meth decon

Do You Know Decon?

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When Water Makes it Worse

Thanks to Bob Wagner from Indiana TF1 for bringing this to our attention at the Indiana Hazmat Conference 

Earlier this year the Centers for Disease Control put out guidance to avoid washing raw chicken before cooking. This was met with widespread skepticism, as many families had been washing their chicken for generations as a matter of course.

However, the CDC had very good reasoning – washing raw chicken can aerosolize harmful bacteria such as Salmonella and spread it across the counters, dishes, and utensils in your kitchen. Even a single tiny airborne water droplet can contain thousands of disease –causing bacteria. 

Anyone who has sprayed a fire hose or pressure washer has seen and felt the mist that comes up and is familiar with aerosolization.  

Aerosolization is the process of converting a solid or liquid substance into particles that are small and light enough to be carried on the air. Unlike vaporization the substances do not change their physical state to gas, however an aerosol made up of tiny liquid or solid particles can present some of the same challenges to the HAZMAT responder as a gaseous vapor. Aerosols can require different selection of PPE suits and respiratory protection, extensions of minimum safe standoff distances, and changes to where and how decontamination is conducted. 

Just like spreading tiny bacteria laden water droplets from raw chicken, decontamination by using traditional methods that rely on spraying water can greatly increase the chances of spreading contamination. In fact, using the wrong kind of decontamination can turn a stable or contained solid or liquid hazard into a far more dangerous airborne threat. 

New guidance from the US Department of Health and Human Services recommends using a dry absorbent wipe as the first step to safely remove bulk contamination. Besides being faster and easier to implement, dry gross decon is just as effective as water while posing a much lower risk of cross contamination. For responders in PPE, a low volume solution like Dahlgren Decon can then be applied to neutralize most chemical threats.

Enhanced using an electrostatic sprayer, Dahlgren Decon is applied as a very low volume, low pressure mist that attaches to the contaminant and prevents aerosolization. The application process is more like painting with an airbrush to evenly coat and contain the contamination, versus blasting it off with a pressure washer with all the previously mentioned risks of cross-contamination. The neutralized material can then be safely rinsed or wiped off as a final clean-up step prior to PPE removal.

First Line Technology products represent the state-of-the-art in decontamination technology and First Line Utilization Academy was created to advance tactics, techniques, and procedures for decontamination. To learn more about courses which teach safer, faster, and more effective Hybrid Decontamination techniques contact training@firstlinetech.com or visit https://www.firstlinetech.com/flua/ 

First Line Technology Brings Expansion to Stafford

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October 2, 2019

Media Release: IMMEDIATE RELEASE

First Line Technology Brings Expansion to Stafford

Stafford, VA—First Line Technology, of Chantilly, is expanding its operations to Stafford. First Line, established in 2003, manufactures disaster preparedness, emergency response equipment and products for military and first responders.

First Line will purchase an office and manufacturing/warehouse facility on 487 Lendall Lane in Stafford County. The company sought out several sites in the region before identifying the Stafford site. The County and Stafford Economic Development Authority will assist in the expansion with an incentive agreement equal to a 50% rebate of the tax revenue generated by the company’s new business property investment over a five year period. In return, the company is committed to creating and maintaining at least 19 new jobs in Stafford.

“We are eager to encourage these types of businesses to expand and invest in Stafford,” said John Holden, Director of Economic Development and Tourism.

First Line has transferred and developed new products. Its newest product is a life-saving decontamination technology for warfighters and first responders nationwide. The U.S. Navy signed an exclusive license agreement with First Line in 2016 to permit the manufacture of the technology developed at Dahlgren.

“First Line is an excellent addition to Stafford’s business community. A growing business developing several lines of products for military, first responders, and civilian capabilities aligns with our ‘target industries’ platform perfectly,” said Board Chairman Gary Snellings. “It is wonderful to see First Line Technology choosing Stafford to expand their business,” stated Supervisor Tom Coen, George Washington District. “We recognize the need to protect our military and first responders, and are proud to be the location of a technology transfer agreement with Naval Base Dahlgren. We look forward to their continued expansion in Stafford County.”

First Line Technology is a minority-owned small business that develops and commercializes technology that defends the public from hazardous threats for U.S. and international first responders and military personnel.

