News Archives

December 26, 2008 - GCEMS Wishes Happy Holidays to All: Glacier County EMS and its employees would like to wish everybody a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. We would like to send a friendly reminder out to buckle up and drive safe!

December 26, 2008 - GCEMS Welcomes Two New Employees: The service would like to welcome EMT/Basic Tamera Kelley and Paramedic Harry Topliss. Tamera comes to us from Arizona and is the sister of Paramedic Maunay Kelley. Tamera started with GCEMS in the beginning of December. She has over two years of prehospital experience and has been an excellent addition to our crew. Paramedic Harry Topliss also comes to the "coldest spot in the nation" from Arizona and brings 2 years in EMS. Harry just moved into town with his wife and son before Christmas and began orientation on Christmas Eve. We are excited to have both members join our team and look forward to our futures with them.

December 26, 2008 - Two Ambulances Involved in Minor Collisions: A-2 was involved in a minor collision with a deer on I-15 on December 18th. No injuries and only minor damage to the front bumper was reported. While returning to Cut Bank from a transfer on December 22, A-3 hit a guard rail at a low rate of speed while turning onto Highway 2 after hitting a large patch of ice. Again no injuries and only minor damage reported.

December 26, 2008 - Critical Care License Comes Through: Critical Care Paramedic Rhonda Grainger finally received her license from the state with her Critical Care endorsement. Rhonda has been anxiously awaiting the word that she is good to go and can now take any patient that needs transport. Way to go Rhonda! GCEMS now has 3 licensed Critical Care Paramedics.

December 26, 2008 - Paramedic Awarded Degree: Paramedic Angela Eppinger recently completed her final semester at MSU-GF COT and has been awarded her AAS in Paramedicine. Angela has been a member of the service since 2006 starting as an EMT/Basic and completing her Paramedic training in June 2008. She has been working as a full time Paramedic since July while attending school in Great Falls. Congratulations on a job well done Angela.

December 6, 2008 - GCEMS Voted 2nd Place at the Parade of Lights: After lots of hard work and lights, GCEMS received enough votes to be awarded second place by the Cut Bank community! Our Dancing Christmas Trees were a hit with the crowd. Creators and "dancers" Rhonda Grainger and Maunay Kelley received many compliments and quite the workout dancing their way down Main Street. Thank you to all those that worked on the project and voted for us! Look for us to be bigger and better next year!

November 16, 2008 - Parade of Lights : GCEMS will once again be participating in the Parade of Lights on Saturday November 22, 2008. The annual parade, which kicks off the holiday season for Cut Bank, takes place after sunset. Each float or entry in the parade is decorated with Christmas lights, big and bright is the goal. Chief Laidlaw, Paramedic Rhonda Grainger, and Paramedic Maunay Kelley have been hard at work on the entry for GCEMS. This years parade promises to be spectacular.

November 16, 2008 - Chief James Laidlaw To Be a Participant in Missed Cut Bank 2008 : Chief Laidlaw has agreed to be a contestant in one of Cut Bank's most popular fund raisers. The 3rd Annual Missed Cut Bank Pageant will be held on Thursday November 20, 2008 at the Cut Bank High School auditorium. The pageant, a fundraiser for the Foothills Boys & Girls Club, recruits participants of the male gender from around town. These participants will compete in categories such as talent, interview, and evening gown. Yes, you read it right, the guys will dress, act, and perform as women. The event has been a huge success in the past and the Foothills Boys & Girls Club hopes to break records this year. Come out and support our kids and have a great laugh doing it!

November 16, 2008 - Full Time Paramedic Position Open : A full time paramedic position has become vacant with the recent promotion of Captain Brian Williams. The position has been officially opened, so get those resumes sent to Chief Laidlaw and turn in your application to the Cut Bank Job Service (jobs.mt.gov). For details on benefits offered to full time employees see our Employment page.

November 16, 2008 - New Captain Named : Congratulations to Paramedic Brian Williams who was promoted to the position of Captain Monday. Captain Williams interviewed in front of a board consisting of Chief James Laidlaw, the Glacier County Commissioners, and a representative from Job Service. As the new captain, his schedule will change to include two days a week as strictly administrative duties assisting the Chief and the other two days a week will be field days replacing the Chief on the trucks. Captain Williams will be spending his first official week as captain in Anniston, Alabama attending a leadership course. Congratulations Captain Williams.

November 8, 2008 - Special Ops Truck and Chief's Tahoe Get Makeovers : Paramedic Brian Williams worked hard this weekend applying the same striped chevrons to the backs of the Special Ops Truck and the Chief's Tahoe increasing the visibility of both on the roads and matching A-3. Increasing visibility of these vehicles is important to the safety of our crews. Both vehicles are quick response vehicles and are often taken directly to the scene of calls, the chevrons are highly visible and reflect lights from far away alerting traffic to our presence.

November 8, 2008 - GCEMS Installs New Lock on Medication Cabinet : A new lock has been installed on the medication cabinet in A-2. The Kaba Lock allows us to issue an individual access code to each paramedic and monitor every time the cabinet is accessed. This insures better accountability for each paramedic and more security for our equipment and medications.

November 8, 2008 - Paramedic Rhonda Grainger Successfully Completes Critical Care Training : Congratulations to Glacier Counties newest Critical Care Paramedic Rhonda Grainger! Rhonda completed the UMBC's intense 80 hour course in Georgia on October 24th. Rhonda is now waiting on her Critical Care endorsement to be complete with the state before she licensed as a Critical Care Paramedic in Montana. Congratulations Rhonda, we are proud of you!

October 18, 2008 - New Rig In Service : After some minor cosmetic delays the new ambulance, A-3, has been put in service. The brush guard has been mounted, the radios and rig phone have been installed, basic graphics have been applied, and the rig has been stocked with all equipment necessary. It has its permanent license plates and has been licensed by the state. While the rig is still awaiting some stripes and a few more adjustments it has been cleared to hit the roads. The new A-3 replaces the old A-3 which will move to Babb and replace A-6, the oldest ambulance in the fleet.

October 18, 2008 - Two Members to Attend Training Out of State : CCEMT-P Brian Williams and EMT-FR Floyd Peterson will be traveling to Anniston, Alabama for a week to attend the Department of Homeland Security's Center for Domestic Preparedness to receive Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Emergency Medical Services training. The federally funded program will train our members in areas such as incident management and treating patients with chemical, biological, or radiological injuries among other things. They will receive multiple lectures as well as lots of hands on training. Both members are excited to have the opportunity to attend this training.

October 10, 2008 - New Ambulance Arrives : Chief Laidlaw made the trip to Goshen, Indiana to pick our new ambulance. He arrived back in Cut Bank September 29 with the new addition. Although some modifications were not made that were requested the truck was accepted by all. Work has begun on getting the rig ready to go in service.

September 25, 2008 - New Call Numbers Assigned : New call sign numbers have been assigned to all of the GCEMS staff. Call numbers have been assigned in chronological order to staff as they become members of the service. After numerous years without a change the call numbers were reaching into the 50's with very few below 30 being used. Chief Laidlaw felt it was time to start again. EMS 1, 2, and 3 are assigned to positions in the department (Chief, Captain, and Training Officer), the additional numbers are for the remaining staff. EMS 5, 11, and 13 have been retired.

September 25, 2008 - Paramedic Rhonda Grainger To Get Critical Care Training : Paramedic Rhonda Grainger will be leaving early in October for Georgia where she will be spending three weeks receiving critical care training. Rhonda, who has been with the service for a year, is excited to get the opportunity for training that will give her what is required to receive her critical care endorsement. For the difference between Paramedics and Critical Care Paramedics see our FAQ page.

September 25, 2008 - GCEMS Goes Blue : GCEMS has recently changed their uniforms up a bit. Staff dress shirts have been changed from white to medium blue, a welcome change for staff. The white shirts are difficult to keep clean and easily get dirty with the work that we do. The full time staff has received their shirts while the volunteers will receive theirs later this year.

