y si enviámos más a los bomberos?

¿Y si enviamos más a los Bomberos?

5 DE SEPTIEMBRE DE 2016 · PÚBLICO

Son las 6 de la tarde de un domingo en un Cuartel de Iberoamérica, Los bomberos Municipales se encuentran de guardia junto a los compañeros de la Ambulancia de salud de la provincia.  La radio de los sanitarios indica que concurran a un accidente en una carretera a 10 km del Cuartel.  La central de despacho no envía a los Bomberos. 

Al llegar los sanitarios se encuentran con una colisión de dos coches, con 5 heridos, uno de ellos muy grave dentro de uno de los coches. Los sanitarios están colapsados, necesitan ayuda de mas compañeros, piden a los Bomberos y mas sanitarios que tardan otros 10 minutos en llegar.

¿Porque no se enviaron a los Bomberos en el primer momento?

La respuesta parece una paradoja que ya viene desde el siglo XX . ES QUE NO HABÍA ATRAPADOS...... 

Juro que no se de donde ha salido ese famoso concepto de gestión de accidentes de trafico, ATRAPADOS = BOMBEROS. En vez de: NIVEL DE GRAVEDAD DEL ACCIDENTE = BOMBEROS. 
Pero quien piense en protocolizar  solo  la primer opción, se esta olvidando una gran parte de las funciones de los servicios de Bomberos.  

Hace unos 12 años, acordamos en Buenos Aires con nuestro parque de Bomberos Voluntarios, enviar una dotación en apoyo del Hospital en TODOS los accidentes de trafico de la zona.  Al principio la Policía no entendía nada, “pues para que vienen SI NO HAY ATRAPADOS”  Entonces hicimos una lista de los beneficios que tenia esa acción simple de presentarnos en los accidentes. 

- Los Bomberos son los encargados de cerrar el aseguramiento de la escena. Que comienza la policía al delimitar la zona de actuación y redirigir el transito. Esto es controlar derrames, verificar caída de postes, cables, peligros en el coche, tubos de gas (GNC), cortar energía del mismo, inactivar Airbags y colaborar con los sanitarios en la atención, inmovilizacion y selección de victimas. Esto se traducía en una acción inmediata y coordinada de todos estos items mencionados, por la llegada al mismo tiempo de los 3 servicios. Sanitarios, policía, Bomberos. 

Si había atrapados, no hacia falta esperar que los primeros servicios en llegar pidieran a los Bomberos ahorrando tiempo a las victimas que habían sufrido el accidente. Esto produjo beneficios múltiples para médicos, policías y sobre todo para los pacientes. 

Cuando los protocolos no incluyen a los Bomberos, nos perdemos mucho del potencial que tiene este servicio general de emergencias para dar a la sociedad. Pensar en los Bomberos como fuego y atrapados es menoscabar su profesionalismo en otras fases indispensables de controlar. 

¿Cuantas veces los sanitarios y policías son enviados a accidentes laborales en plantas industriales y los bomberos no son enviados?  

Un compañero sanitario me comentaba que una cuba de hierro fundido se desprendió de uno de sus enganches y derramo el contenido sobre dos operarios de la planta. 

Pedimos a bomberos pero el Jefe de planta hablo con la central de emergencias y dijo “que no hacia falta  pues tenían todo controlado”  Menudo control me dijo el compañero, receloso de confiar en los mismos que tuvieron ese accidente grave. 

Los Bomberos son los ESPECIALISTAS EN RESCATE  y los que tienen los medios para actuar en diversas situaciones, por no decir casi todas, ademas de una fuerte formación en seguridad laboral y preventiva, En la mayoría de los parques de bomberos de iberoamérica hay  especialistas o gente con mucha experiencia en seguridad laboral e industrial.

¿Porque no se los aprovecha?

En los tristes y famosos atentados de París los SAPEURS POMPIERS tuvieron una actuación muy destacada, pensemos si con nuestros protocolos hubiésemos enviado a los bomberos o no. 

El otro día leía estadísticas sobre caídas de personas mayores y su influencia en las actuaciones de los parques de Bomberos. Imagine usted un abuelo de 90 años con una fractura de cadera en una 4 planta sin ascensor con dos sanitarios para bajarlo. 