“This property is perfect for us as it accommodates our needs for office space, our training capability, and the production and assembly of our products,” stated Amit Kapoor, President of First Line. “We’re excited about the continued growth of the company, and to partner with Stafford County to keep this success in Virginia. Fredericksburg Regional Alliance (FRA) was extremely helpful throughout the site Page | 2 selection process. Several facilities matched our needs, and we determined the Stafford location fit our current and long-term plans perfectly. It provides a place to showcase our corporate capabilities and space to grow additional product lines.”

FRA President Curry Roberts remarked, “Our hope is that First Line is literally the first of many businesses in the region that will open to develop Dahlgren’s military products for civilian use.”

For additional information and other work provided by First Line Technology, LLC, please visit www.firstlinetech.com or call 703.955.7510.

Read the original press release.

AmbuResponse

Hurricane Dorian Challenges Us to Rethink Preparation and Response

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Dorian’s winds take damage to a whole new level. 

Hurricane Dorian smashed into the Bahamas with sustained winds of 185 mph and gusts of 220 mph. 

In an article by Jim McKay on Government Technology’s Emergency Management website, Jared Moskowitz, director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management was quoted as saying, “Whatever the building code is in the state of Florida — and we have the best building code in the country — it was not built for Hurricane Dorian.”

Nor are Florida’s standards designed for two 2017 storms. Hurricane Irma achieved 180 mph wind speeds, and Hurricane Maria touched 175 mph. 

If these wind levels continue in future hurricanes, much of the effort that communities have spent into disaster resilience and response will be ineffective in protecting lives and limiting damage. 

Among the challenge’s planners face will be the decision to evacuate hospitals, nursing homes, and at-risk homebound patients instead of having them shelter in place. 

But with storms the size of Dorian, Katrina, and superstorm Sandy, the pool of available ambulances would be insufficient to handle the increased patient transport requirements. Mutual aid agreements would not provide much help as other communities will be attempting their own evacuations. 

Many communities in areas where hurricanes and severe storms are prevalent have already added one or more AmbuBus Conversion Kits to their disaster response capabilities. 

By permanently installing an AmbuBus Conversion Kit into an available school or metro bus, they have a ready-to-roll vehicle that can transport between 12 and 24 supine patients or a mix of supine and wheelchair bound individuals. 

Many of these communities stock additional AmbuBus Conversion Kits and temporarily install them in vehicles when there is advance warning of an impending storm. 

An AmbuBus has another critical advantage over ambulances in floods and hurricanes. A standard school bus has much higher clearance than an ambulance and can drive through a higher level of standing water than an ambulance. 

Download the AmbuBus brochure with complete information on configuration, pricing, installation, and operation. 

AmbuResponse

Massive Fires in California Force 180,000 Evacuations

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Hospitals evacuate patients as fire approaches.

The ongoing series of wildfires in California continue to expand at a frightening pace. Driven by winds that often exceed 85 miles per hour, officials ordered evacuations in large areas of Sonoma County.

As originally reported in The Mercury News, officials at Sutter Santa Rosa Regional Hospital and the Kaiser Permanente Hospital in Santa Rosa evacuated over 200 patients including eight babies from Neonatal Intensive Care Units.

In situations like these, officials often have to choose between attempting to shelter in place or transporting many patients in buses with only bench seating. due to a lack of available ambulances

Shelter in place poses the least risk to patients but if danger from the fire or prolonged outages make that tactic untenable, evacuations become the only option.

Many communities in the rural areas that are at most risk of woodland fires do not have access to multiple-patient transport vehicles (MPTV) and must shuttle a limited number of ambulances or worse, use school or metro buses that are not equipped to handle supine patients or wheelchairs.

To give emergency managers a cost-efficient solution to this problem. First Line Technology developed the AmbuBus Conversion Kit that can transform any available school or metro bus into a twelve to twenty-four patient transport vehicle in less than two hours with no power tools required.

The AmbuBus can be permanently installed for immediate response or temporarily installed when fire risk conditions suggest they may be needed.

The AmbuBus can be equipped with power, air conditioning, multi-patient monitoring systems and multi-patient oxygen to reduce the strain on patients’ health.

Read the original article here.

meth decon

Did You Know? There’s More to Dahlgren Decon than Just Peracetic Acid

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Part A is 10,000x more effective than Dawn dish soap.  

Peracetic Acid (PAA) is the main oxidizing agent in Dahlgren Decon that chemically neutralizes toxic chemicals and emerging threats. But there is more chemistry behind the effectiveness of Dahlgren Decon than just PAA. In fact, Part A of Dahlgren Decon, also known as Dahlgren Surface Clean, was specifically formulated by the US Navy to be the most effective decontamination soap available.