September 25, 2008 - Chief Laidlaw Attends Relay for Life Leadership Summit : Chief Laidlaw attended the American Cancer Society Great West Division Leadership Summit September 18-20 in Reno, Nevada. Chief Laidlaw attended as the 2009 Highline Relay for Life Chair. The event is designed to teach leadership how to manage the preparation for the Relay For Life and how to make a better event. Chief Laidlaw returned from the event with lots of tools and information to make next years Relay For Life a sure success.

September 15, 2008 - New Ambulance Arrival Scheduled : Chief Laidlaw has made the reservations and appointments necessary to pick up the new ambulance and drive it home. Chief Laidlaw will be returning to Cut Bank with the future A-6 on September 30th barring any unforeseen circumstances. The new rig will be receiving graphics, communications will be installed, and it will get a new set of supplies before it will be put into service.

September 12, 2008 - PHTLS Class Cancelled : Due to unforeseen scheduling conflicts GCEMS has had to cancel the PHTLS class scheduled for September 27-28 once again. The class will be rescheduled in the future. Watch the training bulletin for future class dates.

August 30, 2008 - GCEMS Changes to Online Scheduling : GCEMS has recently purchased the program EMS Manager (www.emsmanager.net) and have made the change to online scheduling. EMS Manager will allow employees to enter their availability, make vacation requests, trade shifts, and much more from any computer with an online connection. EMS Manager also allows management to track immunizations, training records, and certification expirations. GCEMS is excited about the new addition to our service.

August 30, 2008 - PHTLS Class Rescheduled : The PHTLS (Prehospital Trauma Life Support) class that was canceled in July has been rescheduled for September 27-28 from 0800-1700. The class is free to GCEMS personnel and $75.00 for all others. PHTLS certification is good for 4 years. If you have questions or would like to sign up for the class contact Training Officer Williams and Chief Laidlaw at the station.

August 21, 2008 - New Ambulance Delayed : Chief Laidlaw was notified that one of the compartments on the new ambulance was made with the wrong measurements. The correction is going to delay the arrival of the new ambulance 2-3 weeks. The arrival is now estimated to be early to mid September.

August 11, 2008 - Website Back in Motion : After many phone calls and lots of questions Angela has finally got the website figured out. Thank you to all who have been patient with the lack of updates. Things should be pretty smooth for awhile. If you find any problems such as pages that won't load, pictures that aren't showing up, or anything else along those lines, please don't hesitate to let her know so she can fix them (or attempt to!)

August 11, 2008 - GCEMS Awarded Polaris Ranger Grant: GCEMS was notified on July 7th by the U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company that we would be one of the award recipients of the Operation Ranger Grant. The Operation Ranger Program awards rugged, off-road utility vehicles to our nation's emergency responders. To date, more than 400 vehicles have been awarded across all 50 states. Receiving the Ranger will allow GCEMS to have been off road access to our patients as well as a vehicle that we can patrol around events such as Lewis and Clark Days, giving our patients better access to us. Our Ranger was delivered as far as Conrad and Chief Laidlaw traveled down there to pick it up on August 6th. The GCEMS staff is excited about the addition to our fleet. A special thank you goes out to former GCEMS Paramedic Kyle Starr for his hard work on the grant.

August 11, 2008 - GCEMS Welcomes New Full time Paramedic : GCEMS would like to welcome Paramedic Maunay Kelley to our full time staff .Maunay comes to us from Show Low, Arizona where she was a paramedic for the Show Low ambulance. Maunay started in Glacier County on July 9th and has been a welcome addition to our staff.

August 11, 2008 - New Ambulance Due to Arrive Soon : Chief Laidlaw has scheduled his trip to Goshen, Indiana to pick up our new ambulance, which is currently being built by Medtec. The scheduled arrival date is August 27th. The staff is anxiously awaiting its arrival!

August 11, 2008 - Chief Laidlaw Secures Wage Increase for GCEMS Employees : Last month Chief Laidlaw was approved for wage increases for the employees of GCEMS. All staff, to include full time and paid on call, received a call pay increase from .83 per hour to $1.25 per hour. First Responders and EMT/Basics received .50 hourly increases and Critical Care medics will receive a critical care stipend of .50 per hour.

August 11, 2008 - Call Volume Record Shattered : The fiscal year ended on June 31st at 12:00 midnight with a record shattering 757 page outs. This is an increase of 50 calls from the previous record of 707 in fiscal year 2006. Thank you to all GCEMS staff for their hard work this past year.

June 20, 2008 - EMT/B Angie Eppinger Passes Paramedic Exam: EMT/B Angie Eppinger successfully completed her NREMT paramedic practical and written examinations and is officially a nationally registered EMT/paramedic. She will be joining Glacier County EMS and filling in her new role as a paramedic as soon as her Montana certification comes through. Angie is to be commended for all her hard work and sacrifice while going through the paramedic program. Welcome aboard in your new role!

June 10th, 2008 - Chief Laidlaw Asks County for Compensation Increases: GCEMS Chief James Laidlaw met with the county commissioners recently as the start of the new fiscal year approaches. One of the items that was requested is an increase in compensation for our department members, notably in the areas of a differential for critical care paramedic certification and an increase in the call pay for both full-time and paid-on-call staff, which is currently $0.83/hr. Recruitment and retention was one of the reasons citied in the request. A decision should be known in the near future.

June 10th, 2008 - Fire/EMS Safety Week 2008: The International Association of Fire Chief's (IAFC) Safety Week 2008 is set for June 22-28th this year. The week is dedicated to the safety and wellness of fire/EMS personnel and is a time for departments to look at their safety policies and any programs that may benefit the health and wellness of their employees. Glacier County EMS recognizes Fire/EMS Week 2008 and will be looking at ways in which safety can be increased for our personnel.

June 10th, 2008 - Notice to Website Visitors: Present department webmaster Kyle Starr's last shift is June 13th. Frequent visitors to our website may see a period of inactivity with our website. The site will remain up, but will not see updates for a short period. Please be patient, as there is always a transition period when a new webmaster takes over. Your patience and understanding is appreciated.

June 6th, 2008 - All-Time Call Volume Record Broken: The previous all-time record for call volume in a fiscal year was broken June 6th when our 708th alarm was received for this fiscal year. The previous record was 707 alarms in fiscal year 2006. The call volume stands at 713 alarms as of 6/10/08 at 0700 hrs. The fiscal year ends June 31st at midnight, so there is still ample time to further the record number.

June 4th, 2008 - PHTLS Class to be Held in July: Glacier County EMS will be holding a Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS) class July 26th-27th from 0800-1700 hrs. Attendees will also earn 16 CEU's for the class. For information or to register, contact Training Officer Brian Williams at 873-2727 or Chief Laidlaw at 873-2722. The class is free to GCEMS personnel and $75.00 for others.

June 4th, 2008 - Angie Eppinger Named New Webmaster: With the resignation of Kyle Starr to be effective in a few weeks, a new webmaster was needed who could take over the department website. Angela Eppinger expressed interest in the duties, was recommended by Kyle Starr and approved by Chief Laidlaw. In the upcoming weeks, Angie will be learning the duties of webmaster so that she will be ready to step into the role later this month.

June 4th, 2008 - Call Volume Poised to Break Previous Record: With the end of May, our call volume stands at 700 alarms for fiscal year 2008. With the fiscal year ending June 30th at midnight, we are poised to break the previous record of 707 alarms, possibly this week.

June 2nd, 2008 - Extended Application Period Closes: The extended application period for the 2 full-time paramedic positions closed June 2nd at 1700 hours. Chief Laidlaw will be contacting applicants to set up interview dates/times, which are expected to be held in mid-June. See our employment page for updates.

Janice Fauque, RN, of Northern Rockies Medical Center One of the bouquets by Candy Bouquet

May 2008 - GCEMS Recognizes Nurses During Nurses Week: We work closely with our regional medical centers, and wanted them to know that we appreciate everything that they do. For Nurse's Week this year, we had gift bouquets made and distributed them our regional medical centers as a token of our appreciation. The bouquets were done by Candy Bouquet of Cut Bank and contained candy and other assorted goodies. Also included were copies of our department brochure so regional medical centers are kept apprised of our capabilities and what we can do for them when it comes to inter-facility transports. Thank you nurses, we appreciate all that you do!

