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Air Currents
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exposures in children under the age of
six during that same time period.
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FROM
FL I GHT
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The Air Life clinical staff handles medical emergencies every
day, but they also have a wealth of knowledge when it comes
to safety, minor injuries and ailments. In this issue, our perinatal
flight nurse Sue Standly, RNC, shares tips on Lead Poisoning.
Though it hasn’t been a top news story
since pencils switched to graphite, lead
poisoning remains an important
preventable public health problem.
Children can be exposed to lead
through a variety of sources - often in
ways parents and grandparents might
not suspect.
Although ingestion of
paint dust from lead based
paint remains the most
significant source of lead
exposure in children, lead
can be present in unsus
pected objects which,
when ingested, can result
in elevated lead levels.
Lead can be present in
curtain weights, fishing
sinkers, lead shot/pellets
and clothing accessories.
As we all know, children
have a fondness for put
By regulation, paint or surface coatings
may not contain more than 0.06 percent
lead content on items intended for
children. For all other products not
intended for children, the hazardous
amount of lead is determined on
case-by-case basis. Although testing for
lead hazards is recommended prior to
the sale, it is not required under current
federal regulations. That’s one reason
it's so important to watch out for little
ones around the house. That fishing
sinker isn’t just a choking hazard, it
might also be a risk for lead poisoning.
Sue Standly, RNC
ting things in their mouths. In 2002,
the American Association of Poison
Control Centers received over 80,000
calls regarding ingestion of foreign bod
ies, toys and miscellaneous objects in
children under the age of six. Though
it’s unknown how many of these cases
involved lead foreign bodies, poison cen
ters received 6,000 calls about lead
Where Else is Lead Lurking?
Lead can be found in curtain weights, fishing sinkers, lead shots/pellets and
clothing accessories. But did you know about these potential sources of lead
poisoning?
♦ Lead-based paint and lead-contaminated dust found in deteriorating
buildings.
♦ Materials used in making stained glass windows.
♦ Lead pipes, solder, brass fixtures and valves can contain lead that
can contaminate drinking water.
♦ Home health remedies arzacon and greta (used for upset stomach or
indigestion) and pay-loo-ah (used for rash or fever).
Symptoms of lead poisoning can
include irritability, lethargy or
hyperactivity, abdominal pain,
constipation, or vomiting. If you
suspect your little one may have
ingested an object containing lead,
call 911 immediately and seek
medical help. Try to keep
the child calm. And as
always, prevention is
the most important factor.
If it’s big enough to fit in
a child’s mouth, it
should be kept safely
out of reach.
Membership dollars benefit patients in unexpected ways
Funds from membership fees
help ground and air programs gain
lifesaving skills and equipment
Most people already know the perks of
membership with Air Life or any of our
FireMed affiliates — protection from out-
of-pocket costs for emergency transport
is a pretty good deal. But most people
aren’t aware of the flurry of fringe bene
fits those membership dollars create
behind the scenes — benefits you may
very well reap in the future.
“We’re now able to provide a higher level
of care to our patients,’’ explained
Division Chief Dave Pickhardt. “These
defibrillators are the most technological
ly advanced systems for pre-hospital
care. They’re the same as what’s used
on the Air Life aircraft.”
The new systems are particularly critical
when Redmond crews respond to rural
areas and every second is critical. “With
this equipment, we can send a fax of the
patient’s vitals from a ranch in Powell
Butte to the ER," he added.
On the Air Life end of the spectrum,
Air Life ground affiliate Redmond Fire &
membership dollars have played an inte
Rescue recently put membership
gral role in operations for more than 19
revenue to good use by purchasing new
years. Most recently, membership rev
defibrillators for emergency response
enue helped fund the SimMan® training
vehicles. The defibrillators allow para
aid to allow the clinical team to practice
medics to shock a heart back to a regu
lifesaving trauma skills ranging from
lar rhythm. The
intubation to
monitors also
inserting a chest
allow para
tube.
medics to see a
patient’s heart
“With any skill, the
rhythm and
more you practice,
obtain 12 lead
the more it
cardiac trac
becomes routine,”
ings. oxygen
explained Michele
levels, blood
Moore, Air Life’s
pressure and
lead flight respira
other details.
tory therapist. “This
By combining
piece of equipment
$20,000 in
will make sure the
Paramedic student Dan Meyer (left) and paramedic Jim Robinson,
membership
flight team’s skills
of Redmond Fire & Rescue inspect the new defibrillators that
revenue with
are as sharp as
were funded in part by membership dollars.
$76,000 from
they can possibly
the City of
be so they’re ready
Redmond and a $3,000 grant from
to deal with every emergency and
Air Life. Redmond Fire & Rescue has
trauma scenario imaginable."
made sure patients in their service area
Though Air Life manages the member
have access to the best lifesaving equip
ship programs for 11 ground EMS agen
ment available.
cies, each agency decides how to use
membership revenue. Typically, however,
those funds are earmarked for training
and equipment — something Air Life
Membership Coordinator Wanda
Grindstaff says is a benefit for members.
“When people write that check for their
family membership, they don’t usually
realize that money is helping to pay for
equipment that might save someone’s
life,” she explained. “That $45 or $80
check could make all the difference for
someone’s mother, father or child."
Air Currents Staff
E ditor
Tawna Fenske
tfenske@scmc.org
(
541 ) 617-2688
For more information about Air Life, contact:
Director
Vern Bartley
vbartley@scmc.org
M em bership
Coordinator
Wanda Grindstaff
wgrindst@scmc.org
or visit our Web site
at wwnv.airlife.org
trcamts
Cm m m tm on A tcnéU hm ut M e ita i D atsprt S fslm s
Accredited since 2001
Publication Title
Air Currents
Issue Date
May 10. 2004
Statement of Frequency
Three times per year
Authorized Organization's Name and Address
Air Life of Oregon
2SOO NE Neff Rd.
Bend. OR 97701
(S41) 385 6305
1 800-353-0497