Recordings for presentations previously given during the 2022 Vermont Healthcare and EMS Preparedness Conference webinar series are available below. Click the button next to each presentation topic to view.
Continuing Education for EMS providers is only available through the Vector platform. Talk to your training officer if you need assistance accessing your Vector account.
Charlie Miceli, C.P.M
March 18, 2022
Healthcare Supply Chain Considerations
Speaker Biography: Charlie Miceli C.P.M. Network Chief Supply Chain Officer. Charlie joined the University of Vermont Health Network in 2008 as VP of Supply Chain, Charlie has also served as Interim CEO for both Inter-Lakes Heath in 2010-2011 and 2014 as well as CIO for One Care Vermont and Deputy CIO and VP Pharmacy for UVM Medical Center. Prior Supply Chain roles include Chicago (Northwestern, Loyola and Univ of Chicago) and Boston (Partners Healthcare and Newton Wellesley) as well as consultancy for BD Health Care Consulting and Services. He earned a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Notre Dame. Board Memberships include Patient Safety Movement Foundation, Green Health Exchange, Northeast Purchasing Coalition, BTV Ignite. He is also the lead guitarist for McKenna Lee and the Microfixers.
William Irwin, ScD
March 18, 2022
Preparing for Radiological Incidents
Session Description: Dr. Bill Irwin, Radiological Sciences Program Chief at the Vermont Department of Health, will discuss the challenging circumstances in the world today relative to our preparedness for radiological incidents. This includes decreased funding for radiological and nuclear emergency preparedness, the potential use of radiological and nuclear materials by terrorists, and the implications of having nuclear reactors in a battlefield created by one of the world’s nuclear superpowers. He will also describe efforts since 9/11 to be better prepared for these challenging circumstances.
Speaker Biography: William Irwin, ScD is Radiological Sciences Program Chief at the Vermont Department of Health. He is an American Academy of Health Physics Certified Health Physicist and a Federal Emergency Management Agency Type 1 Radiological Operations Support Specialist. He is also a Vermont Hazardous Materials Response Team Officer and a volunteer Emergency Medical Technician, Fire Officer and Firefighter. Bill also is a part-time Instructor for Counter Terrorism Operations Support within the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration.
Judith Markey, PsyD
March 18, 2022
Additional Resources
Understanding Stress and Building Resiliency
Session Description: This workshop, "Understanding Stress and Building Resilience," is designed for healthcare workers and first responders. Participants will learn the neurobiology of stress and trauma, how to build emotional intelligence, how to build practical skills around emotions related to stress and trauma, and how to build resilience.
Speaker Biography: Dr. Judith Markey holds a master's and a doctoral degree in clinical psychology. She is currently the mental health safety officer in the Health Operations Center for the Vermont Department of Health. Her clinical work with adults and adolescents at St. Johnsbury Psychology Associates in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, includes the treatment of depression and anxiety and other mood disorders, trauma,grief and relationship issues. She has been a disaster mental health responder since the early 1990's, and in that capacity responded at the Pentagon during the 9/11 attacks. She recently graduated from Harvard Medical School's post-doctoral certification program in Writing for Healthcare.
Sadie Martinez
March 18, 2022
Access and Functional Needs: What is Access and Functional Needs and Why is it Important?
Session Description: AFN: What is it? and why is it important? Access and Functional needs is a framework that suggests that there are resources that everyone needs to be able to do (function) and get (access) during emergencies, regardless of who we are. This framework goes hand in hand with CMIST resources and Whole Community Inclusion.
Speaker Biography: Sadie Martinez is the Colorado State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management's (DHSEM) Access and Functional Needs Coordinator her role focuses on coordinating the development and operations of a statewide network of contracted local Access and Functional Needs integration emergency planners. She supports state agencies and local jurisdictions in the development of inclusive, whole community emergency operations plans that adequately account for people with Access and Functional Needs, emergency preparedness workshops and serves as the Access and Functional Needs subject matter expert during state-level planning initiatives.