May 26th, 2008 - Paramedic Kyle Starr Resigns: Critical Care Paramedic Kyle Starr has accepted a firefighter/paramedic position with Red Lodge Fire/EMS and has submitted his resignation from Glacier County EMS effective June 22nd. Kyle joined the department in June of 2004 and is the senior field medic at GCEMS. Good luck Kyle!

May 26th, 2008 - Paramedic Application Period Extended to June 2nd: Due to some last-minute interest in the paramedic positions we have available, the application period has been extended until June 2nd. Interviews are tentatively set to be held the 2nd week of June. With the resignation of Paramedic Starr, there will now be two positions filled instead of the initial one position that was advertised for.

May 23rd, 2008 - GCEMS Awards Banquet: Glacier County EMS held their annual awards banquet Thursday night at station 1. There was good food, lots of laughs and good times were had by all who attended. Visit our awards page to see the 2008 awardees.

May 23rd, 2008 - EMS Provider of the Year: EMT/First Responder Floyd Peterson was announced as the 2008 Glacier County EMS Provider of the Year at our annual awards banquet Thursday, May 22nd. Floyd is frequently available at the drop of a hat and often volunteers for extra shifts when openings need filled. Floyd's work ethic is second to none, and he always gives 110% of himself both on and off-duty. When not on-duty, he can often be found helping other department members with projects. To determine who will be awarded this award, nominations are turned in by department members. This is the second time that Floyd has been awarded EMS Provider of the Year. Congratulations Floyd!

May 20th, 2008 - Hiring Process Update for Paramedic Position: The application period for the FT paramedic position closed today at 5:00 PM Mountain Time. Chief Laidlaw will be sending out letters to applicants to begin setting up interviews.

May 8, 2008 - New Ambulance to Feature Hi-Visibility Graphics: In order to enhance visibility and therefore increase the level of safety for our personnel and patients, our new ambulance will feature the high-visibility reflective chevron graphics on the rear of the vehicle. Chevrons, which originally gained popularity in Europe, have been growing more and more common in the US as departments sought ways to make their vehicles more visible to motorists. The chevrons are basically inverted "V's" that contrast against a background color. Our new ambulance, which will hope to have in-service in August, will have dark blue chevrons on a background of hi-vis lime green. There are also plans to outfit other department vehicles such as Command-1, Special Ops-1 and the 2nd-out ambulance with the graphics.

May 8, 2008 - Closing Date Set for Paramedic Opening: A closing date of 5/20 has been set for the FT paramedic opening. Anyone interested in the position should apply as soon as possible to avoid missing the deadline. See our employment page for information on how to apply.

May 2, 2008 - New Bag Being Field-Tested: While waiting for our order of Stat-Packs to arrive and be placed into service, we started noticing some problems with the one bag that we had in service. It was decided that we should keep our options open and field test another bag before implementing one department-wide. Today, we placed into service as a test unit a Meret equipment bag. Personnel who have examined it so far have complemented it's configurable design, tough material, and overall workmanship. The bag is currently in service on our 1st-out ambulance until a decision is made whether or not to purchase them for our entire fleet. For more information on the bag, see Meret's website.

April 27, 2008 - Full-Time Position Still Open, Apply Now!: The full-time paramedic position is still open, and will remain so for a little longer to ensure a good applicant base. If you are considering applying, you are urged to send your resume in as soon as possible. A closing date will be listed as soon as one is established. Check the employment page for details on the hiring process as they are released.

April 27, 2008 - EMS Week and GCEMS Awards Banquet Approaching: This year, EMS week will be held May 18-24. On May 22nd, the annual Glacier County EMS Awards Banquet will be held at station 1. The banquet is a time for all our members to get together, swap stories about the past year, enjoy some great food, and for commendations to be handed out. In addition to the coveted "EMS Provider of the Year", commendations for various things are awarded, as are a number of humorous awards that always add some laughs to the evening. The banquet is open to all active department members and a guest. Check our awards page after the banquet for a list of commendations that were awarded.

April 27, 2008 - "Safety Patrol " Program Resumes: Now that spring is upon us, it is time once again to get the "Safety Patrol" program geared up. The program rewards the youth in our community for being safe in their outdoor activities. If we see kids wearing bicycle helmets or wearing protective equipment while riding skateboards, roller-blading, etc, we will reward them with a gift card that they can redeem for food items at our local McDonalds. Thank you to McDonalds and manager Sheldon Hatch for making the program possible.

April 27, 2008 - Transport Ventilator Purchased: We have purchased a transport ventilator for use on critical care transports. The unit is a Uni-Vent Impact model that features rugged design, is highly adjustable, and will be an asset to our department when we transport intubated patients. The new unit replaces an Oxylator model ventilator, which was not well-suited for the long-distance transports that we often perform. The oxylator was only minimally adjustable, where the Uni-Vent can be fine-tuned for each patient for optimal outcomes. The unit is expected to be placed into service as soon as all the paramedics have been trained on the unit and our critical care protocols are reviewed and new ones put into place regarding the unit's operation. It was funded from donations that community members have made to our department, and we thank them for making this purchase possible.

April 22, 2008 - Northern Rockies Medical Center Launches Website: We wish to announce that our local medical center, Northern Rockies Medical Center, is now on the web with the launch of their new website. The site, which can be found at www.nrmcinc.org, has information on hospital departments, employment, staff, news and more. Check it out!

April 22, 2008 - Earth Day: Glacier County EMS recognizes Earth Day, and wants you to know that we are doing our part to be a greener, more efficient department. We have replaced as many light bulbs as possible with energy-efficient CFL bulbs, and make a conscious effort to turn lights off when not needed around the station. Fuel efficiency is an issue that we look at when purchasing new vehicles. We also haul our recyclables to our local recycling center. We are happy to do our part in reducing energy wastage and are continually looking for other ways to run our department more efficiently and greener.

April 18, 2008 - New PT Medic Joins Staff: We are glad to welcome Critical Care Paramedic Terri Shively to our department. She will be working with us part-time to help us fill vacancies left by sick, holiday and training leave. Terry works as a firefighter/paramedic with Big Mountain Fire Department near Kalispell and also flies with ALERT out of Kalispell part-time. Her experience will be an asset to our department. Welcome aboard!

April 14, 2008 - EMT Students Take Practical Exam: The EMT-basic students took their practical exam at station #1 on Saturday April 12th. We are pleased to announce that all of them passed that portion of their testing. Since the National Registry written exam is computer-based now, the students are on their own in arranging to take that part of the test. A good percentage of the class has expressed interest in working as paid-on-call members with our department. We congratulate them on the successful completion of their practical exam and wish them luck on their written exam. We hope to see you onboard soon!

April 8, 2008 - Full-Time Paramedic Vacancy: We currently have a job vacancy for a full-time paramedic. The position is a newly created one with the intention of allowing the EMS chief to focus more on his administrative duties. All too often he found himself staffing a truck and on the road, which made it difficult to complete his duties. The addition of another FT paramedic makes it easier to put together a 3rd crew, which is necessary more and more as our call volume continues to rise. With the filling of this position, we would have a staff of 5 full-time paramedics (including the chief). Glacier County's paramedics enjoy competitive salary, good benefits, Montana Public Employees Retirement, a 3-day work schedule, progressive protocols and more. For more information on our department, contact us at (406) 873-2722. For more information on benefits, see our benefits page. For information on how to apply, see our employment page. The employment page will be updated with the latest information as the hiring process progresses, so check back often.

April 8, 2008 - The Trend Continues: For the third straight month, we have set all-time records regarding call volume. January, February and March all saw us reach a call volume never before seen in those months in the past. Projections continue to show us breaking last fiscal year's record of 707 calls, with predictions of 800-900 calls in fiscal year 2008.

March 24, 2008 - Just in Time: As previously reported, we have recently purchased new CPAP units, and just in time. Not even one week after purchasing the new units and placing them into service, they were put to use. We were called to transport a patient with severe COPD to Benefis Healthcare in Great Falls. Our crew placed the patient on the CPAP unit at our local medical center at the request of the patient's provider, then utilized it during the 80-minute transport to Great Falls. The unit functioned as-advertised and the pt complimented the relief it provided him by lessening the effort it took him to breathe. We look forward to being able to benefit other patients with the new units.

