One of the biggest topics of conversation dominating news coverage and the internet in recent weeks and months has been the impact of Canadian wildfires on air quality and the environment in the northeastern U.S. and beyond.

As the weather gets warmer and we move further into summer, more people are making time for travel and much-needed vacations that allow them to soak up the sun and explore new places and activities. While traveling is always something to look forward to, it can present major airway risks, particularly for vulnerable demographics and people with respiratory conditions.

You only stepped out of the meeting for a minute just to grab another cup of coffee, but while you were out, your fellow firefighters voted that you be the one tasked with designing and stocking the new first-in bags that will be carried on all the rescues of your department. How to begin?

When faced with the challenge of transporting someone in respiratory distress, emergency responders should be able to identify the symptoms and remain prepared to spring into action with the right procedures and equipment.

Preparedness is essential to trauma treatment, especially when you encounter catastrophic injuries in the field. Having the right supplies in your trauma kit allows you to care for patients and avoid needless treatment delays. 

Depending on the emergency and treatment circumstance, it can often be helpful to have patients’ family members present to answer questions about a patient’s background or medical history, but it can also be overwhelming and add even more stress for the providers and patients involved.

As a paramedic, you are frequently called upon to treat respiratory emergencies. These emergencies come in many forms, from asthmatics to Those with emphysema to pediatrics suffering from obstructions. No matter the type of call, emergencies involving the respiratory system are some of the most critical you will handle. And recognizing the true respiratory emergency is the first step in treating it. It all starts with your assessment.

This post is an excerpt taken from our complementary ebook, The Emergency Preparedness Professional’s Guide to Planning for Hospital Supply Line Disruptions.

Recent natural disasters, such as Winter Storm Elliott, have demonstrated that hospitals can suffer crippling blows during times of crisis. But at the same time, hospitals are expected to provide continuous and safe patient care amidst these challenges.

Every shift can present a range of medical emergencies. Myocardial infarctions (MI), strokes, traumatic injuries—you must be ready for anything. And any one of these patients can devolve into a critical suction scenario. The MI may lapse into cardiac arrest; the stroke may render swallowing ineffective; and the trauma patient may have facial injuries producing copious blood in the mouth. You must have suction at the ready for every patient. Your priority is always a patent airway.

The critical aspect of suction readiness is having procedures in place that ensure you are prepared. So let's discuss some of the aspects of emergency suction procedures for paramedics.

Think for a moment about all the decisions you make each time you treat a patient. It begins with your assessment: Is the patient stable or critical? Are their vitals sufficient, or do they require immediate intervention? Will they need ALS or BLS? Each scenario prompts a deluge of decisions—decisions that must be made instantaneously in some cases.