Sadie is using the C-MIST framework to support whole community inclusion in emergency management lifecycle resource planning in the functional needs of Communications, Maintain Health, Independence, Safety, Support Services, Self-Determination, and Transportation from a resource standpoint, rather than a special need or vulnerability. Helping Colorado emergency managers better understand what capabilities to acquire before, during, and after a disaster by approaching Access & Functional Needs from a resource perspective.
Maggie Zraly, MS, SM, PhD
March 18, 2022
Mental/Behavioral Health Equity in Public Health Emergency Preparedness
Session Description: Collaboration for mental/behavioral health equity across Vermont is crucial for improving public health emergency preparedness. Now, in the ongoing wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, is the time to strengthen and embed mental/behavioral health equity in local and state public health emergency preparedness initiatives. This interdisciplinary session engages participants (health care workers, agency leads, first responders, public health professionals, mental/behavioral health professionals, health planners, and managers and directors) from healthcare organizations, emergency medical services, emergency management agencies, jurisdictional entities, and business and volunteer organizations to develop a mental/behavioral health equity lens and think strategically about contributing to achieving equitable mental/behavioral health outcomes through preparedness programming.
Session Objectives:
Review and discuss mental/behavioral health equity in public health emergency preparedness
Draw on national and global resources and tools coupled with collective experiences of local and state of preparedness programming to:
support community-owned, psychosocially-informed approaches to emergency preparedness for mental/behavioral health justice;
co-generate ideas for mental/behavioral health equity outcomes and indicators in Vermont; and,
co-imagine a community-engaged mental/behavioral health equity in preparedness learning and research agenda.
Speaker Biography: Maggie Zraly is a medical anthropologist with a background in public health. She lives in Bennington, VT and was employed for a short time as the Public Health Emergency Preparedness with the Vermont Department of Health, where she was deployed part-time to the COVID-19 response as a member of the Health Equity & Community Engagement team. Maggie has extensive research and practice experience in the field of mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) in emergencies and has most recently worked as an MHPSS & Equity Advisor on projects grounded in the right to mental health and well-being among children and facing most vulnerable situations.
William Moorhead, JD, MEP
March 18, 2022
Writing a Covid-19 After Action Report
Session Description: After Action Reports for real-world events are structured differently than those for exercises. We will walk through gathering, organizing and summarizing the data you need and discuss how to identify and implement improvement strategies.
Speaker Biography: Will Moorhead is President of All Clear Emergency Management Group. He has 30years of experience in the fire service and is currently a Captain with the Golden Fire Department in Golden, CO. In addition, he has served in the emergency management field both as a first responder and in state and local government capacities, including positions as Legal Analyst for South Carolina Emergency Management Division and Director of Public Health Preparedness for South Carolina Division of Health and Environmental Control Region 2. He currently serves as an Adjunct Instructor for Emergency Management and Emergency Services graduate and undergraduate programs. Will is an outdoor enthusiast and spends much of his free time working on Jeeps. He received a B.A. from Furman University and a J.D. from Mercer University.
March 19, 2022
Timothy S Redding NRP, I/C
March 19, 2022
Save the Trauma for Your Mama
Session Description: Let’s talk trauma, shall we? We will start by discussing the physiology of trauma. Then we will break things down into blunt and penetrating mechanisms. We will chat about mechanism, kinetics, injury patterns and management. And, of course, we will have pictures, pictures, pictures.
Session Objectives:
At the end of this session, the learner will better understand the kinetics of trauma.
The student, after completion of this session, will be able to predict injury based on blunt trauma mechanism.
The student, after completion of this session, will be able to predict injury based on penetrating trauma mechanism.
The student, after completion of this session, will be able to discuss the management of trauma injury at any level of provider.