March 23, 2008 - Chief Laidlaw to Attend EMS Today: EMS Chief James Laidlaw will be attending the EMS Today conference/expo in Baltimore, Maryland the week of March 24-28. By attending national conferences every year, we can assure that our department is in touch with the latest in pre-hospital emergency medicine and able to stay cutting-edge. We look forward to the information that he will be able to bring back to our members.

March 18, 2008 - Winning Ambulance Bidder Announced: Med-Tec was the winning bidder on the specifications for our next ambulance purchase. Steve Apgar from Apgar Ambulance submitted the winning bid. We will be finalizing the details on our purchase and hope to have the new truck placed in service before August. Thank you to all the other representatives who submitted bids.

March 15, 2008 - Department Purchases More Stat Packs: We have been field-testing the Stat Pack Manager bag since January, and after input from the field crews it was decided to purchase the packs for the rest of our fleet. The simplicity of having all scene equipment in one pack as opposed to separate ALS and BLS bags, which has been the practice, seemed to be one of the major deciding factors for our EMS providers using it. Three additional Stat Packs were ordered last week and should be placed into service in the near future.

March 15, 2008 - GCEMS Upgrades CPAP: After performing some research and doing some demo testing on different models, we have selected a CPAP system to implement department-wide. The unit we have chosen to purchase is the Emergent Respiratory Products PortO2Vent CPAP system. We were pleased with the simplicity, adjustability and performance of the unit and have purchased enough to outfit A1, A2 and A3 with the new CPAP units. Our paramedics were recently trained on the units and are ready to utilize them.

March 10, 2008 - Ambulance Bidding Underway: Bids have been received from Med Tec and Wheeled Coach for our specifications on our next ambulance. Today, representatives from each company brought a demo truck to be viewed by our department and our county commissioners. The winning bidder is expected to be announced next week.

March 11, 2008 - EMT Class Wrapping Up: The winter GCEMS EMT/basic class is coming to a close. After a lot of studying, sweating and practice, they will be ready to take the National Registry exam. Good luck to all the students!

February 29, 2008 - On Track for a Record Year: While we are only 7 months into fiscal year 2008, if our monthly call volume continues it's pace for the remainder of the year, we could very likely set a new record. Last year was our busiest year on record with 708 alarms. As of February 29th, we are at 499 alarms for fiscal year 2008.

February 29, 2008 - Members Complete Training: Paramedic Kyle Starr and EMT/B Angela Eppinger recently completed the Montana lead instructor training class that was held in Havre, Montana February 15-17th. The program is required in order to be eligible to teach EMS classes such as EMT/B in Montana. We now have five active members who are lead instructor certified, which is a tremendous benefit to the department as we look at expanding and improving our training division.

February 29, 2008 - GCEMS Supports New EMS License Plate: Glacier County EMS is glad to support the new EMS license plate that is now available in Montana. The plate, which was developed and sponsored by Richland County EMS, is available to all EMS providers in Montana. The funds generated from the plate will go to Richland County EMS. We are glad that EMS providers now have a plate to recognize our state's EMS providers and the field of emergency medical services.

February 5, 2008 - The Right Place at the Right Time: While returning from an inter-facility transport to Benefis East in Great Falls on February 3rd, the crew of Medic 2 came upon some people in need of assistance along Interstate 15 in the Marias River Valley. A truck traveling northbound was pulling a flatbed trailer with a pickup on it when the trailer blew out a tire, causing the trailer to sway violently and dislodge the pickup and nearly fall off the trailer. The vehicle was unable to get to the right shoulder and had to stop in the left northbound lane. The valley prevented the driver from being able to telephone the highway patrol or county sheriff's office with their cell phone, so no help was on the way for traffic control. The crew of Medic 2 positioned their vehicle to block oncoming traffic in that lane, turned on their emergency warning equipment, and provided traffic control and extra lighting so that the driver and his passenger could get the problem fixed. Medic 2 was also able to radio the Toole County Sheriff's Office for additional assistance with traffic control and to advise them of the situation. The driver of the pickup was grateful for the assistance, stating that one semi had already gone by them very closely at a high rate of speed. Fortunately, the good timing of Medic 2 enabled them to be there to ensure a safer scene and to get the motorists back down the road.

January 29, 2008 - Winter Comes to Cut Bank: The region has finally received a true Montana winter the last few days. According to the National Weather Service, the high on Monday was -11F with wind chills dipping down in the -40 to -50F range and the night bringing a low temperature of -24F. The temperatures today are a little milder, with a high forecasted to be -10F. GCEMS has taken extra precautions to ensure that our fleet and equipment maintains it's level of readiness despite the frigid temperatures. Regardless of the temperature, rest assured that Glacier County EMS stands ready for the call.

January 24, 2008 - GCEMS Demos Stat Pack: We are currently undergoing a trial period utilizing a new ALS pack. Presently, GCEMS utilizes separate ALS and BLS bags. On an ALS call, our providers must sometimes take the entire BLS bag into a scene simply for the oxygen that it carries. Chief Laidlaw decided to demo a pack made by Stat Pack. The pack would carry ALS and BLS equipment, as well as a jumbo-D oxygen cylinder. While it is a little heavier, proponents cite the convenience of having all our initial scene equipment in one bag. We received one pack and placed it into service on our first-out ambulance, Medic 2 for a trial period. If the pack works out well, it may be decided to implement the pack into our response fleet system-wide. The bag features high-visibility color, ample reflective striping and backpack straps for easy, hands-free transport. More information on the stat-pack can be found at www.statpacks.com.

January 24, 2008 - Ambulance Funding Approved: Today the board of county commissioners granted approval to Chief Laidlaw to go forth with the process to purchase a new ambulance. Glacier County EMS normally operates on a two-year replacement cycle for it's fleet ambulances, as the high number of long-range inter-facility transfers that we perform adds mileage to the vehicles very quickly. The next step in the process is to finalize specifications for the new vehicle and submit for bids from different manufacturers. Updates will be provided throughout the process, so check back often.

January 12, 2008 - Paramedic Class Update: We were happy to hear that paramedic student Angela Eppinger is doing well in her paramedic class in Great Falls. She was happy to report that she even made the Dean's List. Angela joined our department in 2006 after completing an EMT class that we put on and later decided to continue moving forward in EMS and enrolled in the paramedic program at the University of Great Falls. We hope that she will come back and join us upon completion of the program. Congratulations Angie, keep up the good work!

December 31, 2007 - Personnel to Attend Training: Critical Care Paramedic Kyle Starr and EMT-Basic/Paramedic Student Angela Eppinger will be attending the Lead Instructor training class in Havre, Montana in February. The course, which is put on by the State of Montana, allows EMS providers to learn the skills and procedures necessary to be an EMS instructor in Montana. Upon completion of the class, students become certified lead instructors. The course runs February 15th, 16th and 17th.

December 31, 2007 - EMT Gains FCC License: EMT Cliff Wevley traveled to Great Falls on December 4th, where he successfully completed the FCC Level 1 Technician amateur radio (HAM) exam. Cliff plans on taking the level 2 general exam in the near future. His call sign is KE7QIP. Amateur radio operators are invaluable during natural disasters, as the numerous radio repeaters scattered around the country makes for an impressive communications network. Our department has two licenses operators, with Chief Laidlaw being the other. Congratulations Cliff.

December 14, 2007 - EMT/Basic Class Finalized: The date of the next EMT/basic class to be taught by Glacier County EMS has been set. The course will start on January 8th and run until March 8th. Classes will be held every Tuesday and Thursday from 1800-2200 hrs and every Saturday from 0800-1700 hrs. The cost of the class is $75, which includes the textbook. Contact Chief Laidlaw or Training Officer Williams if interested.

December 8, 2007 - GCEMS Wishes Holiday Safety: From all of us at Glacier County EMS, we would like to wish everyone a happy and safe holiday season. From around the house to traveling down the road, this season brings with it hazards unique to the season. Please see our holiday safety tips page for some helpful holiday safety tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Have fun and stay safe!