Otro compañero sanitario me contaba que concurrieron a un domicilio con una chica que lloraba del dolor en la espalda, había sufrido una caída el día anterior en su trabajo, claro era un quinto piso. Solicitaron bomberos pero la central de despacho 911 les dijo si no se arreglaban con la policía local, pues no. Los especialistas que entrenan todo el día para ello eran los BOMBEROS.  Luego de varias discusiones sobre a quien se enviaba, los Bomberos sacaron a la chica en tablero y camilla nido por la ventana por medio de una escala. Los compañeros sanitarios tuvieron que resistir que el esposo de la chica les dijera de mala manera si era necesario tanto paripé y movilización y que les denunciaría. Pues resulto ser que la chica tenia una vertebra fracturada y gracias a todo ese “paripé” hoy tal vez tenga una vida normal. 

Pues podría estar toda la mañana escribiendo anécdotas de los compañeros sobre los beneficios de ENVIAR BOMBEROS. 

 Yo solo les pido a quienes gestionan las emergencias que valoren mas la labor y la eficacia de los Bomberos protocolizando con  mayor diversidad la tarea de ellos.

También es tarea de los Bomberos propagar sus aptitudes y cualidades para salir del cerco Fuego - atrapados y entrar en la variante de la emergencia general, en cuyo concepto la actuación del bombero es INDISPENSABLE, ante los nuevos riesgos que aparecen cada día. 

Para terminar recuerdo un chico de unos 18 años que entró a la guardia de nuestro parque Voluntario, balbuceaba, estaba haciendo rehabilitación por un terrible atropello,  con un grave trauma de cráneo con perdida de conocimiento, se estaba ahogando con su sangre y los Bomberos Voluntarios llamados por los vecinos, le aspiraron y mantuvieron permeable su vía aérea permitiendo que respirara hasta la llegada de los profesionales sanitarios. 

Ese chico no podía hablar, solo nos abrazo uno a uno, Ese gracias del alma creo que es suficiente para revisar todos los protocolos para incluir a los bomberos en futuras actuaciones.

R. Daniel Perez Lopez - Historia de Bomberos

Fuente: https://m.facebook.com/notes/historia-de-bomberos/y-si-enviamos-mas-a-los-bomberos/1143450605716259/ 

Ataques al corazon se relaciona con temperaturas de los incendios

Operativo Semana Santa 2017

- Con el objetivo de prevenir accidentes viales, evitar actos delictivos así como brindar ayuda y orientación a los vacacionistas que permita tener un saldo blanco, el Ayuntamiento de Cajeme puso en marcha el Operativo 'Semana Santa 2017' en coordinación con dependencias estatales, federales, Cruz Roja, H. Cuerpo de Bomberos de Cajeme y Grupos de Radio Ayuda.

How to fight cancer at your fire department

How to fight cancer at your fire department

Over the course of a career, firefighters can be exposed to an alarming amount of cancer-causing agents

By Merritt Kearns, faculty member, Emergency and Disaster Management and Fire Science Management, American Military University and Matthew Dewhirst, Battalion Chief with the Roanoke (Va.) Fire-EMS Department

Like many other fire departments across the country, the Roanoke (Va.) Fire-EMS Department has been hit hard with cases of cancer among its 240 members. In the last six years, more than a dozen current and recently retired members have been diagnosed with cancer.

The connection between cancer and the fire service is undeniable as evidenced by a number of studies listed on the Firefighter Cancer Support Network. Compared to the general population, firefighters are at a much higher risk for the following cancers:

Testicular cancer (2.02 times greater risk)
Multiple myeloma (1.53 times greater risk)
Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (1.51 times greater risk)
Skin cancer (1.39 times greater risk)
Prostate cancer (1.28 times greater risk)
Malignant melanoma (1.31 times great risk)
Brain cancer (1.31 times greater risk)
Colon cancer (1.21 times great risk)
Leukemia (1.14 times greater risk)
Breast cancer in women (preliminary study results from the San Francisco Fire Department)

WHY ARE CANCER RATES SO HIGH?
Firefighters are bombarded with toxins when they fight fires. The smoke found at structure fires contains particles that are full of cancer-causing agents. These agents enter the body when they are inhaled or absorbed through the skin. Over the course of a career, firefighters can be exposed to an alarming amount of cancer-causing agents.

