UpDate - Vol. 14, No. 10, Page 1
November 3, 1994
Team moves into action FAST during emergency occurs
In the damp confines of the basement of the University's chilled
water plant, a scene was unfolding that could have come straight out
of the popular television show, Rescue 911.
A man with bruises on his neck and arms lay face-up on the cold,
concrete floor, apparently the victim of a nasty tumble down a long
flight of steel stairs.
As electric motors whined and steam valves hissed, several
persons carefully gathered around the victim to check his vital signs
and administer first aid, while waiting for an ambulance to arrive.
Fortunately, the ambulance that showed up minutes later was not
needed. Both the victim and those coming to his aid were taking part
in a drill designed to measure the effectiveness of the First Aid
Service Team (FAST), a recently formed emergency response unit within
the Facilities Management Department.
FAST is composed of members of the department who are active
emergency medical technicians (EMTs) or who serve in other fire-
fighting and rescue capacities in their communities.
"We chose the name FAST to avoid confusion with other rescue
units," said Patty Benton-Fogg, manager of human
resources/administrative services for Facilities Management.
The focus of the FAST team is to provide first aid to department
employees who are injured or become seriously ill while at work.
If an accident involving a department employee occurs, a call is
made to the Facilities Management service desk, where the radio
dispatcher calls 911. Once this call is made, the FAST team is
deployed to the scene of the emergency.
Beton-Fogg stressed that the FAST team's efforts are considered
as temporary assistance until other area emergency care personnel-such
as the University Emergency Care Unit or those associated with nearby
volunteer fire-fighting organizations- arrive.
The idea for the FAST team came as a result of an actual
emergency in which an employee was burned when the equipment he was
working on malfunctioned.
"Two years ago, when the accident happened, I responded," said
Ron Beaver, an electronics repair technician. "I was limited in what I
could do because I didn't have all the equipment I needed."
An EMT with the Elsmere Fire Company since he turned 18, Beaver
heard the call for help on his service radio. After arriving at the
location of the accident, he began to administer first aid by
carefully removing clothing from the areas where the victim had been
burned.
"Some people from housing got a sheet and wet it," Beaver said.
"We put it on the injured person to take down the heat from his
burns."
After the accident, Beaver approached different administrators to
see if emergency materials such as sterile water and gauze bandages
could be obtained for any possible future emergencies.
"I think it was pretty nice of management to work with us,"
Beaver said. "They were open with us and provided the equipment."
This equipment was put to the test during the drill, which was
the first time the FAST team had been called into action as a group.
"We have the talent, so why not use it," Benton-Fogg said.
Present on the scene to observe and evaluate the performance of
the FAST team were Robin L. Elliot, director of occupational health
and safety, and Roger Bowman, a supervisor for Facilities Management
Grounds Division.
Bowman is a member of Singerly Fire Co. in Elkton, Md, and has
been involved in emergency field services for 20 years, both as an
ambulance attendant and a fire fighter, He was asked by Benton-Fogg to
serve as an evaluator for the drill.
Also a member of the FAST team, Bowman teaches emergency care,
fire training and fire officer school for the Delaware State Fire
School and the University of Maryland Fire and Rescue Service.
"I thought it went well overall," Bowman said. "A couple of areas
need improvement, but patient care was excellent.
"I would think that any employee that is injured or becomes ill
on the job can count on receiving high-quality care from the team."
Victor J. Costa, minor construction manger in Facilities
Management, was asked to join the FAST team because of his emergency
service background.
A past chief of Singerly Fire Co. and an EMT since 1974, Costa,
who also teaches for the Maryland Fire and Rescue Service, was
receptive to the FAST team concept.
"I certainly think that there is a need, and that we can help,"
Costa said.
Although the FAST team is a first for Facilities Management, the
concept itself is not new.
"A lot of larger companies like DuPont and the Medical Center of
Delaware's Christiana Hospital have what are called fire brigades,"
said Bob Bennett, a Facilities Management plumber. "Most of these
people are, or have been, volunteer fire fighters."
Based on his 29 years of experience as a fire fighter, including
three years as chief of the Christiana Fire Co., Bennett knows
firsthand how difficult it can be for a fire company to respond,
particularly during daytime hours when volunteers are working their
regular jobs.
"We [FAST] are already here on the scene," Bennett said. "With
traffic the way it is, it is easier for us to respond immediately."
Dave Wilson, a fire suppression technician and an eight-year
member of Aetna Hose Hook & Ladder Co. of Newark, said that having a
FAST team presents a good opportunity for volunteer fire fighters to
use their skills in the workplace.
"We do this after work," Wilson said, "so why not do it here? The
members are familiar with the environment, so we make a good support
team."
Rounding out the FAST team is boiler mechanic Wayne Norris, a
fire fighter for 27 years.
Norris, who started with the Elsmere Fire Co., is now a member of
the Brandywine Hundred Fire Co. No.1, where he has been assistant
chief for three years.
"Patty and Ron Beaver approached me about joining the team,"
Norris said. "I think it is a great idea for the employees to have
something like this."
Although the FAST team was a joint venture of employees and
management, Thomas Vacha, assistant vice president of facilities,
credits the team members for getting things started.
"It was an employee initiative," Vacha said. "They provided the
justification and gave us a list of the needed materials."
Besides allowing the FAST team to sharpen their skills, Vacha
said he believes that having such drills helps to highlight areas
where changes in procedures may be needed.
"Our hope is that having this capability could really serve to
minimize any injury that might occur," Vacha said. "It also shows that
our employees are interested in the welfare of their fellow
employees."
-Jerry Rhodes