December 8, 2007 - Station 2 Construction Update: We are happy to report that good progress is being made in the construction of the new station 2 in Babb. The roof was completed last week, which almost finishes the exterior stage in the construction. Weather this time of year can always be an issue in Babb, which is located only about 15 minutes from Glacier National Park. We are glad to have had good weather to enable the contractors to make this much progress. Check our station 2 page for updated photos from the construction site.

December 8, 2007 - Upcoming training: With everyone flocking indoors and seeking warmth this time of year, it is always a good time to hold training classes. Glacier County EMS will be putting on a GEMS class (Geriatric Education for Emergency Medical Services) on February 2 from 0800-1700. See our training bulletin board page for updated information as the class grows nearer.

A PEPP (Pediatric Education for Pre-Hospital Professionals) class has been scheduled for February 23rd from 0800-1700. See the training bulletin board page for more information as that date grows nearer.

October 26, 2007 - Station 2 Construction Update: The concrete pad is complete, and the frame of the structure was put up this week. The weather at the site has been unseasonably mild, which has been an asset to the workers. Photos will be added to the photo gallery as we get them, so check back often.

October 26, 2007 - Chief to Attend Training: EMS Chief James Laidlaw will be flying to Anniston, Alabama next week to attend the four-day "Healthcare Leadership Course" held at the Noble Training Center. The course, which is put on by FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security, teaches healthcare professions all aspects of managing a weapons of mass destruction (WMD) incident.

October 16, 2007 - GCEMS Receives Grant Check: Today, Captain Kyle Starr traveled to Shelby, MT to receive a check for $500 that was awarded as a grant from the Pamida Foundation to be used for EMS textbooks. The grant will help us offer textbooks free of charge to EMT and first responder students. See the news story dated August 29th for more details. We thank the Pamida Foundation for their generosity.

October 12, 2007 - Department Flags at Half-Mast: In honor of Montana Highway Patrol Trooper David Graham, department flags have been lowered to half mast until Sunday AM. Trooper Graham was killed in the line of duty on Tuesday, October 9th when a vehicle crossed into the wrong lane on highway 2 and struck his vehicle head-on. Graham joined the patrol in 2006 and is survived by a wife and three young children. His family is in our thoughts as they cope with their loss. Graham is the fifth Montana Trooper to die in the line of duty.

October 8, 2007 - Station 2 Construction Update: The concrete slab foundation will be poured this week. A favorable forecast is in store for the next week with highs in the 60's, making it ideal for getting the concrete work completed. Some snowfall has already occurred at the construction site, but we are hopeful that the temperature-sensitive work will be done before the weather gets consistently cold. Check back often for updated photos from the construction site.

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September 29, 2007 - Software Enhances Fleet Maintenance: Over the last month we have been testing some demo software that tracks vehicle maintenance. The software, Vehicle Manager, will allow us to keep track of repairs, parts that have been installed, track preventative service intervals, fuel economy, and store detailed information on all the vehicles in our fleet. The addition of this software will further enhance our fleet maintenance program and help to ensure that our vehicles see a long service life and remain dependable.

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September 29, 2007 - Students Pass NREMT Exam: GCEMS is pleased to announce that EMT/B students Nancy Underwood and Raylee Thompson have successfully completed all of the requirements to be certified as nationally registered EMT/basics. The practical examination was held Saturday, September 29th at GCEMS station 1. Once their national certifications have arrived and they have received their state ones through reciprocity, they will be ready to begin orientation with our department as new EMT/basics. Congratulations Nancy and Raylee!

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September 22, 2007 - GCEMS Paramedics Go To Standardized Shift Format: With the department being fully staffed, GCEMS took the opportunity to standardize the shift format that our FT paramedics follow. Starting October 1, 2007 at 0700, all GCEMS paramedics will do 3, 12-hour shifts per week. An A, B and C-shift rotating schedule has been devised that allows for all paramedics to have equal amounts of 1st-out and 2nd-out shifts. The new schedule also allows for some weekends off each month. In the past, some paramedics did 3, 12-hour shifts while others did 4, 10-hour shifts with set days each week. All paramedics will now spend from 0700 to 1900 in the station, with the rest of the shift being spent on-call. The on-call time allows staff to spend their nights at home, with the only requirement being that they stay within an 8-minute response radius to the station.

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September 22, 2007 - Paramedic Position Filled: The interviews for the FT paramedic opening were conducted this last week, and GCEMS is pleased to announce that Paramedic Rhonda Grainger was offered, and accepted the position. She will go on-shift starting October 1st. Rhonda worked full-time for Great Falls Emergency Services and also as a PT paramedic for us here at Glacier County EMS. She is a welcome addition to our team, and we look forward to working with her. We thank all the applicants for their interest in the position, and encourage you to apply again should another opening arise. Resumes are accepted anytime.

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Chief Laidlaw (left) and Floyd Peterson demonstrate some of the items we use to make us more visible to motorists.

September 12, 2007 - Safety Paramount at GCEMS: Glacier County EMS has always stressed safety to our staff. When we are often the ones who emphasize safety to others, we must lead by example. We are always looking for new ways to increase safety in all aspects of our operations. One of the most dangerous activities that public safety workers face is working around moving traffic. The danger increases dramatically the faster the traffic is moving. We often find ourselves working on the shoulder of highways, roads and interstates. This is why we have switched our standard-issue duty parka to an ANSI class-3 parka last year. We also carry reflective signs and cones to inform drivers that an emergency scene is ahead of them. When you come upon an accident scene, please slow down and move as far into the other side of your lane as safely possible to give us room.

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September 12, 2007 - GCEMS Urges Caution: School is back in session, and that means a lot of kids will be out riding bikes and walking to and from school. Please observe the posted speed limits in school zones and pay extra attention for children crossing the streets. Let's all help our local children have a safe school year.

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September 9, 2007 - Congratulations: EMT Student Nancy Underwood has successfully passed her national EMT/basic written examination, which was held September 5th. Nancy will be taking her practical exam this month, and has signed on to work for GCEMS as a paid-on-call EMT/B upon receiving her license. Nancy will be a welcome addition to our team.

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September 2, 2007 - August Call Volume: The call volume for the month of August was 75 calls. This is mix of 911 responses and inter-facility transports.

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September 1, 2007 - Employment Update: The employment process will be moving forward around mid-September. Applicants will be hearing from Chief Laidlaw in the near future. In the meantime, applicants are encouraged to peruse our website to learn more about the department.

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August 29, 2007 - Pamida Awards Grant: The Pamida Foundation has generously awarded $500 to Glacier County EMS to be used to purchase EMS textbooks for EMT and first responder students. Captain Kyle Starr wrote the grant since textbooks, which can range in price from $50 to $70+ can present a financial burden to some. Our EMT's and first responders are paid-on-call and many choose to do the job just as a way to serve their community, not as a primary income. While our EMT's and first responders are paid a stipend, most of them do EMS in addition to other jobs. By being able to provide some textbooks free of charge, we hope to draw more EMT students into our classes. The end result is more medically-trained people in our community, making everyone a little bit safer. The next class will begin sometime after the holiday season. Check back often for further information on upcoming classes or contact Chief Laidlaw or Training Officer Williams.

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August 29, 2007 - Station 2 Construction Update: The old station has been demolished and work is currently underway on the foundation for the new station. The framing materials have been delivered and will be going up as soon as the concrete pad is completed and other necessary preparation tasks have been performed. Check our photos section for construction photos that will be posted soon.

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August 25, 2007 - Skyland Fire Update: The latest statistics on the Skyland Wildland Fire as of 8/15/07:

Recent rainfall has been of great benefit to firefighting crews and allowed them to make good progress. Fire activity is now mostly on ground level and is out of the trees.

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August 22, 2007 - Station 2 Construction Update: Progress is being made on the construction of the new station 2 in Babb, MT. The current structure has been made ready to demolish, and many of the bids have been received and reviewed for heating/cooling, furnishings, etc. Some minor changes needed to be made to the floorplan, which is expected to be finalized this week.

