The Executive Board of KEMTIA was called to order at 1230 on October 5, 1996 in Louisville, KY by President Jerry McGraw.
Members Present: President: Jerry McGraw Vice-President: Nancy Gainer Secretary: Aline Flanagan Treasurer: Theresa Martin Sergeant-At-Arms: Absent Past President: Steve Burton Executive Secretary: Absent
Regional
Representatives:
1. Sharon Pierceall
2. Alice Nordine
3. Absent
4. Gary Madison
5. Virginia Shumate
6. Everett Scott
7. Cosette Spille
8. Absent
9. Absent
10. Absent
11. Absent
12. Absent
13. Absent
14. Randy Herron
15. Absent
Guests: Ira Dyer, John Hultgren, Glenn Allen, Ron Leatherman
Approval of Minutes: Motion to approve by Everett Scott, second by Nancy Gainer. Motion passed.
Treasurer Report: Motion to accept by Nancy Gainer, second by Sharon Pierceall. Report approved. The projected expenses, specifically R/T payment of mileage was done in April 1996, with the decision that the finances can continue to support reimbursing mileage expenses to Board members.
Members of Finance / Budget Committee were approved. They are: Theresa Martin, Chair; Steve Burton, Aline Flanagan, Everett Scott.
Executive Secretary Report: No report due to absence of Pat Trevathan (absent due to illness of wife).
Committee Reports:
Political Affairs: No report. The Governor or Lt. Governor will be present at the April Conference to address the membership. President McGraw spoke with Bob Gainer, KAPA President, about the high quality of the award presentations at the EMS Convention Banquet. Arrangements will be made to present the awards at the April KEMTIA Conference.
Professional Affairs: Draft #1 of the Discrimination Statement was presented by Sharon Pierceall. Board members will review for discussion at the January Board Meeting.
Conference Committee: Report by Everett Scott. Plans are progressing relative to money raising efforts. A tentative agenda for the Saturday Con Ed presentation was shared with the Board Members.
A proposal for the Saturday night entertainment will be a dance with music to be provided by "Butch Cassidy's Golden Sounds." The contract provides for 4 hours of music (9 pm - 1 am) for $175.00. The contract was reviewed by President McGraw for legal issues and found to be satisfactory. A motion to accept made by Ginny Shumate, second by Alice Nordine. Motion passed.
A committee to coordinate registry testing for instructors is to be chaired by Steve Burton, who is to choose / appoint additional helpers. Instructors will to assist Steve, please contact him.
Old Business:
A history of KEMTIA is being prepared by Henry Baughman. To complement this effort, a pictorial biography of all past and present KEMTIA members was discussed. Virginia Shumate and Glenn Allen with others to assist will investigate the feasibility of this project and report at the January meeting. All instructors, please submit anecdotes of "memorable occasions / occurrences" for inclusion in the pictorial biography and history of KEMTIA.
Since this will be the 25th anniversary of KEMTIA, Joe Vetter was volunteered to coordinate a special video presentation for the April conference.
The Secretary was given the task of issuing invitations to all Lifetime Members of KEMTIA to attend the spring conference. A listing of these individuals will be obtained from the Executive Secretary.
EMS Association report by Steve Burton. There is a potential to encompass all branches of emergency services: fire, rescue, EMT, EMT-P, instructors, police. This broader focus will give us all more political clout. All existing organizations will be invited in: KAPA, KFA, KEMTIA, regional EMS organizations. All the answers have not been answered and no official papers have not yet been filed (will be reviewed by President McGraw). There will be no loss of individual group autonomy. More will be reported as it happens.
New Business:
Report by Ira Dyer of the meeting with National Registry. Present at the meeting with Bill Brown and Phil Dickerson of the National Registry were: Jerry McGraw, Ira Dyer, Marcia Burklow, Bob Calhoun, Steve Sauer, Jill Toncray. Issues were:
The National Registry is willing to negotiate with Kentucky to accommodate our concerns and issues.
Definition of "active EMS involvement" is defined broadly as being involved in medical care in or out of the hospital, as a volunteer, part of civic duty, industrial setting, as well as emergency medical service involvement. However, only stopping to assist at the roadside is not included in the definition.
It not actively involved in EMS, and individual must recredential every 2 years: take the refresher course, make application, pay the fee and retest.
