Buddy White, Commander
Henry Sermons, Vice-Commander
Gordon Joyner, Secretary-Treasurer

Well, here it is Christmas and I could have sworn Easter was just a couple of weekends ago. My, how time flies. I am reminded of the poem where a man talks about his friend Jim. The man says he is going to call Jim one day and see how he is getting along. Jim was always such a good friend. One day leads to another, and very soon time has slipped away. The man learns that Jim has passed away. Oh, if he had only taken the time to tell his friend how much he meant to him. Now his friend is gone. You know, that is the way life seems to travel. We intend to do certain things, and just never get around to it until it is too late.

I am determined to not let that happen. I'll take this opportunity to thank each of you for the work you do, whether it be volunteer or paid Rescue/EMS, sales of equipment and supplies, maintaining our vehicles and tools and yes, your work with this Association. We all intend to say thank you, but I mean it with all seriousness. Had there not been people like you, I might not be here today. I was cared for and learned from those who cared for others. I hope that together we can continue the tradition of caring for each other and the people we serve. Don't forget to call your friends and loved ones. Tell them how much they mean to you. They need to hear that. As we close out another year, I ask for Peace on Earth and Good Will towards ALL men.

FOR SALE - 1986 Ford E-350 Ambulance with a McCoy/Miller built box. In excellent condition, 27,000 miles. Contact Chief Brooks at Clemmons Fire Department, 910/766-4114.

FOR SALE - 1989, Type II Modular Ambulance mounted on 1989 Ford cab and chassis model E350 that the City of Washington, NC intends to sell January 1998. Please call Walter Cutler, Purchasing Director at 919/975-9308.

If you have an item to trade-swap-sell or just need to locate an item, please write, call 919/736-0506 or fax 919/736-7759 the Association office.

January 16 - 18, 1998, Orange High School, Hillsborough, N.C.

Co-sponsored by Durham Technical Community College, Orange County Emergency Management, Orange County Chiefs' Association and Orange County Firefighters' Association.

Courses offered: Personal Protective Equipment (NFPA 1001 Firefighter I Certification), Heavy Vehicle Rescue, NFA-Arson Detection of the First Responder, Understanding DOI and ISO Rating Schedule Requirements, Emergency Vehicle Driver Operator Certification, Fire Suppression, Farm Medic, Advanced Investigative Techniques, NFA-MCTO-Tactics, NFA-Firefighter Safety & Survival, LP Gas Emergencies, NFA-MCTO-Preparation, Special Hazards for Emergency Responders, Wildland Fire Suppression, Fire Prevention Public Fire Education, Large Diameter Hose (LDH), BCLS/CPR Instructor, Motorsports Safety-Accident Care Team, Medical Track and Mandatory Topics.

For more information contact: Orange County Fire Marshall's Office 919/968-2050, Durham Tech 919/686-3500, Kathy Valone 919/686-5653, or Buddy Hyde 919/686-3516.

A proposed arrangement under which hospitals would restock, without charge, an ambulance service's supplies and medications used while transporting patients to the hospitals would constitute illegal remuneration as defined by the anti-kickback statute (Sec. 1128(b) of the Social Security Act), according to an October 8 OIG (Office of the Inspector General) advisory opinion.

Although hospitals would not seek reimbursement from any federal health care program under the arrangement, OIG found that the provision of free supplies and medications to municipal ambulance services by hospitals would be remuneration within the meaning of the anti-kickback statute. An inference could be drawn that at least one purpose of this remuneration would be to induce the ambulance services to bring patients to the hospitals. Because those patients might include beneficiaries of federal health care programs who require covered hospital services, the anti-kickback statue could be implicated.

SOURCE: Medicare and Medicaid Guide - Number 981

The Federal OSHA has published 24 pages of proposed tuberculosis rules in the 17th October 1997 issue of the Federal Register. Comments on these proposed rules are allowed until 16th December 1997. There are a number of things in these proposed rules that have impact on Emergency Medical Services.

Among the items potentially effecting EMS are:

1. A suspected case must be transported from one hospital and into another within a 5 hour window if the initial hospital does not routinely care for active cases.
2. Employers are required to have a "written repiratory protection program."
3. Beards and mustaches may not be allowed since they interfere with the seal of the respirator, plus they propose qualitative fit testing of the masks.
4. Annual testing would go to every 6 months if there is a transport of a person with suspected or confirmed TB.
5. There would be a mandatory 18 month retention and payment of wages of an employee who must be removed due to exposure to TB.
6. Employers must maintain medical records for length of employment plus 30 years.

You may want to get a complete copy of these proposed regulations.