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August 22, 2007 - Skyland Fire Update: The latest statistics on the Skyland Wildland Fire as of 8/22/07:

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August 18, 2007 - Skyland Fire Update: The latest statistics on the Skyland Wildland Fire as of 8/18/07 at 0645 hrs:

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August 12, 2007 - Skyland Fire Update: Latest statistics on the Skyland Fire as of 8/12/07 at 1440 hrs: Current fire size 39,820 acres, personnel on scene: 926, percent contained: 34%, terrain difficulty: high, growth potential: high. Numerous structures endangered. Discontinuing night operations. Photos from Inciweb.org.

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August 11, 2007 - GCEMS Has a Record July: After ending a record fiscal year for call volume, GCEMS is off to a record start in the new fiscal year. We set a new record for call volume for the month of July at 84 calls. This number beats the previous record of 67 set in fiscal year 2002.

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August 2, 2007 - Skyland Road Fire Update: High winds on Saturday caused significant spreading. The fire is only 2% contained at time of this update, with 954 personnel on the scene and the fire area at 30,457 acres. There is high potential for growth, and terrain remains difficult, hampering firefighting efforts. Montana remains the national priority for firefighting resources at this time. There is a level-1 evacuation notice in effect for the city of East Glacier to the Heart Butte cutoff road. A level-1 notice means that there potential for evacuation and for all residents to be prepared and have a plan. There is a level-2 evacuation notice in effect for everyone south of highway 2 and the Heart Butte cutoff road. Level-2 means that evacuation is likely and to be prepared. A level-3 evacuation is in effect for the Heart Butte Cutoff road at the South Fork Two Medicine River, east to BIA Hwy 1, then north to the Two Medicine River, west along the Two Medicine River to the South Fork Two Medicine River. Level-3 means that evacuation is necessary or recommended. A level-1 incident team is enroute and will be arriving to assume command this weekend. No estimated containment date is being given at this time. Information obtained from www.inciweb.org.

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Smoke from the Skyland Road Fire approaches Cut Bank Saturday evening. Photos by Kyle Starr

July 29, 2007 - Cut Bank Gets Smoked: With just the right (or wrong) wind conditions, smoke from the nearby Skyland Road fire invaded Cut Bank and the surrounding areas Saturday, causing irritation to eyes, throats and casting an eerie haze over the land. The smoke even threatened to cut the Relay for Life short, but fortunately the wind changed direction during the event. Residents with respiratory problems are advised to stay inside as much as possible. If you require the use of an inhaler, be sure to keep it close at hand. Smoke and other irritants in the air can trigger or worsen respiratory problems.

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The Skyland Road Fire as seen from US highway 2. Photo from Great Falls Tribune.

July 28, 2007 - Glacier County Activates Incident Command: On Saturday afternoon, the Skyland Road Fire that has been burning in Rocky Mountains off of highway 2 crossed over into Glacier County. The countywide incident command team was activated, and county commissioners were called in to declare a state of emergency. EMS Chief James Laidlaw, as part of the incident team, was activated and responded to the command post at fire camp. While medical standby was already being provided before the fire crossed the county line, GCEMS personnel remain on a heightened state of readiness in case additional medical personnel are requested at the fire. The fire was caused by lightening on July 23rd and is 1000 acres in size as of July 29th. With only 2% of the fire being contained at this time, there is high potential for growth. For further information on the fire, go to: http://inciweb.org/incident/877.

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"Team Life Savers" at the 2007 Relay for Life in Cut Bank. Photo by Brian Kavanagh.

July 29, 2007 - Weekend Events: This weekend saw a good turnout at our communities annual Lewis and Clark Days. GCEMS was at the event performing both medical standby and public relations duties. The bike medic program was active, with one paramedic on bike detail during the event. The Relay for Life event that began Saturday evening was a big success. The GCEMS team, "Team Life Savers" still found energy to walk in the event after being in the sun all day. EMS personnel who took part in the event included Chief James Laidlaw, Captain Kyle Starr, Paramedic Rhonda Grainger, EMT/B Michele Laidlaw, EMT/B Angie Eppinger, EMT/F Floyd Peterson and EMT Student Nancy Underwood. Several friends of our personnel also joined us and walked for our team. Thanks to everyone for coming out to support a great cause!

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July 25, 2007 - Parade: Every year, our community holds a parade that coincides with Lewis and Clark Days. This year, you can look for us to put a large portion of our fleet in the parade. Included will be A-1, A-2, A-4 and Command-1. We hope to see lining the parade route!

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Randy Eppinger (aka The Singing Deputy), husband of EMT/B Angie Eppinger, sings at Lewis and Clark Days. K. Starr Photo

July 25, 2007 - GCEMS to be Active at Lewis and Clark Days: The annual Lewis and Clark days festival that is held each year in Cut Bank is one of our larger annual events. GCEMS is always eager to be a presence at the event. This year, we will once again be at the event. We will have a bike medic detail patrolling the event and available for quick response should a medical emergency arise. Our booth, which will be located at the southeast end of the park, will be available for first aid and will be serving free refreshments. As always, our ambulances and crews will be available so that people can ask questions, visit and see our vehicles and equipment. Safety literature will be available as well. With the heat that the community has been experiencing this summer, we will be keeping a sharp lookout for people showing signs of heat exhaustion. GCEMS also has a team that will be participating in the Relay for Life that night to support cancer research and treatment. Come see us at Lewis and Clark Days!

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July 20, 2007 - Station 2 Construction Update: The problems that have been holding up the start of construction on the new station 2 have been resolved and construction is set to begin soon. The framing materials, exterior materials and roofing have arrived and are ready to be constructed when the concrete slab is poured and ready. The delay will have an effect on the timeline of the project, but we are confident that we will have the exterior work complete by the time the weather begins to turn this fall. Check back often for updates and construction photos.

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July 17, 2007 - Now Hiring: Glacier County EMS is currently seeking a full-time paramedic. Approval has been granted to fill the vacant paramedic position within the department. We have been utilizing part-time and PRN paramedics to fill openings on the schedule, but it is sometimes difficult to cover all the shifts since most of our part-time medics have other jobs and commitments that limit their availability. In addition to helping cover open shifts, the addition of another FT paramedic will allow the chief to focus more on administrative duties, where lately he has been pulling shifts on a truck. Anyone interested in applying should contact Chief James Laidlaw at 406-873-2722 for information. Check out our employment page for information on benefits and how to apply.

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July 8, 2007 - The Year in Review: Here is a quick rundown from the last fiscal year:

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July 8, 2007 - Stockpile to be Established: In order to allow our department to better function in the event of another large incident, we are taking steps this fiscal year to allow our personnel to be self-sufficient in the event of a major response. We will be establishing a cache of MRE-like food rations and drinking water to allow us to function for a minimum of 3 days before requiring food or water from outside sources. During major incidents, such as a forest fire, it can take several days for the logistics to be set up to support responders, this will allow us to function fully during this period. GCEMS in conjunction with the Glacier County Sheriff's Office, is looking to purchase a trailer that can be stocked with the food and water reserves and be ready to respond on short notice to an incident.

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July 1, 2007 - Record Year For Call Volume: A very busy week right before the start of the 2007 county fiscal year allowed GCEMS to set an all-time record high for call volume. The final tally for fiscal year 2006 was 708 calls, beating the previous record of 702 calls set in 2002. This record-setting year came at a time in which we are operating with less personnel than previous years, but everyone pulled together and got the job done. In this age where call volumes all around the country are increasing annually, GCEMS is looking ahead to ensure that we will be able to meet the needs of our community.

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June 22nd, 2007 - GCEMS Expanding Capabilities: As we begin the new fiscal year July 1st, we will be purchasing some items that will enhance our ability to serve the community in new ways. In the past, we have had to rely on Glacier County Search and Rescue (GCSAR) for assistance in high-angle situations. Due to a small membership, and many of them already working for our department and committed to incidents on the EMS side, we have had to get by with little or no help from the SAR unit. Since many of our members have firefighting or SAR backgrounds and have worked with ropes and rigging before, it was decided to add high-angle and technical rescue to our capabilities. We will be purchasing technical rescue equipment and sending as many of our personnel as possible to training in it's use. We will still activate the SAR unit if any technical rescue is required, though having the equipment and training within our department will allow us to access the patient and start care faster. The specialty equipment will be carried in Special Ops-1 so it may be deployed quickly.