A key challenge in decontamination is the removal of oily, viscous, and insoluble materials.  These materials do not mix with water and require a huge volume of water and scrubbing to remove through sheer force.  The traditional solution was to add a surfactant (soap) to the mix, which lowers the surface tension of water and helps the water and the material to mix.  This mixing of soap, water, and contaminant is called an emulsion.

An example of an emulsion is Italian salad dressing.  Just like Italian dressing, an emulsion with oily contamination will only stay blended for a short period of time before the oil, water, and any other contaminant begin to separate out.  This can occur very rapidly and can lead to a small area of contamination being spread out in a thin layer across the entire surface area of a person or object.

The solution to this problem lies in microemulsions like Part A of Dahlgren Decon.  A microemulsion is made using advanced surfactants, which reduce the surface tension of water over 10,000x more than commercial dish or laundry soap.   

Multiple types of surfactants with different properties are used so that the microemulsion can accept both oil and water-based contaminants into the same solution, as well as quickly dissolve and trap volatile liquids and powder solids.  The microemulsion acts like a liquid sponge, absorbing and holding large amounts of contamination.  And most importantly, unlike a standard emulsion, microemulsions are stable and the contamination will stay in solution for an extended period until it can be easily rinsed or wiped away.

The microemulsion surfactant that is Part A of Dahlgren Decon is pH neutral and safe for use on skin.   

It was originally developed for removal of some of the toughest challenges like Chemical Warfare Agents.  However, it excels at physical removal of a broad range of hazardous materials from a wide variety of surfaces.  Uses include washing off oily contamination like petroleum from spills.

Because it works well on both oil and water-based substances it can be used on both types of OC spray and riot control chemicals.  It will wet, dissolve and remove fentanyl and its analogues while keeping the pH neutral, which is important to avoid aerosolizing or converting the fentanyl into a more dangerous form.  The Part A microemulsion also has use in post-fire decontamination to help remove potentially cancer-causing materials.

Training

Get trained on Dahlgren Decon.

AmbuResponse

Which Communities are the Most Evacuation Challenged?

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New data can improve evacuation planning.

In a recent article by Jim McKay on Government Technology’s Emergency Management website, a new study of traffic patterns in 100 communities identified several factors that have a major impact on evacuation constraint risk.

StreetLight Data conducted the study which looked at 30,000 towns in the United States with populations under 40,000.

According to Laura Schewel, the CEO of StreetLight Data, “We decided to analyze small towns because those are the ones where you get the most horror stories and they have the most bottlenecks and the least amount of resources to deal with it.”

The StreetLight Data team developed an index that focused on a few key factors including:

  • How many total routes out of town are there?
  • On a typical day, what percentage of people take a certain route, even if other routes are available?
  • Total population

When multiple routes are available, most people choose a route out of ease of use or force of habit. Emergency managers must evaluate the likelihood of congestion on those favored routes and not assume there will be an equal traffic load on all the available routes.

The states with the most evacuation-challenged communities are:

1.    Florida (20 communities)
2.    California (14)
3.    Arizona (8)
4.    Texas (6)
5.    Washington (6)

The results of the study are available for free to government agencies.

Outside of the factors detailed in the study is the need for multiple patient transport capacity for hospital and nursing home evacuation, or picking up at-risk, homebound individuals. Many of the fatalities associated with large scale disasters that require evacuation occur among the elderly and other at-risk populations.

Learn how the AmbuBus can give you the multiple patient transport capacity needed for these events.

Read the original article on Government Technology’s Emergency Management website.

meth decon

Six Prison Staffers Hospitalized for Possible Fentanyl Exposure in Connecticut

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Incident highlights need for large-area fentanyl neutralization.

In a recent article by Eric Levenson and Mirna Alsharif on CNN, six staff members at the Chesire Correctional Institute were taken to local hospitals for possible exposure to fentanyl.

If fentanyl becomes aerosolized, it can be easily dispersed over an area by air circulated by fans or air conditioners. This can contaminate large surface areas or cause overdoses.

Correctional facilities are beginning to see these types of incidents occur frequently within cell blocks or common areas.

To reduce the risk of accidental overdose, personnel at jails and prisons should be trained to identify fentanyl and other synthetic opioids and response teams set up to quickly neutralize the threat before it spreads to larger areas.

First Line Utilization Academy (FLUA) offers customized training for law enforcement and correctional facility personnel. FLUA has a Tactical DeconTect for Law Enforcement Class as well as a Synthetic Opioid Safety Class. Details on each program can be found by downloading the FLUA Course Catalog.

