Limited Resources Ambulance Service
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
THE LOCAL NEWS OF THE MADISON VALLEY, RUBY VALLEY AND SUrrOUNDING AREAS MONTANA’S OLDEST PUBLISHING WEEKLY NEWSPAPER. ESTABLISHED 1873 75¢ | Volume 149, Issue 32 Thursday, July 30, 2020 BREWERY FOLLIES! SHOWS WED.-SAT. @8PM TWO 4PM MATINEES ON SAT. & SUN. CALL 1-800-829-2969 EXT. 3 FOR RESERVATIONS! WE ARE SELLING OUT, SO CALL AHEAD! [email protected] | 406-843-5247 Limited resources Ambulance service Montana is the oldest state west of the Mississippi, and demographic projections show the state growing collectively older as more Montanans enter their senior years. The economic, cultural, and personal impacts of that trend present the state and its residents with new challenges and, with those challenges, opportunities. Graying Pains is a series of weekly stories and broadcasts exploring those challenges and opportunities in communities statewide. By investigating how other communities have responded to the issues raised by aging, Graying Pains hopes to point the way toward policies and innovations that can help Montana, and Montanans, improve with age. The series is produced by the Montana Fourth Estate Project, a collaboration among 13 Montana newsrooms and the University of Montana School of Journalism coordinated by Montana Free Press under the auspices of the Montana Newspaper Association and the Solutions Journalism Network. See montanafourthestate.org for the collected Graying Pains stories and more information. Making the connection Ruby Valley EMS ambulance. PHOTO COURTESY RVMC.org What technology, By HANNAH KEARSE The single paramedic crew, “We want to make sure that we try to provide the [email protected] working the Ruby Valley Ambu- lance Service July 19 could not best possible care that we can to our community,” adults and teens have he Ruby Valley Medical make the transfer because it had Ruby Valley Medical Center CEO Landon Dybdal to remain in Madison County in Center could not find said. “I wouldn’t say we dropped the ball but it’s in common an ambulance service case of a 911-call. within four counties “It was kind of like the perfect something we need to look at and see if we can Tto transport a patient in need of storm,” Ruby Valley Medical improve our care here and make sure that we do immediate care to Butte July 19. Center CEO Landon Dybdal A week after Herbert Smith’s said. “Everyone was out.” the best job that we can.” heart attack, he was back in State laws and regulations that RVMC. He needed to go to St. guide EMS services require area to respond to 911-calls. A patient in critical enough Joseph’s Hospital in Butte, where ambulance services to have a One crew for the day meant that condition could warrant a the pacemaker and stint in his paramedic and an emergency RVAS would not be able to make helicopter transfer through Life heart were put in days earlier. medical technician in its service any transfers that day. Flight. But the service can cost AMBULANCE continued on A2 MADISON COUNTY CORONVIRUS UPDATE Linda Haverty, Kendra Gonzales and Mary Frame. Elderly adults feel they are treated with respect and teens feel they are making a COVID-19 infection difference. Photo courtesy of Trish LopeZ By Keely Larson “Do we really need any more Madison County’s climbing numbers [email protected] apps in the world right now?” Trish Lopez asked herself as By HANNAH KEARSE A COVID-19 infected individ- people are going out in the com- hold contact, which reduced the It is not hard to associate she listened to other people [email protected] ual is considered an active case munity when they are symptom- amount of additional people aging adults with limited pitch at a startup incubator in during their highest infection atic,” Madison County Public quarantining compared to past technological knowledge, nor Albuquerque, New Mexico in ighteen Madison period, or 10 days after their first Health Nurse Melissa Brummel weeks. Madison County Public is it difficult to understand 2015. County residents and symptom. Many of the positive said. “If you’re sick at all, you Health Department contacts, that teens can jump onto a Lopez’s own contribution to four seasonal residents cases last week came from in- need to stay home. If you have tests and quarantines people new device with ease. And the incubator stemmed from have tested positive for dividuals who were tested a few coronavirus-like symptoms, call who were in close contact with anyone can understand that her mother’s love and hatred ECOVID-19 between July 21 and days after first showing COVID- your provider.” a known case. Some individu- tech support in the form of of technology—she under- July 28. The county has 12 active like symptoms. als continued to be out in the automated chats or lengthy stood its benefits, but would Many of the recent COVID-19 phone calls can lead to more cases as of July 28. “This last round indicated that positive cases were from house- community during their high grow frustrated with the infectious period, but they may stress than solutions. COVID continued on A2 GRAYING PaiNS continued on A3 TABLE OF CONTENTS LOCAL NEWS ................................................................................ 