For instructors, active involvement would require a minimum of teaching at least 24 hrs of a structured con ed class equivalent to a refresher course. Testing of classes only would not constitute active involvement.
How to become National Registered (not required of "old" EMTs / Instructors). 1) Complete application, pay fee; 2) Complete skills exam, and 3) Pass written NR exam within 1 year of application.
Skills testing can be accomplished in numerous ways and can be done by EMT Instructors, RN involved in prehospital care, paramedics.
Written exams for NR will be coordinated through the EMS office. However, NR has concerns of the ability of the EMS office to accomplish this.
No EMT Instructor, no implementing agency will handle the written exams.
Old NR test sites must be approved by the EMS office.
There must be no compromise of the NR written exam.
Advantages for EMT Instructors to be NR are: 1) Instructors can explain the process better to the student, 2) instructor self confidence, 3) instructor credibility, and 4) legally defensible certification process (old Kentucky state testing is not).
Recommendation is to continue to acquire your certification the old way, while also becoming NR certified. Therefore, if future dissatisfaction occurs with the NR, the NR certification can be dropped while still retaining Kentucky certification.
The NR has concerns about Kentucky requirement of 65% on NR test for Kentucky certification, while NR requires 70% for certification. President McGraw will investigate.
Written certification exams: concern was expressed about how 20 test sites for the state could be coordinated and staffed by the EMS office, when so few people are on staff. After much discussion, a motion was made by Steve Burton, second by Nancy Gainer, for the Chair to appoint a committee to develop a process for KEMTIA to coordinate EMT testing. The motion passed. The committee will be comprised of: Nancy Gainer, Chairman; Theresa Martin, Everett Scott, Ginny Shumate, Alice Nordine, Aline Flanagan, Ira Dyer and Glenn Allen. The committee will meet Saturday Nov 30, 1996.
Reimbursement for Conference Instructors: a motion made by Theresa Martin, second by Alice Nordine, to reimburse for mileage and lunch, the instructors who taught at the BLS skill class at the EMS Conference. Motion passed. The instructors involved must complete an expenditure report and submit to the Treasurer for payment (Ann Reeser, Ginny Shumate, Glenn Allen, Nancy Gainer, Steve Burton, Everett Scott, Theresa Martin).
Professional Affairs Committee was charged by President McGraw to develop background material on the EMT Instructor of the Year to be used by the presenter of the award.
Political Affairs Committee is to work on issues relative to criminal legislation involving EMS, i.e. obvious death transports.
Internet: John Hultgren has opened an online web site. To access: http://hultgren.org He can also include announcements, memos, etc. Mail to John Hultgren, 2306 Raleigh Lane, Louisville KY 40206. A motion was made and second by Nancy Gainer to buy a page for $25.00 on John Hultgren's online web site for use by KEMTIA. Motion passed. Another online web site for EMS info: NAEMT: Info@naemt.org
Regional EMT Coordinators: Bob Wheeler, Region 15 EMT Coordinator and Don Chappell, Region 1 EMT Coordinator have resigned. A memo was sent to KEMTIA instructors of the 2 regions asking for individuals will to serve. Correspondence was received from John Woodall and Glenn Phillips of Reg 15; from Bernie Leonard, Jim Thompson, James Freeman, Daniel Smith, Kenny Etherton and Debbie Peck from Reg 1. By ballot: Glenn Phillips of Region 15 and Kenny Etherton of Region 1 were elected to serve as EMT Coordinators. A memo will be sent to them.
A question was asked if assistant instructors for an EMT class have to have been through a transition course. The answer is no, if the following is done by the lead instructor: 1) file an application with EMS office for a transition course, 2) show different meeting / class times for the assistants from the class, 3) instruct assistants.
A question: Why, after completion of EMT-B course, must an EMT also complete the 12 hr defibrillation course in order to use the AED? Ira Dyer's committee is working on this.
Reports of subjects / issues by President McGraw from the BLS subcommittee meeting in Elizabethtown: 1) What's good in Kentucky EMS? 2) What do we need to improve in Kentucky? 3) How do we get where we need to be? 4) How do we get EMS in Kentucky into the 21st century? 5) How do we help instructors become better? 6) How do we deal with complaints? 7) Ethical considerations. 8) Testing issues.