All North Charleston Fire Department personnel to receive EMT-B training

The North Charleston Fire Department has been awarded an Assistance to Firefighters Grant from the U.S. Fire Administration to train all personnel to the level of Emergency Medical Technician-Basic (EMT-B).

The total grant allocation is $160,000.  Last Thursday, March 17, 2011, the North Charleston Finance Committee approved $32,000 in matching funds to be combined with $128,000 from federal funding sources.  The matching funds require a final reading at City Council on Thursday, March 24, 2011 for full approval.

Currently, the North Charleston Fire Department has 229 personnel of which most are certified to provide emergency medical response at the First Responder level, a 56 hour program that meets U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Guidelines.

The Assistance to Firefighters Grant will increase the level of medical training for all personnel to EMT-B, which requires 144 hours of training.  EMT-Bs provide basic life support, typically procedures including CPR, automated external defibrillation, mechanical ventilation, placement of air way adjuncts, splinting, and suctioning.  In addition, EMT-Bs are trained to assist patients with administration of preprescribed nitroglycerin, metered-dose inhaler, and epinephrine auto injectors.

The primary goal of the Assistance to Firefighters Grants is to meet the firefighting and emergency response needs of fire departments and nonaffiliated emergency medical service organizations. Since 2001, Assistance to Firefighters Grant has helped firefighters and other first responders to obtain critically needed equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training, and other resources needed to protect the public and emergency personnel from fire and related hazards.

“This grant will allow us to significantly improve our capability in providing initial medical response in coordination with Charleston County EMS,” stated North Charleston Fire Chief Greg Bulanow.

“Having a certified EMT-basic on scene with EMS has proven nationally to be of a great benefit and is very important to the overall care of the patient. We are looking forward to working with North Charleston with this project,” stated Charleston County EMS Director Don Lundy.

Why EMT-B training is important to North Charleston

• NCFD medical responses have increased by more than 300% since 2004 and now make up more than two thirds of total call volume.
• The NCFD responds to only the most serious medical incidents by using dispatching protocols that identify the severity of the need.  In 2010, the NCFD responded to approximately 5,400 of the approximately 16,000 total medical calls in North Charleston.  This ensures that the fire crews are still available to respond to fires while providing the fastest care to those with immediate life-threatening medical needs.  
• Some of the factors that contribute to the increased call volume include: 
• The City is thriving and continuing to grow both in size and density.   
• The American population is aging as the baby boomers reach retirement age.   Seniors tend to move to urban areas and generally place more of a demand on emergency medical services.  
• The economic downturn in the US economy has caused many more people to be uninsured or underinsured.  They may wait until an emergency occurs before they confront a medical situation.

North Charleston Intermodal Facility awarded $6 million in grant funding

The Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) will receive $6,020,126 in grant funding for the North Charleston Intermodal Facility through a new transit initiative called the State of Good Repair Program.  The grant was awarded by the U.S. Department of Transportation on Monday, Oct. 4.

Following Senator Lindsey Graham’s (R-South Carolina) announcement, Mayors Summey and Riley, alongside Charleston County Council Chairman Teddie Pryor, CARTA Intermodal Center Committee Chairman Kurt Taylor, Councilman Sam Hart and Judge Vic Rawl joined together in a local announcement at the Intermodal Center site.

See images from the press conference here.

Mayor Summey said, “I extend a special thanks to Senator Graham, with support from other members of the Congressional Delegation, for having at heart the well-being of the Lowcountry.  Senator Graham’s diligent work on behalf of the people of South Carolina will impart a new front door onto the Lowcountry and will greatly enhance the traveling experience for our many tourists that visit the Greater Charleston Area.  In a down economy, this is certainly great news that will construct a key piece of our tourism infrastructure and will create job opportunities for our residents.”

As a part of the State of Good Repair program, these funds will help construct the new Intermodal Facility that will serve as a transportation hub for AMTRAK passenger trains, commuter trains, Greyhound buses, CARTA buses, area taxis and shuttles used by the Charleston International Airport and the North Charleston CARTA Express park-and-ride lot.

“The Lowcountry is an international tourist destination, and we deserve a fitting Intermodal Center to welcome those visitors,” said Mayor Riley. “This exciting announcement, following the hard work of many area leaders, is a big step in the right direction.”

CARTA has completed Phase I construction to develop the Intermodal Center site infrastructure, which included demolition of current buildings onsite, clearing and grubbing, excavation work, a storm water pond, and a park and ride lot.

An additional $2 million is needed to move forward with construction. The State of Good Repair Funds will allow preliminary engineering work on the proposed Intermodal Center design to be completed, which is anticipated by the end of 2010. North Charleston, the CARTA Board and staff, along with other area leaders including Amtrak, commuter rail and Greyhound will continue to be involved.

Designed Intermodal Facility

Charleston Union Station, built 1907

In total, the Intermodal Center site encompasses more than 36 acres in North Charleston off of Montague Avenue on the corner of Seiberling Road, which was purchased by CARTA with federal, state and local funds.

The State of Good Repair (SGR) initiative provides funds to public transit providers to finance capital projects to replace, rehabilitate, and purchase buses and related equipment and to construct/rehabilitate bus-related facilities in an effort to bring the nation’s transit infrastructure into the 21st Century.

Existing and new riders are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Express routes by calling (843) 724-7420, by visiting the CARTA website (www.RideCarta.com), or the CARTA Express micro site at www.WhyDrive.net, or by visiting the CARTA Office at 36 John St. in downtown Charleston. Maps and schedules are also available on all CARTA buses.

