CO Poisoning and the First Responder

Posting 2 days in a row!  I actually have something important to say! 
This blog is about CO poisoning.  And firefighters.  Carbon monoxide is deadly.  Yeah that's right...it can KILL you!  The following facts on CO was taken directly from the website www.thesilentkiller.net.

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning - The Silent Killer

Even though first responders are trained to understand the dangers of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning and to recognize potential signs and symptoms, CO poisoning can go unrecognized and untreated, leading to short-term risk and long-term health problems.

Know the facts about CO poisoning

• CO poisoning can be difficult to detect.
  • CO poisoning can present with flu-like symptoms, but it is also possible to be poisoned without having any symptoms at all.¹
• CO poisoning puts firefighters at significant risk at the scene of a fire.
  • Even mild CO poisoning causes mental confusion, which can lead to poor decision making, putting both the exposed firefighter and others on the fire scene at risk.²
  • Mild CO poisoning can also rob the heart and brain of oxygen – nearly 50% of line of duty firefighter deaths are attributed to heart disease or stroke.³ That's why new NFPA 1584 rehab standards support the use of on-scene CO testing.⁴
• CO poisoning significantly increases long-term health risks.
  • Just one severe CO poisoning almost doubles the risk of premature death.⁵
  • Consistent exposure to CO poisoning may cause long term heart and brain damage.⁶

What you can do to protect yourself

• Wear your mask during overhaul
• Test for carbon monoxide in the blood with an approved noninvasive device

"Firefighters take necessary risks every day, but CO is an unnecessary risk. Educate yourself on CO, wear your mask during overhaul, avoid exposure, and get yourself tested... so you'll be around to share with your family, life's most precious moments."

Randolph Mantooth, Johnny Gage from Emergency!

¹ Hampson NB et al. American Journal of Emergency Medicine. 26:665-669, 2008.
² Jakubowski G. FireRescue Magazine. 22(11):52-55, 2004.
³ Bledsoe BE. FireRescue Magazine. September 2005.
⁴ NFPA 1584: Standards on the Rehabilitation Process for Members During Emergency Operations and Training Exercises. Annex A section A.6.2.6.4(1)
⁵ Hampson NB et al. Crit Care Med. 2009; 37(6): 1941-47.
⁶ Bledsoe BE. Journal of Emergency Medical Services. 32:54-59, 2007.

Watch the following video too:  Avoiding CO poisoning is very easy if you just use your head!

For all the civilians out there you need to be aware of CO also! Get a detector and change the batteries at least every time the time changes. Same as when you change your smoke detector batteries. Know the signs and symptoms of CO poisoning and if your detector alarms get the hell out of the house and call the fire department. We have meters for that.

CO calls go up during the fall and winter months. Especially now as people are turning their heat on. I just want everyone to be safe. Knowledge is power people!

Singing off 04:03

Time for another pointless blog or, (look at my new Blackberry).

Hello again! Time for another pointless blog posting after 3am! :D This time it's actually about my new Blackberry Torch 2 (9810) :D

I realized a lot of what I write about makes no sense and is a rambling mess.  I have been wanting to actually start writing poetry again but haven't been thus motivated.  Something of substance will come out of my brain one day....hopefully.

Well yesterday was the day that I got my new Blackberry!  Thanks Fed-ex for coming back to my house to re-deliver because I am a putz and didn't hear the doorbell.

What can I say about it?  It's silver and black, has a touch screen AND a keyboard, and is probably the coolest piece of technology I have ever owned.  I put a screen protector on it already (apparently fingerprints annoy me) and ordered my otterbox for it (because sooner or later I WILL drop it).  I will be all set to go in case of nuclear holocaust or in case my klutziness kicks in again.  Because I got dinner with a friend last night and got up to steal a ketchup bottle off of another table and tripped over my own feet and fell down.  Graceful huh?!  He just laughed at me.....I think he still is too....

So I now am the proud owner of a VERY cool phone.  There are more features on it than there were on my old Bold....oh yeah, did I mention it has a TOUCH SCREEN?? So cool.

I'm gonna go do some work now (or watch a movie....)  Peace out!

Signing off 03:45

The tattoo! (finally)

Well here I am again.  Early morning at work with nothing particularly interesting to say.  I didn't post a blog on 9/11 this year for a good reason.  I was in Rhode Island camping all weekend and didn't have access to a computer.  That and after 10 years of dealing with it, the pain, hurt, and anger come back worse every year so I decided to avoid it.  I wore my shirt and said a prayer for my friends who passed away but that was really it.  I avoided the news and the papers like the plague.

But on to happier things.  I finally got the fire department tattoo that I have been talking about for the last 2 years.  I will be in the FD for 12 years this coming November 8th.  That's a long time to be doing one particular thing and I am so proud that I have the opportunity to be a vollie that I wanted to proclaim it in ink.  The guy who did my tattoo (and the owner of the shop) is Chuck and he is a fireman as well as an EMT.  I wanted to get an artist who would understand the meanings behind the design and the symbolism as well.  Well I found him!  Actually, 4 different people recommended him to me and I was super impressed.  He took my idea and totally put an awesome spin on it!  For those of you who live in the NY area I would totally tell you to go see him if you need new ink!  Go support a brother and check out his site : http://www.stationonetattoo.com/

Peace out and have a great night!

Signing off 03:54

for lack of anything else to do (or..I am bored at work) and the breakup

For all the raving I do about my job (which I do love) there are moments (like this one at 04:45hrs) that there is NOTHING to do, NO ONE on the net to talk to, and I am BORED.  I guess I should update everyone on the latest happenings.  That being said...this could turn in to a L O N G blog post.  Not that I have anything else to do.  Had plenty to do yesterday here considering the fire alarm went off for 4 hours before someone came by to shut it off (I silenced the alarm here in our clinic trailer but the light was still blinking so I covered it with a towel).  Ridiculous.  But I digress....

I did all the computer entry/patient paperwork there was to do on this shift (took 2 hours) and am left with the rest of my 9 hour shift to do whatever.  Fantastic.

Digressing again....I warned you! :)

So I guess I need to let you guys in on a little secret.  OK well Angus and I split up.  Yeah...I know....I'm still a little sad about it but we decided it would be better for our mental health if we were just friends.  I liked that ring too...in the end we realized that we weren't really happy.  In the end happiness must count for something.  So I won't dwell on it, I will move on and make the best of the situation.  Being single again....and now I'm 31 years old!  I guess this will give me more time to devote to the firehouse and to working.  I need a freaking hobby! :)

I mean, I write so I guess that could be a hobby.  Haven't written anything in awhile.  My motivation to do anything right now is pretty well nonexistent.  As in not present...I did go for a mile and a half walk today before I went to a meeting at the firehouse.  That was only because I woke up early and couldn't get back to sleep.  Jeeze.  Only been sleeping 4-5 hours a day.  Which sucks when I wake up at 14:30hrs and don't have to be at work till 22:00.  Yeah...and then I fall asleep at work watching TV and wake up 20 minutes later.  Need to get more sleep.

Going camping in the morning with some friends.  I need to get the hell out of here for awhile.

Have a great weekend and I will see you on the flipside!


Signing off 05:01