First Line Technology offers a wide range of decontamination kits that scale from an individual responder size to a large team or area decon kit that utilizes an electrostatic sprayer. Read details on available decon kits.

Read the original CNN article.

meth decon

How Bad is the Opioid Crisis in Your State?

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overdose response

The current opioid epidemic will kill in one year, a number equal to, or greater than, all the American servicemen killed in the Vietnam War in ten years. 

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) recently updated their findings on the crisis. Here are a few key items that underline the severity of the problem: 

  • Every day, more than 130 people in the United States die after overdosing on opioids 
  • The economic impact is more than $78.5 Billion a year including the costs of healthcare, lost productivity, addiction treatment and criminal justice involvement. 
  • Roughly 21% to 29% of patients prescribed opioids for chronic pain abuse then. 
  • About 80% of the people who use heroin first misused prescription opioids. 
  • The Midwestern region saw opioid deaths increase 70% from July 2016 through September 29. 

View the complete list of these statistics by state.

The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation broke out the opioid death statistics by race and ethnicity. Their data shows that the opioid crisis transcends race.  

There is another element to the opioid crisis that is different from most drug-related deaths. With drugs like heroin and methamphetamines, most overdoses were self-inflicted. 

Fentanyl and many of its analogs are easily aerosolized, creating the danger of accidental overdose by innocent bystanders, first responders, and healthcare providers.  

In addition to having Naloxone (Narcan) available to treat overdoses, first responders and first receivers should be trained and equipped to identify opioids and safely and simply neutralize it before an accidental overdose occurs. 

Up to now, most first responders and first receivers have had to ask for a HazMat team to be dispatched if even the smallest amount of Fentanyl is suspected. Traditional decontamination processes are complicated and time-consuming and require extensive training. 

However, a totally new approach to decontamination is making it possible for first responders to safely neutralize the small quantities of Fentanyl and other opioids that they typically encounter.  

Called Hybrid Decon, the process involves using specially designed activated carbon wipes that remove up to 95% of the bulk contaminant, then spraying the residual substance with a decontamination solution that chemically neutralizes it in about 5 minutes. 

First Line Technology, the developer of FiberTect wipes and Dahlgren Decon solution recently launched the First Line Utilization Academy (FLUA). FLUA is the only training academy that provides hands-on training with both FiberTect wipes and Dahlgren Decon solution. 

FLUA offers several different courses specifically geared to the needs of law enforcement, medical personnel, correctional officers, firefighters, and HazMat teams. Because the Hybrid Decon process is simpler than traditional decontamination processes, FLUA courses are either 4 or 8 hours in length. Among the classes offered are: 

 

SYNTHETIC OPIOID SAFETY– 4 HOURS 

Who Should Attend: First Responders, Correctional Workers, Healthcare

Prerequisites: None

Class Size: Up to 25

 

DRY DECON TRAINING– 4 HOURS 

Who Should Attend: First Receivers, First Responders, Public Safety, Healthcare

Prerequisites: None

Class Size: Up to 50

 

TACTICAL DECONTECT FOR LE/EMS– 4 HOURS 

Who Should Attend: First Responders, Medical Professionals, Correctional Workers 

Prerequisites: None

Class Size: Up to 25 

 

TACTICAL DECONTECT FOR HAZMAT– 4 HOURS 

Who Should Attend: HazMat Team Leaders and Members

Prerequisites: NFPA HazMat Operator or Equivalent, Member of Operational HazMat Team

Class Size: Up to 25

 

DECONTECT TRAIN-THE-TRAINER– 4 HOURS 

Who Should Attend: HazMat Team Leaders and Members

Prerequisites: NFPA HazMat Operator or Equivalent, Member of Operational HazMat Team

Class Size: Up to 25

 

DECONTECT AWARENESS PROGRAM (DAP)-4 HOURS 

Who Should Attend: Anyone

Prerequisites:None

Class Size: Up to 75

 

View complete course descriptions, cost, and dates. 

 

For the 4th Time, First Line Technology Appears on the Inc. 5000

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Inc. Magazine Unveils Its Annual List of America’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies—the Inc. 5000

NEW YORK, August 14, 2019 – Inc. magazine today revealed that First Line Technology (FLT) is No. 4256 on its annual Inc. 5000 list, the most prestigious ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economy’s most dynamic segment—its independent small businesses. Microsoft, Dell, Domino’s Pizza, Pandora, Timberland, LinkedIn, Yelp, Zillow, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000.

