'T1 DART The McSwain Dart is a twelve cm. The pre-hospital care of tension latest model has a highly machine( long, 16 french, polyvinyl catheter over a pneumothorax has been clouded in catheter over metal stilet which can b( sharp metal stilet. It is intended to pro- controversy. This controversy has easily inserted. Additionally, a radio vide a rapid method of treating tension centered on whether or not tension paque stripe will soon be added to th( pneumothorax in either the pre or in- pneumothorax should be treated in the catheter to facilitate x-ray evaluation o hospital setting. This uniquely designed field, and if so, using what! Some of this the catheter and location. Lastly, one o catheter provides a device that can be hesitancy seems to stem from a lack of a the dart's greatest advantages is that i rapidly inserted; then flanged open to se- simple, safe, reliable, and effective de- provides not only a temporary, but ir cure in place. After removal of the vice for use by appropriately trained many cases, a definitive means o introducing stilet, a one way Heimlich paramedics. The McSwain Dart seems treating a tension or simple pneumo. valve completes the system. to fill that void. Experience by one pre- thorax. Thus while the decision to treat oi The McSwain Dart represents the first hospital care system (Bellingham, not to treat, pre-hospital, must be left ur device solely designed for treating Washington) is over eighteen field inser- to each system, that decision may hav( simple and tension pneumothorax. It has tions, has confirmed it to be safe and been made easier by the addition of th( the unique ability to provide rapid effective for pre-hospital use. This McSwain Dart to our arnnamentarium o insertion. It is self securing; and featuring experience has helped the company to pre-hospital tools. one valve system. improve the dart's early design and the SPRING 1979 Body Briefer, and Manhandlers. After the four commercials had allowed me to catch my breath, our two (at that time) FILMS short haired heroes proceeded to pull Dixie and the victim from the car, just Now... before the car went over the cliff! THE GREATEST RESCUES OF They then reached for a vacuum EMERGENCY a better way splint, and asked the base station physi- Produced for NBC by cian (Robert Fuller) for permission to A small easily insertable catheter in Robert Cinader start an IV., and administer talwin. The combination with a one-way flutter Featuring Doc wouldn't go for this, back in that valve — a quick but effective small Kevin Tighe & early point in time. So, naturally, Gage tube for use in trauma, both in the Randolph Mantooth and DeSoto said "to hell with orders", pre-hospital stage and the and provided definitive treatment to emergency department. I hope this doesn't read like an obitu- Dixie and the others, anyway. This ary, but it looks like we all witnessed the resulted in an admonishment back at the end of an era on New Years Eve, 1978. hospital, hurting their feelings but failing Especially those of us who were watch- to dampen their enthusiasm for better ing TV. "Television on New Years Eve?" patient care. Well, to tell you the truth, I was on duty at I hope that all of the other "Emer- the fire station while many of you readers gency" TV fans were watching as Gage & were involved in revelry. Yes, I watched DeSoto proceeded to pull victims from a the "Emergency" TV show go out with VW under water, a burning boat on a the year, 1978. "The Greatest Rescues of lake, jump from a helicopter into the Emergency" was, in my opinion, a joke. water, remove a girdle from a fat lady, However, Bob Cinader and Universal pull a young man from an accordioned Studios did just what I might have done, sofa, remove a man from a tall con- were I producing the series, and in the struction crane, and another from a possession of the necessary talent. scaffold. DeSoto was blown from a "Emergency" told the folks out there in burning building as a result of an explo- TV land what they wanted to hear, and sion, only to be defibrillated by a female portrayed the most ungodly array of paramedic trainee. Gage was bitten by a emergencies that a person could ever dog, and later saved from death by a want to watch, all packed into a two-hour Pasadena fireman, in an apartment time frame, less commercials. blaze, started by an airplane crash. (ho- The show started at Los Angeles hum) About this time, the show brought County Fire Department Headquarters, a little humor to the screen. I watched the with a promotional ceremony in crew of "Engine 51" scurry around on the progress. Los Angeles County Fire Chief flk or, trying to catch two playful puppies Clyde Bragdon (playing himself) pinned turned loose in the fire station, and, at a the shining new badges on a group of later date, (and after some more rookie Captains, two of whom stood out commercials) play with water balloons, like "Bozo The Clown." They did, in fact, chucked at them by the "Phantom Full wing contraction for safe, look like "Bozo", with their long hair Bomber". easy, non-traumatic insertion and removal. puffed out behind their uniform caps! An Totally engrossed in the job of re- uninitiated viewer might start to wonder I Disposable, steel stylet for viewing the TV show, I was, as I why these two men enjoyed the special mentioned, on duty. As it happened, I easy, one-step insertion. privileges of having long hair, until the was in my room, located just off the ill Full wing expansion for episodes started to unfold on the TV Captain's office. I heard a lot of laughter g... h positive holding power. screen. And then you knew. No wonder! coming from the direction of the recrea- These guys are fantastic heroes! Now, i lite Prepackaged, complete, ready tion room, and assumed the other men to use system. No ancillary don't know about you folks, but I in my station were laughing at "Emer- equipment required such as personally have never heard of anything gency" on the TV, and was thinking, hell, waterseal devices, etc. equal to the following achievements. what are they laughing at? Firemen don't Starting at the beginning of the para- really do those crazy things. Or do they? Ifili MEDICAL DYNAMICS, INC. medic days, DeSoto first recruited Gage Well, I was being too critical of the TV Building 7J into the paramedic program. Then, program. Dave Mohney proved this to 14 Inverness Drive, East , Englewood, CO 80112 responding with "Nurse Dixie" (as Carol me when he came in the room laughing I I L / Bebout, R.N. really did back in those and said, "Ron, come on over to the rec. 0-770-2990 collect (colorado residents) / (800) 525-1294 (toll free, out of state) / early L.A. County paramedic days) the room. This is the funniest thing that I / movie immediately brought the viewer to have ever seen; we are all throwing pan- / PRECAUTIONS / the point where Dixie had crawled into an cakes at each other. We have pancakes Do not reuse or resterilize, / automobile to rescue a patient. all over the walls, and everything." use aseptic technique. / Federal law (U.S.A.) / Incidentally, the car tetering on it's roof Realizing that I was being a bit too restricts this device / on the edge of a cliff. Mkanwhile, Gage & to sale by or on order / critical of the TV show, I settled back and of a physician / DeSott, were doing sorAething else. watched Johnny Gage start an IV on / Wow, was I frightened! Just as I thought himself after being bitten by a rattle U.S PATENT / Universal Studios might have to hire snake, while his partner was tied up at C3,713.447 e, Peggy Lee to replace Julie London for the hospital. After that, DeSoto saved / / the next few years, I was presented with Gage's life once, and passed up a / commercials featuring Moisture Wear promotion once. rake-Up, Juicy Fruit Gum, Free Spirit I felt a tug at my heart when the flash- continued on page 43 SPRING 1979 .