Speaker Biography: Mr. Redding is the founding President and Owner of Emergency Education Consultants, a firm that strives to improve patient care through quality education. Tim has been in EMS since 1992 and a Paramedic/Instructor since 1996. He holds multiple credentials and certifications and is an Instructor Coordinator for the states of Massachusetts and New Hampshire. He is a regular speaker across the US who has also presented internationally in Guyana, Guatemala, Ireland and Australia.
Tim is a two-time Ironman and a Boston Marathon finisher.
Christopher Ebright
March 19, 2022
Until All the Pieces Fit
Session Description: As a pre-hospital care provider, on average, you are seven times more likely to encounter a patient diagnosed with autism. It is not one condition, but rather a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and non-verbal communication. As a result, these patients can present to EMS providers with unique assessment and management challenges. This presentation will explain the autism spectrum as well as certain notable characteristics of these patients to consider when performing an assessment and rendering medical treatment.
Speaker Biography: Chris Ebright is the lead instructor for The University of Toledo EMS Program in Toledo, Ohio, where he provides all aspects of primary EMS education in-house, as well as external continuing education for numerous EMS services in northwest Ohio. Chris has been a Nationally Registered paramedic for 27 years, providing primary EMS response and critical care transportation. He has educated hundreds of first responders, EMTs, paramedics, and nurses with his trademark whiteboard sessions, including students from the Cayman Islands, India, and Australia. Chris is also a recurring article contributor to the Limmer Education website, and has been a featured presenter at numerous local, state, and national EMS conferences over the past 15 years. Chris holds a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Toledo and can be contacted at c.ebrightnremtp@gmail.com or www.christopherebright.com.
Drew Anderson, PhD, EMT
March 19, 2022
Psychiatric Emergencies Made Simple
Session Description: While psychiatric emergencies make up a significant and growing percentage of EMS calls, many EMS providers struggle to understand and deal with them. This presentation will provide a practical framework for understanding mental health emergencies and provide practical strategies for dealing with those suffering from them.
Session Objectives:
Describe a simple framework for understanding mental health issues in a prehospital context
Review the common mental/ behavioral health causes of agitation and suicidal ideation
Describe effective techniques for handling patients with these issues.
Speaker Biography: Drew Anderson, Ph.D., EMT is an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University at Albany-SUNY. He is an active teacher and researcher at the University at Albany, and he also maintains a part-time clinical practice in the Albany area. Drew has been an EMT since 2011 with Delmar-Bethlehem EMS (DBEMS), where he is currently a Lieutenant and the Behavioral Health Director.
Jon Politis
March 19, 2022
Putting Pops Back to Bed…Understanding the Perils of the Elderly Refusal
Session Description: They seem innocuous enough, the picking an elderly patient up and helping them back to bed. They are adamantly refusing medical attention and transportation. But did you know this situation ( and a few others) are “high risk” situations? This presentation reviews the need for a thorough assessment with a focus on common life threatening conditions in the elderly.
Session Objectives:
At the completion of this session the student will be able to:
Explain the issues associated with consent and field refusals
Describe the concept of abandonment associated with refusals
Explain the concept of the informed refusal and the limitations of refusal forms
Explain the medical-legal issues associated with field refusals
Explain three major areas of legal risk for EMS providers
Speaker Biography: Jon is a proven and respected emergency services leader and educator. Starting in college in 1971, he has served in many capacities...EMT, firefighter, ski patroller, paramedic, paramedic program director, state EMS official (VT and NY), EMS Chief and Fire Chief.
He has a reputation of integrity and solid leadership in both career and volunteer organizations. He served on the Board of Directors of the National Registry of EMTs, Committee on Accreditation for the EMS Professions, been co-investigator of original research and authored numerous articles and texts. In 1989 he lead the Town of Colonie, NY to consolidate the Town’s six Rescue Squads into a single municipal EMS department. He served as the Chief of the Town of Colonie EMS Department from 1989 to 2010 when he retired. During his tenure as Chief, Colonie EMS won two national awards, two regional awards and the New York State EMS service of the year award. In retirement he served as the interim director of a community ambulance service and led them through a consolidation effort with a neighboring agency. He has also served as the Chief of his community volunteer fire department.