“We’re very proud that First Line Technology has been able to achieve a growth rate of 72% over three years in its sixteenth year in business. Our continuing high growth rates can be attributed to our success in taking innovative discoveries from the lab and developing them into life-saving solutions for responders and the military.”
Amit Kapoor, President and CEO, First Line Technology

Not only have the companies on the 2019 Inc. 5000 (which are listed online at Inc.com, with the top 500 companies featured in the September issue of Inc., available on newsstands August 20) been very competitive within their markets, but the list as a whole shows staggering growth compared with prior lists. The 2019 Inc. 5000 achieved an astounding three-year average growth of 454 percent, and a median rate of 157 percent. The Inc. 5000’s aggregate revenue was $237.7 billion in 2018, accounting for 1,216,308 jobs over the past three years.

Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at www.inc.com/inc5000.

“The companies on this year’s Inc. 5000 have followed so many different paths to success,” says Inc. editor in chief James Ledbetter. “There’s no single course you can follow or investment you can take that will guarantee this kind of spectacular growth. But what they have in common is persistence and seizing opportunities.”

The annual Inc. 5000 event honoring the companies on the list will be held October 10 to 12, 2019, at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort and Spa in Phoenix, Arizona. As always, speakers include some of the greatest innovators and business leaders of our generation.

About First Line Technology
First Line Technology has developed a wide range of world-class solutions for first responders and the military. FLT has pioneered an entirely new approach to the decontamination of fentanyl, synthetic opioids, and hundreds of other known and emerging threats. Their Hybrid Decontamination process utilizes FiberTect, a three-part, activated carbon wipe to remove up to 95% of the bulk contaminant. The remaining contaminant is then sprayed with Dahlgren Decon, a peracetic acid -based solution that chemically neutralizes the threat.

FLT developed the AmbuBus Conversion Kit that is used to convert any school or transit bus into a multi-patient transport vehicle in less than two hours with no power tools. There are over 550 AmbuBuses on the road that are used for mass casualty events, hospital and nursing home evacuations, responder rehab, victim sleeping quarters, and hospital surge situations.

With the rise of global temperatures, heat stress is becoming a serious problem. First Line Technology offers both PhaseCore professional grade cooling vests and the Immersion Cooling Equipment (ICE) System, a team-sized arm immersion cooling solution.

First Line Technology was recently featured in a video produced by Fairfax County Economic Development Agency as one of the most innovative companies in Northern Virginia. To see the video visit https://www.firstlinetech.com/news/first-line-technology-recognized-for-lab-to-life-saving-innovations/.

For more information on First Line Technology and any of their products or services, visit https://www.firstlinetech.com/

CONTACT:
Tim Karney, Marketing Manager
First Line Technology
3656 Centerview Drive, Suite 4
Chantilly, Virginia 20151
(703) 955-7510
tkarney@firstlinetech.com

More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000 

Methodology 
The 2019 Inc. 5000 is ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2015 and 2018. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2015. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independent—not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies—as of December 31, 2018. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2015 is $100,000; the minimum for 2018 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.’s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000.

About Inc. Media
Founded in 1979 and acquired in 2005 by Mansueto Ventures, Inc. is the only major brand dedicated exclusively to owners and managers of growing private companies, with the aim to deliver real solutions for today’s innovative company builders. Inc. took home the National Magazine Award for General Excellence in both 2014 and 2012. The total monthly audience reach for the brand has been growing significantly, from 2,000,000 in 2010 to more than 20,000,000 today. For more information, visit www.inc.com.

The Inc. 5000 is a list of the fastest-growing private companies in the nation. Started in 1982, this prestigious list has become the hallmark of entrepreneurial success. The Inc. 5000 Conference & Awards Ceremony is an annual event that celebrates the remarkable achievements of these companies. The event also offers informative workshops, celebrated keynote speakers, and evening functions.

For more information on Inc. and the Inc. 5000 Conference, please visit  http://conference.inc.com/.

MedNex

Four Transport Incubators. 30 Patients in NICU.

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How do you evacuate all the infants safely?

A recent fire at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Main Campus forced the temporary evacuation of about 200 people.

Fortunately, in this instance, no one was injured, and normal operations were soon restored. But the possibility of incidents like this keep many healthcare professionals up at night.

How would your facility handle the evacuation of many neonatal and infant patients with the available transport incubators and ambulances that are usually available? 

How would you decide which patients are transported in the incubators? What do you do with the remaining patients? 