HOW CAN FIREFIGHTERS PREVENT CANCER?
There are many resources available to help combat cancer within the fire service. The Fire Smoke Coalition is a great resource as they offer free “Know Your Smoke” training sessions all around the country. The Fire Smoke Coalition’s website also offers informational videos, papers and even draft SOGs/SOPs that your fire department can adopt. Many SOGs/SOPs are also available from the Firefighter Cancer Support Network’s website.

AVOID THE TOXIC TWINS
First of all, firefighters must wear self-contained breathing apparatus any time they are in an immediate danger to life and health (IDLH) environment. Remember, this includes being outside of the structure if firefighters are located in fire smoke. Firefighters must also wear their SCBA during overhaul.

Firefighters must always avoid the toxic twins: hydrogen cyanide and carbon monoxide.

If the department has a gas monitor that’s able to detect carbon monoxide or hydrogen cyanide, monitor the atmosphere during overhaul for these toxic twins. To safely operate without an SCBA after the fire has been extinguished, atmospheric monitoring needs to show levels of 5ppm or less for hydrogen cyanide and 35ppm or less for carbon monoxide, according to National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

AVOID CONTACT WITH SKIN
The toxic twins and other cancer-causing agents present in fire smoke can also attack a firefighter through skin absorption. Absorption rates increase as the body temperature rises, which typically happens at the scene of a fire.

In fact, for every 5 degree increase in the temperature of the skin, the rate of absorption goes up by 400 percent. When body temperature rises, blood vessels closer to the surface of the skin see an increase in flow in an effort to get rid of heat and cool the body. Pores open to sweat, which increases the absorption of toxins and other cancer-causing agents. Some areas of the body such as the face, neck, groin and throat are significantly more permeable than others.

TIPS FOR DECONTAMINATING ON SCENE
In order to combat the absorption issue, there are a few things firefighters can do on scene and when returning to the fire station. On scene, use a wet-wipe to clean the skin of contaminants, especially the face, head, neck and hands.

Some departments require firefighters reporting to rehab to turn in their Nomex hood and get a clean hood. The hood received from rehab is a different color than the originally issued hood, so it is easy to see who has checked in at rehab. Other efforts include Wash Your Hood Sunday, which like the name implies, reminds firefighters to wash hoods each week.

Firefighters can also decontaminate their gear on scene. The Roanoke Fire-EMS Department recently started carrying a 5-gallon plastic bucket with a garden hose, wet wipes, and brushes for on-scene decontamination. The garden hose should be used for gross decontamination of turnout gear. The same should be done to SCBA’s on scene so they don’t contaminate the inside of the rig. Firefighters should wipe down and rinse off radios, tools, helmets and gloves on scene as well.

DECONTAMINATE AT THE FIRE STATION
Once firefighters return to the station, further decontamination should take place. Turnout gear should be washed as soon as possible in an extractor. If an extractor is not available, then a garden hose and brush can be used for cleaning. The rig should be thoroughly cleaned, including tools, radios, and airpacks.

Firefighters should shower shortly after returning to the station to clean themselves of contaminants and change into a clean uniform. Dirty uniforms should be washed in the station washing machine.

Firefighters should avoid taking contaminated clothing items or turnout gear home or storing it in their vehicle. The department should consider providing air tight storage containers for members who transfer each shift so as not to contaminate an individual’s private vehicle with dangerous carcinogens.

Turnout gear should not be worn around the station other than in the apparatus bay. Firefighters can get their turnout pants on just as quickly in the bay as they can in the bunk room in order to avoid contaminating the sleeping and living quarters. Similarly, avoid wearing turnout gear in the medic truck, especially as this is supposed to be as sterile of an environment as possible for patients.

Firefighters must work hard and be diligent about avoiding cancer-causing agents. The smoke from every fire contains dangerous toxins and must be treated seriously. While firefighters cannot avoid all exposure to cancer-causing agents, they can limit the amount and length of time of exposure. The days of a dirty helmet representing pride in the fire service is waning since the contaminants that make a helmet dirty are endangering the lives of firefighters.

