By NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — With the relationship between Hutchinson Regional Medical Center and Reno County EMS reaching its 50th anniversary this week, a long-time employee says a lot is different now than when he started in 1979.
"Almost everything has changed," said David Trotter, Deputy Chief of Reno County EMS. "The one thing that has been constant is the dedication of the people that work in EMS, our front line providers. They come to work every day not knowing what's going to happen, what kind of situation they are going to get themselves into. We see some really bad things from time to time. Things that can leave scars, for sure."
With that said, the staff has much more knowledge now, just because medicine in general knows more.
"The knowledge base of the providers has increased tremendously," Trotter said. "The amount of technology that they have available to them is certainly much greater than it was when I started. The level of training has increased. With that goes an increased need for continuing education. We have to ensure that our providers are competent to do the procedures that they are allowed to do. We have greater access to medication."
The industry is also much more regulated than it was with a board of EMS, but at the end of the day, Trotter knows EMS will look much different in 50 more years than it does now.
"We're doing things and not doing things now that would have been considered negligent back when I started in EMS," Trotter said. "For instance, the use of spine boards. Almost everyone that was injured used to be put on a spine board. Now, we don't use them at all, because we know they cause more harm than good."
Listen below for the full interview with Trotter and EMS Special Projects Chief Monika Heller.