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June 22nd, 2007 - Incident Command Training: This weekend, Chief James Laidlaw and Training Officer Brian Williams attended a "train-the-trainer" Incident Command for Medical Personnel course in Billings, MT. The course was offered by the State of Montana, and goes hand-in-hand with the NIMS training that all GCEMS personnel are required to complete. By attending this course, they will be able to bring the information back to our department to teach all our personnel.

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June 22nd, 2007 - New Safety Program: GCEMS is proud to announce a new public safety program. The program, called "Safety Patrol", is aimed at the youth in our community. Our local McDonald's has generously donated a supply of cards that are good for free food items. When we see children playing safe, such as wearing a bike helmet or wearing knee and elbow pads when roller-blading, we will stop them and give them a McDonald's card. We will also be giving out sections of reflective tape that children can put on their bicycles to increase visibility. This is just another way in which GCEMS strives to keep our community safe.

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June 17, 2007 - Rescue Gear: GCEMS has ordered several sets of extrication/rescue coveralls to evaluate. In the past, the department has issued "bunker gear" for use during vehicle extrications, which is worn with a helmet, rescue gloves, and fire boots. Many of our personnel dislike the bunker gear for various reason such as bulkiness, difficulty in storing it in their vehicle, discomfort in warm weather, etc. The extrication/rescue coveralls offer greater flexibility, which is a plus when working on a patient inside a vehicle. The coveralls are also easier to store, quicker to don, and do not require fire boots with them. The greater freedom of movement will allow for their use during technical rescue operations as well. Two units have been ordered, which will be evaluated in the field before placing a larger order for the entire department.

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June 16, 2007 - GCEMS Welcomes New Staff: We are glad to welcome aboard first responder Lyle Rutherford, who will be EMS-43. Lyle is enrolled in our current EMT/basic class, and will finishing the program in August. Welcome aboard Lyle!

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June 16, 2007 - GCEMS Offers Classes Free of Charge: In an effort to bring more new EMT's and first responders into our ranks, GCEMS is now offering classes free of charge. Students may still be required to pay for books, but the tuition will be waived in exchange for one-year of service to the department upon completion of the class. In the past, some prospective students have indicated concern for the cost of the classes, which can sometimes cost hundreds of dollars. We hope that this will open up the classes to more people who would normally be unable to pay the tuition. For more information on upcoming classes, see our training division page or contact Training Officer Brian Williams.

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June 8, 2007 - So long "mini-mods": As we get closer to drawing up specs on our next ambulance, we have stated intentions that we will no longer be utilizing the mini-mod boxes on our type-3 ambulances from now on. In the past, we have utilized mini-mods because they are slightly more fuel efficient, which made a difference to use with all the long-range inter-facility transports that we do. The downside to mini-mods is that there is less room in the patient compartment, and our cabinet layout does not allow for a captains chair in the back. Our new ambulances will have a full box with more room for patient care as well as more storage space. Another big plus will be safety. The small seat in the front of the patient compartment is very small and some of our personnel have to sit sideways in it. Our future rigs will have a full captains chair, which will have lap and shoulder belts, making it safer for our staff in the back. When it comes to fuel economy, the savings between a mini-mod and a full box have been found to be so little that it is not worth making a deciding factor. The news was welcomed by GCEMS staff, who look forward to having a bigger space to work in. The captains chair will also be far more comfortable for staff during our typical 1-2 hr transports.

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6/2/07 - GCEMS Continues to "Go Green": In an on-going effort to make our station and operations more eco-friendly, we are pleased to announce that almost all of the incandescent light bulbs in our station have now been replaced with the new, energy-efficient CFL's (compact fluorescent light bulbs). CFL's use up to 70% less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs. There are seven large light assemblies in the main east bay, which used to have 200 watt bulbs in them. Over time they were replaced with 100 watt bulbs to save energy. When we found that they made CFL's with light output equivalent to 120 watts, we switched to the CFL bulbs. The bay lights, which see a lot of use, would use 1400 watts when on. Now they only use about 200 watts. CFL's are now also in use in the medic office, bathroom and report desk. In the near future, the shower lights will also be switched over. Now that dimmable CFL's are available, the 3 lights in the training room may be switched out as well. Not only do we save energy and reduce emissions, we also save the county and our citizens money on electrical bils.

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Chief Laidlaw (back row, 4th from right), Captain Starr (back row, 2nd from right) and EMT/B Angie Eppinger (back row, 1st from right).

6/2/07 - GCEMS Participates in Law Enforcement Torch Run 2007: We were pleased to have the opportunity once again to lend our support to the Law Enforcement Torch Run to benefit Special Olympics. We put three vehicles in the procession, which went directly down main street (Hwy 2) on it's way to Great Falls. Command-1, A-2 and Special Ops-1 joined the procession. GCEMS members who participated were Chief James Laidlaw, Captain Kyle Starr, and EMT/B Angie Eppinger.

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Station #2 personnel and their families enjoy their EMS Week cookout May 26th.

6/1/07 - GCEMS Recognizes Staff With EMS Week Cookouts: With the arrival of National EMS Week, Glacier County EMS took the opportunity to recognize the hard work of it's personnel with it's annual awards banquet and cookout. On Saturday, May 26th, Chief Laidlaw spent the afternoon at station #2 where he grilled steaks and hot dogs for the station #2 personnel. Several awards were given to station #2 personnel at the cookout. See our awards page for details. The station #1 banquet was held that evening, with steaks being the main course. All GCEMS personnel received t-shirts, water bottles, lapel pins, and other items to celebrate EMS Week 2007. For the 2nd year in a row, an EMS trivia game was held. The winners got to pick an item out of a prize box. The annual awards banquet is a long-standing tradition at GCEMS, and our staff looks forward to them every year.

5/14/07 - "Can Man" Helps Stock Local Food Pantry: GCEMS was proud to participate in the annual can drive for the local food pantry. A competition was held this year to see who could come up with the most creative display utilizing the cans and items they had gathered for donation. Chief Laidlaw, Captain Starr, and EMT/B Angie Eppinger donated enough items to make a "can man" which was displayed on the cot as if it were a patient. The food items will go towards feeding families in need in our area. Thank you to everyone who donated items and helped with the display.

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5/27/07 - GCEMS Salutes our Current and Former Armed Service Members: Thank you to all the men and women in uniform, both past and present. Our country would be a far different place if it weren't for your sacrifice and service. We salute you all and thank you for your service.

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5/26/07 - EMT/B Angie Eppinger to Attend Paramedic School: GCEMS is proud to announce that EMT/B Angie Eppinger has enrolled in the paramedic program through Great Falls College, slated to begin this fall. We are sad to be seeing her cutting back her hours here, but are glad to see her advancing her career in emergency medicine. Good luck Angie!

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5/26/07 - Mother / Daughter Team at GCEMS: When EMT/B Sherrie Murphy joined GCEMS as a paid-on-call member, it was a special day for one of our EMT's. Sherrie's daughter, EMT/B Angie Eppinger, has served on the department for about one year now, and will now have the opportunity to work side-by-side with her mother.

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5/26/07 - Paramedic Williams Completes CCEMT/P: We are pleased to announce that Paramedic and Training Officer Brian Williams has successfully completed a Montana Critical Care Paramedic course in Kalispell, MT. The course, similar to the UMBC CCEMT/P course, builds upon the basic paramedic curriculum and goes into more advanced skills such as blood administration, advanced pharmacology, intra-aortic balloon pumps, flight physiology, and special transport considerations. The course is aimed at building skills required for transporting especially critical patients. Congratulations Brian!

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5/15/07 - All of Our Full-Time Paramedics Now Critical Care Certified: We are proud to announce that with Paramedic Brian Williams passing his critical care paramedic course, all of our department's full-time paramedics, and two of our part-time paramedics are now critical care paramedics. This is no small feat, especially for a smaller department, and all our staff is to be commended for their hard work and commitment to furthering their training. Having multiple critical care paramedics on staff means that we can more readily provide the specialty inter-facility transports that patients in critical condition require. Before, a critical care paramedic may have be to called in on their day off to take a specialty transport. Now we are fortunate to have one already on duty and ready to respond readily almost every day.

