Following the American Psychological Association's Guidelines
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Lt. Governor Spencer J. Cox-Utah and Emergency Response
Lt. Go Cox, the Vice-president of a small telecommunications company, addressed some of the communications-related obstacles as well as problems with the management of volunteers, which needed to be overcome in Sanpete County after the fire at Woodhallow. He was able to help open communications lines for emergency responders. Furthermore, he pointed out the problem that community leaders and emergency responders have had with failing to use resources or "assets at their fingertips" without knowing who would incur a cost. He also mentioned social media's reach to the community-at-large, especially those who were not as able to acquire the information they needed.
Overall, I liked his message. Hopefully, his current position will allow him to circumvent the bureaucracy in order for first responders to acquire resources sooner. I can further my career by applying this strategy without the fear of who will foot the bill later, and I will also be able to order resources quicker.
Lt. Col. Michael Silver-Utah National Guard
Lt. Col. Silver let emergency responders know what kinds of resources the National Guard has to offer. The sheer number of equipment caches and bases in Utah came as a surprise. To order a National Guard response, he went up the chain-of-command. I was surprised to learn that, in some incidents, the County could bypass the Governor's permission in order to receive a response.
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The presentation was very impressive. Most of the agencies at the conference felt that that bureaucracy at the Federal level is a common problem. Whoever is financially responsible incurs the burden of paying for services.
Andy Byrnes-PPE and Harmful Contaminants
A study conducted by the speaker and several other agencies shared data in order to show the levels of harmful contaminants that stick to PPE after contact with the smoke and soot a fire leaves behind. The speaker also talked about the significance of both on-site decor as well as proper washing and storage of PPE upon returning to the station.
The presentation was a revelation. I work in fire training, and these hazards are commonplace. I need to exercise more diligence in regularly cleaning my fire gear. However, financial constraints often become a problem with most departments. Providing PPE for firefighters is costly. Two sets of PPE are mandatory but that is not possible in many agencies. The cleaning process is costly; therefore, each set is rarely cleaned after every fire.
John Fisher, Lindsey Means, Whitney Johnson – CERT
The speakers discussed the role of CERT in our communities. They said that the training of CERT requires search and rescue, basic first aid, basic ICS, fire extinguishment with extinguishers, and more. They also discussed the mock disaster drill run at the end of class.
It was a great presentation. As our Department provides training in Salt Lake County, I am highly-familiar with its requirements. If the members know their respective roles, CERT Teams can be a valuable resource.
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Tom Sturtevant, Marshal Wright-Unmanned Aircraft Systems and The Emergency Services
The speakers discussed possible payloads such as sensors, infrared, communications, and cameras as well as the different uses for them were. According to the speakers, UAS use has been a problem with the FAA.
The presentation was well-done. UAS is an excellent resource. A helicopter with a camera belonging to the Utah Highway Patrol is used to photograph highway accidents. The camera is a great addition as it saves us the work of going out and raising the fire ladder to take pictures late at night. While UAS is valuable, it is also expensive, and the required space is a hindrance to our department.
Mat Goebel – Pre-Hospital Diagnosis of ST Elevation MI
I was not really happy when I saw this on the program, but overall the presentation was interesting. Mat has worked hard at streamlining STEMI's recognition and treatment. The significance of combining "man and machine" to efficiently recognize STEMI and benefit the patient with faster treatment.
IMC, our department, and medics work as a team daily. UFA was what he first used for testing his STEMI Protocol. I am looking forward to seeing more of his future study.
Darleen Turner, Karen Thomas- Disaster Discovery Center and Rebound 72
Empowering people for emergency preparedness is the objective of the Disaster Discovery Center. The speakers discussed the eight needs to accomplish preparedness. Those eight Needs
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are food/water, transportation, tools, communication, medical, shelter/clothing, sanitary and education needs.
As a result of the presentation, I began to wonder about my own emergency preparedness. Based on the information presented, I hope that a discovery center is built. As there is a need for one.
Ken Crook- Profiling or Just Good Police Work
In America, there will always be a fine line between good police work and racial profiling. He talked about the difference between racism as "reasonable suspicion" and the role that statistics plays as a potential warning for reasonable suspicion.
I feel uncomfortable writing about such a controversial subject. However, race will always play a role in police work. Still, there is a protocol that must be followed.
Dr. John Fisher, John Scardena, Gary Noll- Innovation in Emergency Services
The speakers discussed the importance of emergency management was. As its importance gains recognition, the field will blossom.
John Scardena's comments about emphasizing credentials over the experience acquired by being on the police and fire departments deeply disturbed me. He may not realize who was in his audience as there were several firefighters in attendance who objected to his ideas. I have served 18 years on the department. Since 2001, I have been a "medic", and for the last eight years, I have been a Captain. The experience I have gained by responding to and being IC at many emergencies has allowed to excel as an emergency manager. Certainly, education, training, and
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Drills are important but responding to stressful hazardous situations requires much practice while playing many different roles.
Laura Lewis- The Changing Role Of Fire Departments
This speaker talked about the long-term evolution of fire departments. It is about much more than fire response now because fire departments have had to adjust to politics, hazards, and changing environments since the beginning of fire services. She considered such changes as wildland firefighting, EMS, and search and rescue. She also summed up the capabilities of Red Cross. I was shocked to hear that the majority of their responses are to fires at single-family dwellings.
The timeline was confusing. When the ambulance was in service in the early '60s, my dad was hired. We must adapt not only at work but to other environments, as well. As cities move into rural areas, we have had to adapt by getting involved in wildland fire (urban interface). Because of chemicals and products used in cities, hazmat companies were formed. Over time, our roles have changed from career roles to survival roles.
Tomas Sturtevant- Social Media and the Emergency Services
Tomas discussed the importance of social media in emergency services. Social media allows information to reach a wider audience more quickly. The pros and cons were also
discussed. Disadvantages include misinformation and equipment failure. Both points were proved in the auditorium.
In my opinion, social media will play a key role in emergency management. Social media is utilized on a daily basis in our department, and its usage is on the rise.
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Salt Lake Community College - Internships and Emergency Operations
They also discussed the Homeland Security degree that they now hold. Also discussed were the training exercises and what they are looking for as well as the major drills they conduct.
Our department has recently made education for promotion policies. It is comforting to know that there is a variety of degrees from which to choose.
