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What is Your Department's SOPs on Turnout Gear on Medical Runs?
I was told I can not wear my bunker pants on aid runs. Since that time I have been exposed to more bodily fluids than I care to talk about. After a talk with the chief he said wear them if I like. But the next in the officer in line says NO. My First Responder instructor taught us to wear them they are just part of BSI.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Davin Eshelman on
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Well I guess if your Chief said you could then I would. He pretty much outranks the officers in your department. We dont have SOP's for that because our department is seperate from the EMS.
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Permalink Reply by Ric Lavallee on
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Part of your fire protection yes. Part of BSI no. OSHA would have a lot to say about it, probably ending in Nyet way!
Bunker gear is designed to be used in fighting fire. the integrity of the product is sacrified everytime it is used. It is not designed to be used as a BSI barrier. Body fluids will indeed soak into the material creating a contaminated surface. After all water soaks into it, would you not think blood, sweat and tears does as well. This contaminated surface will in turn cross contaminate every other firefighter and patient you come in contact with and whatever other place you visit including your station, family and washer. Additionally used bunker gear carries its own bacteria from fighting fires which is not sociably clean nor antiseptic. This places your patients at risk. Last it is not very professional to go trapesing into someone's home in a pair of dirty bunker pants and boots. Alas though many think this is cool and macho
If you are exposed to a critical level of BSI, blood, vomit etc, when wearing your duty uniform consider the following, it can easily be changed and washed. If you still feel you are being exposed I would suggest that wearing a disposable hospital gown with gloves, mask and eyeshield is more appropriate. The items can be disposed of and thus not cross contaminate personnel and patients.
We don't have a policy in our dept. However if your on my run you don't enter a medical scene or my med unit with your gear on. I have over 28 years in fire & rescue and am still treating patients with my BDU on.
Keep your bunker gear clean and fresh it will serve you well when you need it most.
P.S. to those with bunker gear that is never washed. read the manufacturers material ratings. your gear won't last when the heat is really on you. Dirty gear loses it's fire rating.
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Permalink Reply by John Crabbe on
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What happens when you pull up on a scene and the call is actually something other than what was dispatched? What happens when you are exposed to a deadly virus or other communicable blood-borne pathogen and you are not protected with anything other than latex gloves and possibly a mask?
Not directing this just to you Matthew, using your quote for a point here. "What ifs" can be played anywhere, but this is no reason that bunker gear would have to be worn on every EMS call either. Yes, it IS the employer's duty to equip personnel with PPE and provide BSI, but there is also an undertaking in personal responsibility as well.
What I mean here is that many of the comments I see about wearing bunkers deals with blood, vomit, etc....reality is, you really aren't going to encounter this often without knowing the call. (IE car accident, shooting, stabbing, altercation, drunk, etc) Meaning majority of your EMS calls, the BSI you really would need does consist of gloves, mask to a point, and perhaps safety glasses.
It is your responsibility to be aware of your surroundings and ensure scene safety. If you are kneeling in a pool of blood or vomit, etc, who is the stupid one? Where is the situational awareness? Hey, I've been in those scene, move the pt out, squat, don't kneel, shoes can be cleaned, etc.
Look at the situation, if the pt is coughing and you forgot your mask etc, put an O2 mask on the pt. I've been called from the ER before and had to be tested for TB etc later because a pt wasn't honest with us. We weren't masked up going in, but simply put the pt on an O2 mask. This way it does fall into pt care and you don't have to worry about how you would "appear" to the pt.
Point is that one doesn't have to walk in geared in BSI head to toe, use some common sense on the situation. Much of the BSI you really will need for EMS is probably already provided by the employer, because they have to. Gloves, safety glasses, mask, sleeves, gowns, etc. Ensure you know where the stuff is, but one doesn't need to be outfitted on every call. Gloves should be a no brainer, wear eye protection, everything else can be adjusted easy.....blood/puke/piss, etc put sleeves on if concerned....if difficulty breathing or "ill" and it is flu season wear a mask, or put the pt on one right away, etc. Size up begins before the call comes in, meaning know where your equipment is, when the call comes in, one should be able to adjust accordinly if the call isn't as expected, but we don't really have to be decked out in bunker gear or level B type of protection for majority of EMS calls out there.
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Permalink Reply by Scott on
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If you are exposed to a critical level of BSI, blood, vomit etc, when wearing your duty uniform consider the following, it can easily be changed and washed.
Lets not get away from his statement not too far in to the blog. He stated he is volunteer and he has to wear his personal clothes on the call. If they had uniforms, then I would be right with you. Wearing his personal clothes changes it. He should be allowed to wear something (such as bunker gear, if the dept is not going to provide other clothing) to protect his own clothes.
BTW John, when I was talking about full BSI I was thinking a uniform. I was not thinking true head-to-toe BSI. I relayed my thought poorly.
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Permalink Reply by John Dobson on
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I thought this would be a little more cut and dry. There a alot of different opinions and sops/sogs on this. Thanks folks for the input and time put in this.
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Kara the little booties are a great idea to protect carpet. This one of the other reason I was gave not to wear bunkers. They are cheap and easy, Thanks for the idea.
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Permalink Reply by Captain Ron on
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Our department uses turn-outs for fires, car accidents/extrications and station uniforms (that are laundered by a private company) for medical calls. Each firefighter keeps five pair of nomex uniform pants and shirts along with 3 jumps suits at the station. The laundry company cleans repairs and replaces damaged uniforms. Another food for thought, we keep our duty boots in the bay by the rigs.
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Permalink Reply by Brian Dumser on
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I don't believe we have a policy on wearing turnout gear on EMS runs. I do know that it's not an issue here as our gear has liners that protect us from bodily fluids.
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We are only have turn out gear no station uniform. We a all volunteer Department.
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Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on
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Medical BSI gear is preferrable for turnout gear for places that have it, and for scenes where there are no scene hazards that will damage the medical BSI gear. Those scenes do not include wrecks, fires, construction accidents, high wind conditions, underbrush/briars, or anywhere else that requires resistance to weather, abrasion, cuts, etc.
Wearing turnout gear provides the wearer with BSI protectin at a level that a station uniform can't do.
It is easy to wash the shells and disinfect the liners of TOG that meets the current standards. If you clean the shells after they're contaminated, then there's no cross-contamination for other patients or crew members.
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When the provider is contaminated with blood, vomit, feces, urine, etc., how "professional" does it really look?
If you get cut at a wreck how "professional" does it look?
I'm not advocating for wearing stinky/nasty/dirty TOG. That gear should be kept clean and if necessary, disinfected.
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The booties also reduce traction and add the risk of slips and falls.
It's a trade-off.
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