He is a highly sought after educator and has presented at many local and national conferences across the US and Canada.
Rommie Duckworth
March 19, 2022
Pediatric Cardiac Arrest: What we get Wrong. How we can do Better.
Session Description: There are few emergency calls that evoke the emotion of a child in cardiac arrest. As caregivers we know we have a responsibility to give this patient the best possible chance for resuscitation. Do we rush to the hospital or resuscitate early on scene? Do we prioritize airway or epinephrine administration? Do we focus on ventilation or does too much ventilation decrease circulation? New, practical, EMS-focused research is helping us make better decisions on-scene to help our littlest, most critical patients. This program evaluates the latest information and focuses on helping ALS and BLS providers leave bad habits behind, and focus on what we now know we can do better to make a real difference in pediatric cardiac arrest.
Session Objectives:
Students should be able to:
Cognitive: Describe the key emergency care priorities for management of pediatric cardiac arrest.
Cognitive: Identify priority medications in pediatric cardiac arrest.
Psychomotor: Demonstrate how to calculate pediatric medication doses for cardiac arrest.
Affective: Explain the advantage of resuscitating on scene in terms of rapid establishment of airway, breathing, circulation, and priority medication administration.
Speaker Biography: Rommie Duckworth is a dedicated emergency responder, author, and educator with more than thirty years of experience working in career and volunteer fire departments, hospital healthcare systems, and private emergency medical services. Rom is currently a career fire captain and paramedic EMS Coordinator for Ridgefield (CT) Fire Department, the founder and director of the New England Center for Rescue and Emergency Medicine. Rom is the recipient of the NAEMT Presidential Award, American Red Cross Hero Award, Sepsis Alliance Sepsis Hero Award, and the EMS 10 Innovators Award. Rom is the author of "Duckworth on Education" as well as chapters in more than a dozen EMS, fire, rescue, and medical textbooks and over 100 published articles in fire and EMS magazines. A member of national and international advocacy and advisory boards, Rom continues to work for the advancement of emergency services professions.
Dan Batsie
March 19, 2022
Drowning and Management of Submersion Injuries
Session Description: Each year roughly 4000 patients die, and 800,000 patients are successfully rescued following a drowning event. Yet, submersion injuries remain poorly understood and are often improperly assessed and treated. To optimize outcomes and to separate commonly held myth from fact, providers must understand the true pathophysiology and science behind these far too common drowning situations. This class will discuss the evidence-based best practices associated with management of submersion injuries. Specific focus will be offered to submersion related cardiac arrest and how the approach must differ from more frequent sudden cardiac arrest etiologies. The class will also discuss a detailed evaluation of the rescued patient and describe an algorithm for treatment and transport decisions. Although some advanced topics will be discussed, this class is focused at the EMT level.
Speaker Biography: Dan Batsie is the Director of Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Injury Prevention for the Vermont Department of Health. In his role, he leads emergency medical services for the state. He has been a paramedic in New York, Maine and now Vermont for more than 30 years. Over his career Dan has worked hard to elevate the profession of prehospital medicine and demonstrated a particular passion for high quality EMS education. Dan has directed two accredited paramedic programs, authored two EMS textbooks, and lectured both nationally and internationally on current EMS topics. In addition to his work at the state level, Dan is active in numerous national EMS projects and committees.
Tim Stetson
April 28, 2022
“OH NO … We Can’t Get That!” – What Now?
“The Medical Countermeasures Program’s Role in Supporting the Medical Supply Chain in Time of Emergency”
Speaker Description: When the medical supply chain is interrupted, is there help available from the state? This presentation will discuss the role of the Vermont Department of Health’s Medical Countermeasure’s program when the thought “OH NO … We are out and can’t get that!” crosses your mind.
