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OCEAN TOWNSHIP - Members of three Ocean County rescue squads say they won't be answering any calls in which the patients have flu-like symptoms until they themselves can get vaccinated for H1N1.

Deborah Whitcraft, captain of the Beach Haven First Aid Squad, and Carol Van Meter, president of the Barnegat Light First Aid Squad, said the Ocean County Health Department and the Long Beach Island Health Department refused to make squad members a priority in receiving the swine flu vaccine.

"I called to get my members' vaccinations and they (the LBI Health Department) basically laughed at me," Van Meter said during a first aid squad meeting Tuesday at the Ocean County Fire and EMS Training Center in Ocean Township. "I'm just not going to answer calls with flu-related symptoms."

Tim Hilferty, director of the LBI Health Department, said Monday that his and the Ocean County Health Department determined two sub-tiers of priority cases had to be established - pregnant women and children. Hilferty said EMTs and rescue squad members could not make appointments at the local clinics held Tuesday or today because they are not priority cases.

Marilyn Riley, spokeswoman for the state Department of Health and Human Services, said in this initial phase the vaccine is limited and local health departments can use their discretion within the target groups. The five target groups set by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are: pregnant women, people who live with or provide care for infants less than 6 months old, health care and emergency medical services personnel, people 6 months to 24 years old and people 25 to 64 years old who have medical conditions that put them at higher risk of influenza-related complications.

Bob Van Meter, captain of the Barnegat Light First Aid Squad, said four of 12 members said they will stop answering calls if they do not receive the vaccine.

Whitcraft and Carol Van Meter also said they feel it will be a waste to attend the Ocean County Health Department's flu-shot clinic Thursday in Stafford Township because they will not get any priority.

The Van Meters also said their members will not attend the Stafford Township clinic because they do not want to leave their coverage area to stand in line in case of an emergency call.

"It shows us where we stand. They're more worried about the general public than us," Bob Van Meter said.

Holiday Heights First Aid Squad Capt. Frank Spera said four of his members attended a Jackson Township flu-shot clinic Monday and were among the 1,000 people turned away when the county Health Department ran out of vaccine.

"Two members said they won't ride now," he said. "They'll talk to other members, and they won't ride."

Ocean County Health Department officials said emergency medical workers can go to its second general clinic Thursday at Southern Regional Middle School in Stafford Township, but there is no guarantee they will receive a swine flu vaccination.

Leslie D. Terjesen, spokeswoman for the Ocean County Health Department, said five clinics were held last week at which 500 nasal spray and 450 injectable vaccinations were administered.

"Then we go to Jackson last night (Monday), and there are 5,000 people. We weren't expecting that," she said. Ocean County health officials had 1,500 doses.

At Thursday's clinic in Stafford, people will get tickets and be screened when they arrive, a measure that was not taken at the Jackson clinic. Terjesen said emergency medical personnel should show their identification but that they will have to wait in line with everyone else. Many EMTs have said they should be able to jump to the head of the line in order to ensure receiving a shot.

"Maybe in a perfect world," Terjesen said. "Once we hit 1,500 people, then they will be turned away. We are giving them to EMT workers and all the CDC priority groups, but they do not have special preference to get it first."

Terjesen said the county is waiting for 10,000 more doses.

"Once we receive those, we will order more and more after that. We will make sure everyone in the priority groups get theirs, and then we will open it up to the general public," she said.

Steve Brennan, county Emergency Medical Service coordinator, said after a meeting with the Ocean County Health Department on Tuesday afternoon that the department wants feedback from EMTs about ways to administer the vaccine.

"They want to know how many EMTs tried at the Jackson clinic or if they will try at Southern Regional Middle School. They may also hold an EMT clinic," Brennan said.

Dan DeCross, a volunteer first aid coordinator for the county, said because there has not been a widespread outbreak, officials are just waiting to see what will happen.

"How would the general public feel to know that they might be treated by someone who is infected," DeCross said.

"They want us to do everything for them. Well, they can wait in line with everyone else," said Bob Resetar, chief of Lanoka Harbor Emergency Medical Services. "We'll just start showing up in face masks like they did in Canada when SARS broke out."

Contact Donna Weaver:

609-226-9198

DWeaver@pressofac.com

7 comments:

• poppop (1) posts 6:34 am

  Can these volunteer squads truly be professional? I did not see these comments posted when there was the anthrax and small pox scare. Again ditto to Mr. Glock, squads should follow universal (or standard) precautions. I remember reading in the Sandpaper in the middle to late 80's of a volunteer squad being proud of responding to calls barefoot. They did not have any concerns about walking into SOCH's ER barefoot or the possibility of catching anything then. The same names keep proping up. Let me see, where did I put that newspaper article, it's somewhere around here...

• Bob1234 (6) posts 2:59 pm

  I agree that they are being crybabies typical Volunteer squads, but they do have a minor point. I did not see why in the article above that they are not prioritized. EMS and healthcare workers are in one of the highest risk groups and as I understood it they should be one of the very first to get it. Now on that note I think it is unprofessional to refuse to respond to calls based on not getting the vaccine. There are many risks that EMT's/ Paramedics / nurses / Doctors take that there is no protection for other than universal precautions (glove , gown, mask, etc) It is part of the job. So I do see both sides here but come on and remember that you are there to help the public.

• vldhunter (5) posts 1:23 pm

  Did all these cry babies get their regular flu shots? Do their squads have masks to put on TB patients? Have they done the required fit testing with the N95 masks to protect themselves? Have you had your HEP B shot even though everyone will not develop antibodies. Do your jobs,go on calls and use the basic protections you SHOULD already have in place to protect yourselves!

• hadenough (136) posts 11:46 am

  I can understand their concern and think they do a great job but their logic is flawed on this one...Mr Glock is right...Take the necessary precautions and go in a deep diving suit if you need to but keep up the good work you have been performing all these years...I have a sinking feeling that this is not going to be the last pandemic to hit this great country, and bet it will be sooner then later...

• Mr_Glock (232) posts 9:46 am

  Absolute foolishness! Do they also refuse to accept calls if the patient is a known Hep C case? Assume you are being exposed to a contagion with each patient you assist. Practice Universal Precautions! Gloves, masks, and handwashing when flu-like symptoms are present.

• etofbarnegat (4) posts 9:27 am

  The Jersey Devil has a good point. So what VanMeter and Whitcraft are saying is that if they get an emergency call, they will first analyze over the phone if it is flu-like symptom. Then they will tell the person that called that they can't respond because they didn't get a flu shot. I believe that your responsibility as an emergency medical service is to the patient and not if you have a beef w/ the OC health Department. C'mon get real.

• JerseyDevil (544) posts 3:59 am

  The four out of twelve members don't realize that down in Atlantic County it is very hard to find a Volunteer Ambulance Squad.They are mostly paid and by causing a problem by refusing to go on calls is another nail in the coffin of volunteer Rescue Squads.The private Companies will come in and offer a free contract to the towns involved and the councel will accept.It is happening all over South Jersey and in time their will be no more Volunteer Ambulance Squads.

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