North Charleston Elementary receives the Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Grant

North Charleston Elementary receives the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Grant. The grant Program is a federally assisted program providing free fruits and vegetables to students in participating elementary schools during the school day.  The goal of the Fresh Fruit Vegetable Program is to improve children's overall diet and create healthier eating habits to impact their present and future health.

NCES has been awarded a total of $24,400 to purchase supplies and produce for the school year. The FFVP will help schools create healthier school environments by providing healthier food choices; expanding the variety of fresh fruits and vegetables children experience and consume; and help combat the childhood obesity epidemic.

Participants responsible for the FFV Grant
Latisha Vaughn-Brandon, Principal
Katherine Thornton, Physical Education
Denfield Wade, Cafeteria Manager
Leslie Skinner, Communities in Schools
Cheryl Dunn, Nurse

North Charleston selected for national health & wellness effort

The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD), the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), and the YMCA of the USA (Y-USA) selected North Charleston and 39 other U.S. communities to advance the nation’s efforts to prevent chronic diseases and related risk factors through local collaboration. Action Communities for Health, Innovation, and EnVironmental ChangE (ACHIEVE) is supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Healthy Communities Program. ACHIEVE brings leaders together from all sectors of a region to build healthier communities by promoting policy, systems, and environmental change strategies that focus on physical activity, nutrition, tobacco cessation, obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

The ACHIEVE approach promotes health through lifestyle and environmental improvements, such as safe locations for physical activity and increased access to healthy food options at schools, worksites, places of worship and in the general community.

ACHIEVE combines the expertise of state and local governments and public health departments with the experience of community-based organizations that presently provide support and outreach. North Charleston, like the other 39 ACHIEVE communities, will engage and mobilize leaders in the local community to respond to the public health challenges of obesity, physical inactivity, and poor nutrition.

“We are not the healthiest nation by a long shot,” said Robert M. Pestronk, NACCHO’s executive director. “These partnerships create intentional momentum in the right direction, based on successful strategies at work, home, and play to reduce our nation’s burden of chronic disease.”

The South Carolina DHEC Public Health Region 7 office was selected for ACHIEVE after a competitive review process. The local effort addresses the critical issue of obesity and the availability of healthy food in the southern end of the City of North Charleston through assessment and planning in the first year of the grant.

North Charleston Mayor R. Keith Summey stated, “Our local health departments play a key role in providing a cohesive response to lifestyle and health challenges through a team based approach. By establishing a network of community organizations, ACHIEVE increases the opportunities and awareness of active living and healthy eating. Laying a foundation for positive lifestyle choices allows for the reduction of chronic diseases that would otherwise plague our community in the future. Mayor Summey continued, “I salute our local ACHIEVE and their key initiative to increase accessibility to healthy foods in the southernmost portions of North Charleston.”

For a complete listing of all funded communities, visit the ACHIEVE website at www.achievecommunities.org or CDC’s Healthy Communities Program’s website at www.cdc.gov/healthycommunitiesprogram. Find North Charleston information at www.northcharleston.org.

Members serving on the North Charleston ACHIEVE team include:

• Karla Beckwith, MUS, RD, LD, Director of Nutrition/Clinic Manager, SC DHEC Region 7
• Anne Bergin, Director of Health, Trident United Way
• Sharon Crossley, RDH, MPH, Health Educator, SC DHEC Region 7
• Vonie Gilreath, Mobility Manager, BCD Council of Governments
• Kyle Lahm, Coordinator, City of North Charleston Mayor’s Office on Ed., Youth and Family
• Patricia Mack, Volunteer, Tri-County Black Nurses Association
• Wannetta Mallette, CMP Project Manager, LAMC, City of North Charleston & SCSPA
• Dr. Lisa Robinson, Community & Faith-Based Advocate
• Katy Simison, Magnet Coordinator, Chicora School of Communications
• Brenda Strople, RN, District 4 Nurse Liaison, CCSD Office of Health Services
• Dr. Gwendolyn Todd-Houston, Director, Franklin C Fetter Clinic
• Deborah Williamson DHA, MSN, CNM, Associate Dean of Practice, MUSC College of Nursing

The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) represents the nation's 2800 local governmental health departments. These city, county, metropolitan, district, and tribal departments protect and promote the health and well-being of their communities.

North Charleston Fire Department receives grant to protect firefighters’ health

North Charleston’s Fire Department will receive $254,102 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) under its 2009 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program. The grant requires a $50,820 match, which was approved unanimously by the North Charleston Finance Committee on the Thursday, February 18, 2010. The match requires final approval at City Council on Thursday, February 25, 2010.

The funds received from FEMA will be used to install 26 vehicle exhaust removal systems to be placed in city fire stations. The systems utilize a source capture system that removes exhaust directly from the apparatuses to be expelled directly to outside air.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, the most effective means is to connect a hose (to the exhaust pipe of all vehicles) that ventilates exhaust to the outside. This reduces the carbon monoxide, oxides of sulfur and nitrogen, and unburned or partially burned hydrocarbons that are present, as well as the amount of particulates that are often inhaled. Diesel emissions contain many different chemicals that have been found to have a negative effect on firefighters’ health.

The National Institute of Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have declared human exposure to diesel exhaust as a potential occupational carcinogenic hazard. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) concluded in a report made public on Sept. 3, 2002 that long-term exposure to diesel engine exhaust in the air is linked to lung cancer. In addition, NIOSH states that vehicle exhaust fumes are a potential health carcinogen and recommends that occupational exposure to this carcinogen be lowered to the lowest feasible concentration.

North Charleston Fire Chief Gregory A. Bulanow stated, “A fire station combines living quarters with a garage where exposure to diesel exhaust will occur regularly without these systems. I am very pleased that we were awarded this grant to help us maintain our commitment to the long term health and safety of our firefighters.”