Pittsburgh EMS M8 "The Ocho"

This month, we here at The Ocho took receipt of our new remounted truck. She’s a 2023 F550 XLT cab on a nicely refurbished box from a retired medic unit. Here’s to many hard miles and countless calls!

As part of the mission to provide The Best Care Anywhere, all of Pittsburgh’s medic units (your Ocho included) received these HazMat Medication kits. Pittsburgh paramedics receive training on and perform routine practice with providing advanced life support care to those who have been exposed to hazardous materials. These kits enable our crews to provide immediate point-of-care intervention that is not always common in the pre-hospital setting and is an important addition to our ever-expanding arsenal to deliver world-class paramedic care.

KIT CONTENTS
1. Tetracaine Hydrochloride Eyedrops
This topical anesthetic works to numb the eyes in the event of irritant exposure.

2. Sodium Thiosulfate
The antidote for cyanide. Most frequently deployed by our teams for suspected smoke inhalation, particularly extricated victims of structure fires, as cyanide can be a byproduct of material combustion.

3. Syringe and Fill Needles
For drawing up and administering thesodium thiosulfate.

4. Calcium Gluconate Gel
To be applied to burns caused by hydrofluoric acid exposure. The gel reduces tissue injury and associated discomfort.

5. pH Paper
Essential for rescuers to gauge the effectiveness of their decontamination. The paper is used to determine if a corrosive substance has been thoroughly diluted or if further efforts are required.

6. Morgan Lens
Contact-shaped lens that attaches to a delivery system fed by a bag of ordinary normal saline. Allows providers to more thoroughly flush and decontaminate the eye.

7. Additional Morgan Lens and Delivery System

These tools enable our crews to be prepared to address HazMat emergencies in the field with their first due crew instead of waiting for additional specialized resources. Just another way of ensuring we are able to deliver the absolute best emergency medical care available.

Did you know that one of our Medic 8 Crew Chief alumni is also a member of the River Rescue team? Watch as she assists her other paramedic rescue diver in saving this good boy who had fallen down a steep slope into the river below.

On the evening of Monday, March 10, EMS and River Rescue (made up of EMS and Police) were dispatched for a dog that had fallen over a hillside into the Ohio River behind 1600 West Carson Street near a few tied-up barges. The animal's owner, assisted by bystanders, had attempted to get the dog out of the water for nearly 30 minutes without success. First responders arrived at the scene to assess the situation and guide River Rescue to the animal's position. When the River Rescue vessel arrived, the police officer operating the vessel had to maneuver between the barges. A paramedic rescue diver jumped into the river, rescued the dog, and was back on the vessel in under two minutes. The paramedics immediately began assessing the dog for injuries but found him only to be cold and wet. Animal Care & Control transported the owners over to the North Shore for reunification. Great work by Pittsburgh Bureau of EMS, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, River Rescue, and Animal Care & Control!

💊 MEDICATION UPDATE 💉

Ours crews at Medic 8 recently received Pitocin (oxytocin) as part of a bureau-wide rollout. Oxytocin is a naturally occurring hormone in the body that has valuable maternal roles during and after childbirth. Our primary focus as rescue paramedics is the ability of oxytocin to cause the smooth muscle of the uterus to contract, thereby controlling postpartum hemorrhage (bleeding that occurs following childbirth). In severe cases of bleeding, our crews are trained to administer Pitocin along with TXA if initial interventions (uterine massage) are unsuccessful. We are incredibly excited for this advancement to our practice as it enables us to bring critical lifesaving OB/GYN care into the homes and neighborhoods of Pittsburgh.

If you or a clinician you know are interested in joining our team to provide cutting edge prehospital emergency care in a unique system, check out our hiring page:

https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/pittsburgh/jobs/4719288/paramedic?keywords=Paramedic&pagetype=jobOpportunitiesJobs

Application cycle closes 02/07/2025 at 16:00 EST

I want to take a moment to congratulate Paramedic Paula Alexander on her retirement after 28 years of service to the residents and visitors of the City of Pittsburgh. Paula, it has been my personal honor to serve beside you for the past serval years at Medic 8. Your commitment to this profession and your continued friendship has made me a better person and a better paramedic. You have raised the stock of everyone around you. I will miss our murder channel time and all of the laughs we shared, even through some of the worst calls. The City of Pittsburgh had no idea how good they had it. Enjoy this new chapter in your life and if you get desperate, sell the pencils.

Medic 8 was a proud member of this rescue operation. Pittsburgh Paramedics were once again able to administer pre-hospital blood products with the assistance of our pre-hospital physician. Medically directed rescue at its finest.

Stay safe, friends. If you know or suspect an overdose, all 9-1-1 right away. Pittsburgh Paramedics are well trained on this issue and are equipped with a myriad of tools to correct an overdose and manage withdrawal.

The Bureau of Emergency Medical Services is alerting the public to a nationwide increase in the lethality of fentanyl-laced products. Locally, Pittsburgh has seen a rise in overdoses associated with fentanyl.

While EMS does not condone the use of illicit drugs, we are committed to providing factual, evidence-based recommendations to help keep our residents and visitors safe.

All Pittsburghers are advised to remain vigilant of the signs of fentanyl overdose and to call 911 immediately if an overdose is suspected.

Misinformation is harmful and we are disappointed in this media outlet’s contortion of facts. This article, titled “Pittsburgh FF’s Rescue Worker Trapped After Collapse”, covers a recent technical rescue that our trained paramedic rescue crews responded to with the bureaus of police and fire. Throughout this medically-directed incident, the victim received point-of-care advanced life support from skilled pre-hospital clinicians. Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire members assisted, as they do at all paramedic rescue assignments, with physical manpower and were prepared for any fire suppression that may be required. All victim disentanglement and care was performed by the crews of Pittsburgh’s Bureau of EMS.

We are grateful for our other public safety teams on scene and recognize their significant roles in incidents like this one, however it is disheartening to see outlets like Firehouse.com seek to diminish and overlook our capability as a fully-equipped advanced rescue service. It is an insult to our profession and the skilled clinicians who train and prepare to provide the absolute best care in the absolute worst scenarios.

We are grateful that training, expertise, and teamwork prevailed during this complex extrication and that our ultimate goal was accomplished: the survival of this entrapped victim. We wish them a speedy recovery and are honored to be a daily part of this incredible team.

Pittsburgh FFs Rescue Worker Trapped After Collapse Pittsburgh crews said the victim was heavily pinned inside an excavator covered with debris.