Speaker Biography: Tim Stetson is the Medical Countermeasures and Strategic National Stockpile Coordinator at the Vermont Department of Health where he manages the state’s Medical Countermeasures program and its supporting Medical Countermeasures Warehouse. In his role, he coordinates the state’s ability to access the resources of the Strategic National Stockpile and manages the state’s medical logistics and supply chain activities. Prior to his work with the Department of Health, Tim spent over 30 years with one of the nation’s largest disaster relief organizations and has traveled around the United States working on domestic disaster operations. Tim’s involvement is Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Management spans over 40 years.
Reuben Farnsworth
April 28, 2022
A recording of this webinar
will not be made available.
What’s Your Sign? Assessment.
Session Description: We all know about signs, they tell us where to go and what to do. How familiar are you with all the medical signs running around? In this presentation, we will cover a myriad of common signs, what to look for, how to test for them, and what they mean. If you have every stuck your Babinski sign in your mouth, you know what a pain in the Grey-Turner sign that can be, so come in and we will take a minute to talk about all the Cullen’s, Battle’s and Kernigs in the group. Be prepared to walk away as the new assessment ace in your house.
Speaker Biography: Reuben has spent the last 20 years in EMS, holding positions from EMT-Basic on a rig, to Executive Project Manager for an international expeditionary medicine company. Reuben is currently the Clinical/Operational Coordinator for Delta County Ambulance, where he oversees all aspects of Community Paramedicine and ET3 implementation. Reuben is a frequent speaker at conferences all over the US and is known for his ability to make learning fun, while breaking down complex topics into understandable portions. Reuben can be reached at rockstareducation@gmail.com . You can also follow him on Facebook for updates from the RockStar Medic.
Jon Politis
May 18, 2022
Care of the Entrapped Patient
Session Description: Critically injured patients who are entrapped are some of the most difficult to care for: The ABC’s, temperature control, analgesia, sedation, extrication. The essence of pre-hospital care is the treatment of patients in these circumstances, but many providers today understand very little about this type of “rescue” medicine. This presentation is an in depth look at caring for patients who are entrapped and essentials of packaging and removal. (JEMS feature story April 2009)
NCCP Category: Trauma Triage and Resuscitation
Objectives:
At the completion of this session the student will be able to:
List four common problems when caring for the entrapped
Describe the assessment and patient care strategies for the entrapped
Describe rapid extrication strategies
Explain pain management considerations
Explain thermal/environmental considerations
Speaker Biography: Jon is a proven and respected emergency services leader and educator. Starting in college in 1971, he has served in many capacities...EMT, firefighter, ski patroller, paramedic, paramedic program director, state EMS official (VT and NY), EMS Chief and Fire Chief.
He has a reputation of integrity and solid leadership in both career and volunteer organizations. He served on the Board of Directors of the National Registry of EMTs, Committee on Accreditation for the EMS Professions, been co-investigator of original research and authored numerous articles and texts. In 1989 he lead the Town of Colonie, NY to consolidate the Town’s six Rescue Squads into a single municipal EMS department. He served as the Chief of the Town of Colonie EMS Department from 1989 to 2010 when he retired. During his tenure as Chief, Colonie EMS won two national awards, two regional awards and the New York State EMS service of the year award. In retirement he served as the interim director of a community ambulance service and led them through a consolidation effort with a neighboring agency. He has also served as the Chief of his community volunteer fire department.
He is a highly sought after educator and has presented at many local and national conferences across the US and Canada.
Timothy S Redding NRP, I/C
June 7, 2022
From EMTs to Medics, Let’s Get Comfortable with Capnography
Session Description: Do you have capnography in your practice? If not, it may be coming soon. If so, everyone needs a review. This class will use EMS cases to review the uses, strengths and common pitfalls with Capnography. Remember: Its about perfusion as much as respirations. NCCR
Objectives:
· At the end of this session, the learner will better understand common uses for capnography
· At the end of this session, the learner will better understand the role of perfusion and respiration in capnography
· At the conclusion of this session, through the use of cases, the learner will better understand capnography waveforms and how to use the information to improve patient care
Speaker Biography: Mr. Redding is the founding President and Owner of Emergency Education Consultants, a firm that strives to improve patient care through quality education. Tim has been in EMS since 1992 and a Paramedic/Instructor since 1996. He holds multiple credentials and certifications and is an Instructor Coordinator for the states of Massachusetts and New Hampshire. He is a regular speaker across the US who has also presented internationally in Guyana, Guatemala, Ireland and Australia.