1-6 COMICS/GAMES ............................................................................ B4 OPINIONS ..........................................................................................4 CLASSIFIEDS.................................................................................. B5 Visit us online @ PANORAMA .................................................................................... B1 PUBLIC NOTICES ........................................................................... B7 HEALTH & WELLNESS ................................................................... B2 OUTPOST ..................................................................................... B10 www.madisoniannews.com COLUMNS ...................................................................................... B3 THE MADISONIAN A2 July 30, 2020 AMBULANCE continued from A1 According to Kelly, a few hours passed as RVMC searched for an ambulance service to transport Herbert to Butte. Herbert was in pain but according to the RVMC Custom Building Design emergency room log, he was not & having a heart attack. Around 12:30 p.m. Kelly, Herbert and Males drove an hour to St. Jo- seph’s Hospital. “We want to make sure that we try to provide the best possible care that we can to our commu- nity,” Dybdal said. “I wouldn’t say we dropped the ball but it’s something we need to look at • Conventional Frame Homes and see if we can improve our • Commercial Remodels & Additions care here and make sure that we • Hand-crafted Log Homes do the best job that we can.” Dybdal said there needed to be All phases of construction, design and consulting Madison County ambulance meeting July 14. PHOTO BY HANNAH KEARSE better communication between EMS and the nurses July 19. e-mail: [email protected] | www.bandeconstruction.com tens-of-thousands-of dollars, said. “None of us get out of this According to Dybdal, it is rare RVMC may consider using a brad bullock 581-4117 | ken evans 490-2758 | office 682-7942 nurse in an ambulance transfer p.o. box 1444 Ennis, MT 59729 insurance companies do not al- alive.” for the RVAS to have a single ways cover the cost and patients’ paramedic crew working. He if RVAS does not have enough RVMC has mutual aid agree- crew members. bear part of the cost. Patients ments with surrounding ambu- said about once a year RVAS cannot request a Life Flight lance services. Jefferson Valley, cannot transfer a RVMC patient “I’m going to talk highly of my transport. The emergency care Dillon, Ennis and Butte ambu- to another hospital because crew - they are doing a great job. provider or treating physician lance services were either short of the 911-response require- We do what we can based on the decide whether an air ambu- staffed due to COVID-19 or did ment. RVAS has three full-time limited resources that we have lance is needed. not have a crew available to help. paramedics and several EMS because when it comes down Herbert’s wife, Kelly, and their volunteers. to it, we’re still a rural critical “I love those nurses up there,” access hospital and a rural 121 West Main Street, Ennis, MT neighbor Nancy Males drove Kelly said. “They did their best “Because we operate on a vol- him to Butte Sunday afternoon. unteer crew,” Dybdal said. “We EMS service. So, we don’t have Gemcore (waterproof LVT & Hardwood) and saved him. They called the unlimited resources, unfortu- The next day Herbert, 76, died at ambulance and the ambulance didn’t have a crew available for a Carpet - Vinyl - Hardwoood St. Joseph’s Hospital. second out.” nately, but we do the best with refused.” what we have.” NO JOB TOO BIG OR SMALL! “It was pretty traumatic,” Kelly Owner/Sales/Installation - Rob Blair (406) 539-1440 Covid continued from A1 not have come into close contact Brummel said that less then 10% in children. Schools should still from the backlogged state labs. with many community mem- ever had a fever while infected. consider using temperature But untestable samples have bers. Close contact is considered “Do not rely on fever to show checks in the upcoming school- been returned and MCPHD is within 6 feet of an infected if you have COVID,” Brummel year as one of the methods to contacting those individuals. individual for 15 minutes. said. “If you have a cough or sore monitor students, according to Madison County has the third Sherwood Swanson According to Brummel, fever throat, assume COVID.” Brummel. highest COVID-19 infection rate is not a common symptom in More than half of Madison The MCPHD has received per capita in Montana. Gallatin Madison County’s COVID-19 County’s cases have been adults results from 1,016 COVID-19 County is fourth, and Big Horn Drywall Inc. cases. As of July 28, 63 Madison over the age of 50. There is little tests. Results from the surveil- County and Garfield County are County residents have tested countywide data on symptoms lance testing in Virginia City ahead of Madison County in in- Hanging Finishing positive for the novel virus.