the regulation as how support is provided.   HOWEVER, I don't think any EMT, paramedic, nurse, or physician is going to let a member die/incur more serious injury in any emergency without intervening to do what they can within the limits of their training & equipment available.     
RM

[Major Lord]

"HOWEVER, I don't think any EMT, paramedic, nurse, or physician is going to let a member die/incur more serious injury in any emergency without intervening to do what they can within the limits of their training & equipment available."

Well, it kind of depends on how much we like them.....

Major Lord, EMT Etc. 

[Private Investigator]

CAP SM with EMT-B -  "oh no, someone is hurt! I shall call 911"

CAP SM with EMT-I - "Oh no, someone is hurt! I shall call 911"

CAP SM with Paramedic - "oh no, someone is hurt! I shall call 911"

CAP SM with an M.D./D.O - Oh no, someone is hurt! I shall call 911"

CAP random SM with no med quals at all - "oh no, someone is hurt! I shall call 911"

^ That's about it.

Still ROFLMAO   :clap:

[754837]

The ES mission has pretty much run it's course.  I wish we could find a meaningful replacement for it.  Just an opinion of a full time, paid ES guy.

[Eclipse]

My wing is heavily involved in traditional SAR, and increasingly DR, not to mention moving into HLS areas and starting to play with GIIEP, and we aren't close to the most active.

ES is alive and flourishing in CAP.

[Spaceman3750]

My wing is heavily involved in traditional SAR, and increasingly DR, not to mention moving into HLS areas and starting to play with GIIEP, and we aren't close to the most active.

ES is alive and flourishing in CAP.

I met a county EMA deputy director at my squadrons banquet this year (he's a good friend of the SQ/CC). The first question he asked was "You guys have GIIEP, right?".

[tsrup]

The biggest problem with the idea of CAP "medics" or "medical officers" (especially during encampment) is the idea that they are now treated as the post doctor. 

First and formost EMTs do not provide definitive care.  At no time will I ever (even if it's painfully obvious) make a diagnosis of a medical condition.  There are things that are more probable than others (dehydration, cramps etc) that are mostly dependent on the activity leading up to that point, but I will help within my scope and not risk my license or my livelihood on practicing without medical direction and without regulatory protection. 

On ground team missions I carry what I can legally use without medical direction, and I will provide care up to my level of training while ensuring that the victim is well on their way to safely receiving definitive medical care. 


The problem I've noticed personally about EMT's in this position, is the unrealistic expectations that laymen place on them.  I know that within weeks of getting licensure I was getting phone calls from friends and peers asking for medical advice.  To which I responded in the only way a person in this position should "If you have to call me, then you should go to a hospital/doctor/clinic".