Tim is a two-time Ironman and a Boston Marathon finisher.
Ryan Sexton, MD, FACEP, FFSMB
David Nelson, MD, FAAP, FAAEM
Ginny Schwartzer, MEP
Lauren Smith, CHEP, CHPCP
Sarah Perry, MPH
June 14, 2022
The Clinical Advisor: How a Rural HCC Utilizes Two
Session Description: From a global pandemic to caring for pediatric patients, the Vermont Healthcare Emergency Preparedness Coalition is peeling back the curtain on how to strategically utilize clinical advisors in a rural state-wide coalition. This interactive presentation offers a unique look at how all states, regardless of population, can benefit from an advisor (or two!) on staff. We’ll share best practices on recruitment, daily operations, and incorporating Advisors in coalition response. Participants will be provided a framework and action plan for utilizing a clinical advisor in a healthcare coalition.
Learning objectives:
Provide a framework for incorporating the Clinical Advisor position into the Coalition’s leadership team: from recruitment, to hiring, to day-to-day operations
Share examples of Clinical Advisor-led initiatives in preparedness and response
Identify wins and pitfalls to avoid from the perspectives of two Vermont Clinical Advisors
Speaker Biographies:
David Nelson, MD, FAAP, FAAEM: Dr. Nelson is a practicing Pediatric Emergency Medicine Physician at the University of Vermont Medical Center. He is actively involved with student and resident education and he lectures nationally and internationally. His community and research interests include Emergency Preparedness and Response, Pediatric Stroke and Telemedicine.
On the community and state level, he is a pediatric champion for emergency preparedness and disaster planning working with community pediatricians through the Vermont Child Health Improvement Program and the Vermont Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. On a statewide level, Dr Nelson is collaborating with Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) and the Vermont Healthcare Emergency Preparedness Coalition (VHEPC). Regionally, Dr. Nelson is a member and collaborates with the New England Pediatric Disaster Consortium.
Ryan Sexton, MD: Dr. Sexton graduated from the University of Vermont College of Medicine and completed residency in Emergency Medicine and a fellowship in Disaster Medicine and EMS at UMDNJ Cooper University Hospital in Camden, NJ. Dr. Sexton is double board certified by the American Board of Emergency Medicine in the specialties of Emergency Medicine and Emergency Medical Services (EMS). He practices emergency medicine and serves as the Medical Director of Emergency Services at Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital, a critical access hospital in St. Johnsbury, VT. He is Medical Advisor to VT District 5 EMS. He is the president-elect of the Vermont Medical Society and is the immediate past president of VT Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP). Dr. Sexton serves as a Clinical Advisor to the Vermont Healthcare Emergency Preparedness Coalition.
Sarah Perry: Sarah serves as Healthcare Preparedness Coordinator for Vermont’s Department of Health in the Division of Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Injury Prevention. In this role, she works closely with Vermont’s hospitals and the Vermont Healthcare Emergency Preparedness Coalition to support preparedness, response, and recovery efforts throughout the state and regionally. Her day-to-day responsibilities include liaising and coordinating capabilities around medical surge, hospital data collection, crisis standards of care, and Regional Disaster Health Response System planning.
Prior to joining Vermont’s preparedness team in Region 1, Sarah spent over twenty years in the fields of healthcare, public health, and education. She earned her Master of Public Health from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and some of her most memorable positions have included Guinea Worm Hunter, Health Education Specialist for refugee schools, and Professor of Public Health. Additionally, she currently serves as an intermittent Public Health Advisor for ASPR.