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5/14/07 - EMT Class to Begin May 29th: GCEMS is planning on starting an EMT/Basic class for anyone interested. The class will be taught at GCEMS station #1 and is being taught by GCEMS Training Officer Brian Williams. For information, see our training division page for further details regarding the class.

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5/7/07 - Promotions: Glacier County EMS is proud to announce two promotions. Critical Care Paramedic Kyle Starr (EMS-27) was promoted to Captain on May 7th, 2007. He has served in an acting officer capacity for approximately 9 months prior to the promotion. Kyle is a full-time Critical Care Paramedic at station #1 and will be responsible for overseeing daily operations and personnel. Kyle also moves up to OIC (officer-in-charge) and oversees the operation of the department as a whole when the chief is unavailable.

Station #2 EMT/B Sam Meineke was promoted to Captain on May 7th, 2007. Sam has worked closely with Chief of Department James Laidlaw in recent months to improve many aspects of operations at station #2, and has carried out those tasks well. Sam is a paid-on-call EMT/B at station #2 and will be responsible for overseeing the daily operations and personnel at station #2.

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Department Flags Lowered to Half-Staff: In honor of the tragedy at Virginia Tech, and in compliance with presidential order, all department flags will be flown at half-mast until sunset on April 22nd in honor of the victims. Our hearts go out to the friends and families of the victims, and to the responders who had to respond to the incident.

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First Responder Class to Start in May – The Glacier County EMS Training Division is planning a first responder class for May. The class will be taught over 2 ½ weekends. Class days are 5/5, 5/6, 5/12, 5/13 and 5/19. In addition to the basic curriculum, the ambulance endorsement will also be included, allowing them to work on an ambulance in the State of Montana. If students sign an educational contract with GCEMS, they will not be charged for the class if they offer 1 year of service as a paid-on-call member of the department. Students who successfully complete the program and come work for GCEMS will be expected to enroll in the next in-house EMT-basic course. For information, call 406-873-2722.

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EMS Week Quickly Approaching – EMS Week this year is May 20-26. This is a time for EMS departments to open up to the public and let people know who we are and what we do. It is also a time for departments to show their appreciation to their employees and recognize their service. Look for an EMS Week 2007 section of our website soon with a schedule of events.

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GCEMS Rank Restructuring – GCEMS has created two new positions to be implemented soon. Presently, the chief oversees the department, with an OIC (officer-in-charge) being 2^nd in command and assisting in many areas. Having two stations presents challenges in the areas of oversight and a chain-of-command. Soon, station 1 in Cut Bank will have a paid captain position and station 2 will have a paid-on-call captain. With an increasing call load, the chief has found himself often riding a truck, which is great for keeping skills sharp but is a detriment to his administrative duties. Creating a mid-level management position allows him to delegate more of his responsibilities, freeing him up more for his high-level management duties. Look for an announcement regarding the new captains in the near future.

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GCEMS Changing Vehicle Call Signs – Beginning in May, GCEMS will be changing some of our radio call signs. In order to further recognize our department as an ALS-level service, we are incorporating “Medic” into the call sign. As an example, “A-2” would be called “Medic 2”, etc. In addition, several of our personnel are having their radio numbers changed to simplify radio traffic. The chief will change his call number from EMS 9 to EMS 1. The captain will hold the call sign EMS 2. We are also looking at possible changes that designate station 2 personnel as such.

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GCEMS Expands Safety Program – In order to enhance the safety of our personnel as well as the public, GCEMS is taking more steps in its safety program. A safety manual that is written specifically for GCEMS has been published and is located at the report desk at station 1 where everyone may view it. Another is being published for use at station 2. All personnel are required to review the manual, and know where to find it should they wish to reference it further. Also, a driver training program has been developed to test and sharpen our personnel’s abilities to perform common ambulance maneuvers such as backing, obstacle avoidance, and emergency driving. Each newsletter features a “Safety Corner” section with safety news and information for GCEMS staff. In addition to these steps, Safety Officer Kyle Starr performs regular safety “walk-arounds” of the station and the vehicles always alert to anything that might pose a safety hazard to our personnel or the public. We are always pushing safety in our education programs, and it is important that we be good role models.

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New Station 2 to be Built – Glacier County Commissioners have approved bids for construction of a new GCEMS station 2 to be built in Babb. At present, A-4 and A-6 have been operating out of the Babb Fire Department’s station due to the conditions in the EMS station. The new station will feature a dorm for 2, kitchen, day room, shower facilities, an office, a decon/laundry room and a two-vehicle bay. The station will be a metal frame and exterior structure built on a concrete slab foundation. While normally a paid-on-call station, the new facility is being built with living quarters to accommodate two personnel, as GCEMS plans to rotate crews from station 1 to station 2 during the busy tourist seasons in order to offer ALS coverage as much as possible. The new facility will be built on the site of the old station, and our two BLS units in Babb will continue to be housed at the fire department until construction is complete. Construction is expected to begin this spring, look for the floor plans to be posted on our site in the near future.

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Fleet Changes – A new ambulance has been purchased and will be placed into service at station 2. Station 2, which is located only miles from the east entrance to Glacier National Park, sees significantly more snow than station 1 does, warranting a 4x4 ambulance. While not brand-new, a low-mileage used ambulance was purchased and will be picked up April 19^th. The new ambulance should be outfitted and placed in-service by May 1^st. As a result of this new addition to station 2’s fleet, A-4, which is a 1999 Chevy type 2 4x4 ambulance, will be moved to station 1. Station 1 is looking forward to having A-4 in-house, as the truck it will be replacing is a 1980 type 3 that has seen heavy use over the years. Station 1 will now have a reliable 4x4 with which to respond should the weather render the use of our other ambulances difficult. The new ambulance will be given the designation of A-5, and will be the first-out ambulance from station 2.

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February 6, 2007, GCEMS Mourns Mercy Flight Crew - We at Glacier County EMS wish to express our deepest sympathy upon learning of the loss of a Benefis Mercy Flight crew that perished Tuesday night when their dual-engine aircraft went down 15 miles from Gallatin Field. Killed in the accident were Pilot Vince Kirol, Registered Nurse and EMT-Basic Darcey Dengle and Paramedic Paul Erickson. To honor our fallen EMS brothers and sisters, Chief Laidlaw has ordered department flags to fly at half-mast until after the memorial services have been held for all crew members. Our hearts and thoughts go out to the families, coworkers, and friends of the three crewmembers.

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January 27th, 2007 - First Responder Peterson Completes EMT Class -We are proud to announce that First Responder Floyd Peterson has completed the EMT-Basic class held at Glacier County EMS. Currently waiting to take his National Registry exam, Floyd will be a great asset to the EMT-Basic staff. Congratulations and best of luck on your National Registry exam.

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January 19th, 2007, GCEMS Adds More PEPP Instructors - Thanks to the State of Montana DPHHS and Ellen Steinar, Chief James Laidlaw and Training Officer Brian Williams were able to take advantage of some local training. Traveling to Great Falls to attend the Pediatric Education for Pre-hospital Professional, Chief Laidlaw and Paramedic Williams were 2 of 25 people able to get their instructor certification. Thank You to the state for providing this training.

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GPS Helps GCEMS Respond: For those of you who have put your GPS - global positioning system - to the test a time or two, you know its value. Instead of driving around aimlessly trying to find your destination, you simply ask your GPS unit for directions and “voila,” you're there. Imagine an ambulance or fire crew having that kind of technology to assist them in responding to their emergency calls. If they knew exactly where to go and how to get there, lives and property could be saved. When Glacier County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) was approached about the possibility of using a GPS in their ambulances, James Laidlaw, EMS Chief, jumped at the chance. “We had been kind of messing around with GPS for about four years. It was really preliminary stuff, nothing great or fantastic,” said Laidlaw. Then along came Glacier Electric with a huge database they had created listing every Glacier Electric customer and how to locate them. They were using the database for multiple reasons, one of which was to locate electric meters, linked to their customers.

By Linda Bruch for the Cut Bank Pioneer Press

Full Story: http://www.goldentrianglenews.com/articles/2006/07/13/cut_bank_pioneer_press/news/news1.txt