How long would it take to transport thirty infant patients (and their mothers), in the ambulances that would be available? 

Now many regional healthcare coalitions are preparing for these types of situations with two emergency medical transport solutions.

The Baby Pod 20 is a lightweight infant transport device that can be strapped to a seat or stretcher that provides four layers of protection to an infant.  Built with the same materials and engineering as a Formula 1® racing car, it can withstand am accident with 20Gs of force in four directions. It can easily be carried by one person, is significantly less expensive and also requires less storage space than an incubator.

The AmbuBus Conversion Kit can be used to convert any available school or metro bus into a multi-patient transport vehicle that can accommodate between 12 and 24 patients on stretchers. By having one or more buses permanently equipped with the AmbuBus frames, you can safely transport large numbers of patients without depleting the pool of ambulances needed for those that are critically ill.

Together, they are a complete emergency neonatal and infant multiple patient transport solution.

The AmbuBus can also be used in a wide variety of other situations such as mass casualty transport, responder rehab, and victim sleeping quarters. The AmbuBus frames can also be set up free-standing for hospital surge or quarantine situations.

Both the AmbuBus and the Baby Pod 20 are available from First Line Technology.

Get more information on the Baby Pod 20

Get more information on the AmbuBus

AmbuResponse

Will There Be Another Active Shooter Incident in the Next 64 Days?

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If we can’t stop mass shootings, we need to respond better.

Active shooter incidents in recent history have shown that communities everywhere must be better prepared to respond to mass casualty events.

Studies indicate that the rate at which public mass shootings occur has tripled since 2011. Between 1982 and 2011, a mass shooting occurred roughly once every 200 days. However, between 2011 and 2014, that rate has accelerated greatly with at least one mass shooting occurring every 64 days in the United States¹.

No community can ever be fully prepared for large scale incidents, but every community should undertake an objective and comprehensive review of their existing mass casualty plans.

These types of incidents can easily overwhelm the essential personnel and resources needed to manage the response. Even with frequent planning, drills, and exercises, first responders and first receivers struggle to adapt when faced with mass numbers of casualties, and limited medical triage, transport, and treatment resources.

Public health professionals, emergency managers, emergency medical service directors, police and fire chiefs, are constantly looking to identify “choke points” that could reduce their ability to handle mass casualties.

One of the most frequently cited choke points is the lack of adequate medical transport capacity.

Most ambulances carry one or two patients. With current budget constraints, most EMS units only have enough ambulances and EMTs to respond to daily 911 calls and a small reserve.

When a large-scale incident occurs, even with the support of private ambulance providers, patients may have long wait times before they can be taken to a trauma center.

One solution would be for each community to buy a Medical Ambulance Bus (MAB) that is equipped at an Advanced Life-Saving Level that can handle critically wounded patients.

However, an ALS equipped MAB can cost between $500,000 to $1,000,000. As the pool of available grant dollars has declined, purchasing a MAB is beyond the reach of many communities.

However, there is an affordable alternative.

The AmbuBus Conversion Kit developed by First Line Technology can be used to convert any available school or transit bus into a multi-patient transport vehicle for up to 12 supine patients in about two hours with no power tools.

Many communities acquire an end-of-service school or transit bus as a donation or for a nominal price.

The Basic Life-Saving (BLS) level AmbuBus Kit contains two frames which typically each hold 12 patients leaving an open center aisle. Together with 12 stretchers, pillows, and a purpose-built ramp for loading, an AmbuCarrier wheeled patient transport device, the BLS kit costs approximately $36,000.

First Line Technology offers a full range of accessories including a wheelchair package, portable electric power, multi-patient vital signs monitoring system, and a mass casualty oxygen system to enable the community to expand the capabilities of their AmbuBus.

Most communities permanently install the AmbuBus kit in one or more vehicles for no-notice incidents like active shooters. They then store additional AmbuBus kits for events like hurricanes where there is some advance notice.

There are over 550 AmbuBuses on the road that are used for mass casualty events, hospital and nursing home evacuations, responder rehab, victim sleeping quarters, and hospital surge situations.

For more information on the AmbuBus and its related accessories, please visit https://www.firstlinetech.com/amburesponse/ 

You can download a free 24-page brochure with details and pricing for the AmbuBus here. 

¹ Cohen, Amy P.; Azrael, Deborah; Miller, Matthew (October 15, 2014). ”Rate of mass shootings has tripled since 2011, new research from Harvard shows”. Mother Jones. Retrieved December 13, 2017.