About the authors:
Merritt Kearns, M.Ed. is a faculty member in the Emergency and Disaster Management and Fire Science Management programs at American Military University. Merritt is a Captain with the Statesboro, GA Fire Department.

Matthew Dewhirst, B.S. candidate at American Military University in the Fire Science Management program. He is the Battalion Chief with the Roanoke, Virginia Fire-EMS Department.

http://www.firesmoke.org/

Extreme heat exposure linked to firefighter heart attacks

Anyone who's exercising in extremely high temperatures should keep well hydrated and allow time to cool down
DALLAS — Exposure to extreme heat and physical exertion during firefighting may trigger the formation of blood clots and impair blood vessel function, changes associated with increased risk of heart attack, according to new research in the American Heart Association’s journal Circulation.

Cardiovascular events are the leading cause of death among firefighters and are responsible for roughly 45 percent of on-duty firefighter fatalities annually in the United States.

“These harsh conditions can cause injury to the heart muscle in healthy firefighters and may explain the link between fire suppression and risk of heart attacks,” said Nicholas Mills, M.D., Ph.D., lead researcher and chair of cardiology and consultant cardiologist at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland.

Researchers studied 19 nonsmoking, healthy firefighters randomly selected from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. Seventeen participated in two fire simulation exercises, each a week apart. The exercise exposed participants to temperatures reaching upward of 400 degrees Celsius (752°F) as they attempted to retrieve a “victim” (weighing roughly 176 pounds) from a two-story structure.

Heart rate and blood pressure were monitored for 30 minutes before the exercises and for 24 hours following.

“The firefighters wore heart monitors that continuously assessed their heart rate, heart rhythm and the strength and timing of electrical impulses passing through each part of the heart. We analyzed these to look for evidence of heart strain that might signify a lack of blood being delivered to the heart muscle,” Mills said.

The findings uncovered processes known to be key in triggering heart attacks in people at risk.

“We assessed blood clotting in response to both extreme heat and physical exertion. In this setting an increase in blood clotting is likely an exaggerated normal physiological reaction to both these stressors,” Mills said.

“Lower blood pressure immediately following fire suppression is likely due to dehydration and an increase in blood being diverted to the skin to help the body cool down. We discovered the core body temperature increased, on average, nearly 2 degrees Fahrenheit over 20 minutes. And increases in hemoglobin occur as the body loses water and the blood gets more concentrated,” Mills said.

Researchers said their study suggests anyone who is exercising in extremely high temperatures should keep well hydrated and allow time to cool down afterward.

In an accompanying editorial, Stefanos N. Kales M.D., M.P.H., associate professor, Harvard Medical School & Harvard School of Public Health, The Cambridge Health Alliance – Occupational Medicine in Cambridge, Massachusetts, suggested that the study’s results highlight the unique stress to the cardiovascular system faced by firefighters. “This new study should encourage practitioners to aggressively evaluate and treat firefighters for cardiovascular disease risk factors, and when indicated, perform additional studies – such as exercise stress testing, coronary artery calcium scans or echocardiography — to detect atherosclerosis or cardiac enlargement,” Kales said.

Co-authors are Amanda Hunter, M.B., Ch.B.; Anoop Shah, M.B., Ch.B.; Jeremy Langrish, M.B., Ch.B., Ph.D.; Jennifer Raftis, B.Sc., Ph.D.; Andrew Lucking, M.B., Ch.B., Ph.D.; Mairi Brittan, Bsc., Ph.D.; Sowmya Venkatasubramanian, M.B., Ch.B.; Catherine Stables, M.Sci., M.A.; Dominik Stelzle, M.D.; James Marshall, M.B., B.S.; Richard Graveling, M.Sc., Ph.D.; Andrew Flapan, M.B., Ch.B., M.D. and David Newby, M.B., B.S., Ph.D. Author disclosures are on the manuscript.

The British Heart Foundation and Colt Foundation funded the study.

https://www.firerescue1.com/fire-ems/articles/227394018-Study-Extreme-heat-exposure-linked-to-firefighter-heart-attacks/