Ginny Schwartzer: Ginny Schwartzer is the Chief Executive Officer of All Clear Emergency Management Group. She has nearly ten years of experience in safety and emergency management through positions with the North Carolina Industrial Commission Safety Education Section and as an emergency management consultant working with healthcare, higher education, and private industry clients. Ginny previously served as the System Emergency Manager for Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth (SCL) Health, a health system of nine acute care hospitals, two long term care facilities and more than 200 ambulatory care clinics. Ginny is a FEMA Master Exercise Practitioner (MEP), Homeland Security and Exercise Evaluation Program (HSEEP) instructor, and Incident Command System instructor. Ginny Schwartzer graduated with honors from North Carolina State University with a B.S. in Meteorology and a minor in Journalism.
Lauren Smith: Lauren Smith has been a Planning Specialist with All Clear since January 2019. She has a bachelor's degree in English and Philosophy from Muskingum University and a master's degree in Gerontology from Miami University of Ohio. She is a licensed nursing home administrator in Colorado and Oregon and has a background in healthcare emergency management and business continuity planning. Lauren has been involved in planning and facilitating full scale exercises for long term care and skilled nursing facilities, along with ensuring compliance with state and federal emergency management regulations. Most recently, she served as the Emergency Management Continuity Program Manager for SCL Health and provided support in developing a continuity program, along with standardizing training and exercise documents. Lauren is a Certified Healthcare Provider Continuity Professional (CHPCP), Certified Healthcare Emergency Professional (CHEP) and has completed the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP).
Douglas A. Gentile, MD, MBA
Stephen Leffler, MD
June 23, 2022
UVM Medical Center Cyberattack
Session Description: Join Drs. Gentile and Leffler as they share the response and key learnings of a cyberattack that occurred at the UVM Medical Center.
Speaker Biographies:
Douglas A. Gentile, MD, MBA - Dr. Gentile is the Senior Vice-President for Information Technology for the University of Vermont Health Network. In that role, he is responsible for IT infrastructure, IT security and all applications across the health network. Dr. Gentile did his undergraduate training at Duke University and received his MD from the Medical College of Wisconsin. Following residency training at the University of Rochester, he joined the faculty at Vanderbilt University in Emergency Medicine. In 1991, he was awarded a Hartford Foundation Fellowship to study health policy and received an MBA from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business. In 1995, Dr. Gentile joined Allscripts Healthcare Solutions, where he was the Chief Medical Officer leading clinical product strategy until 2013, when he joined the UVM Health Network.
Stephen Leffler, MD - Stephen Leffler, M.D., was named President and Chief Operating Officer of UVM Medical Center effective January 1, 2020. He has worked at UVM Medical Center as an emergency room physician for more than 25 years, and is a professor of surgery at the UVM College of Medicine. Dr. Leffler has worn many hats at UVM Medical Center and UVM Health Network during his career. He served as Chief Population Health and Quality Officer for UVMHN from 2017-2019, he served as Chief Medical Officer at UVMMC from 2011-2017; and prior to that, he served as Medical Director of the Emergency Department at UVMMC for several years. He also has served as President of the Medical Staff at UVMMC, President of the Vermont Medical Society, and as Chair of the ONE Care Board. He received his medical degree from the UVM College of Medicine and completed residency training in emergency medicine at the University of New Mexico before joining the UVM/Fletcher Allen faculty in 1993. He completed his Master’s in Health Care Delivery Science at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth in 2016.
Mike McEvoy, PhD, NRP, RN, CCRN
July 19, 2022
Scene Safety, BSI Just Doesn’t Cut It Anymore
Session Description: Violence against healthcare professionals continues to escalate; COVID forced EMS providers to rethink our approach to protecting ourselves from infectious diseases. This presentation focuses on strategies and tactics not taught in traditional EMS courses that will help you deal with scene safety issues. It will also review our newly understood expansion of traditional BSI to transmission based precautions. The responsibility for scene safety decisions should rest with the EMS provider, not law enforcement or 911 call takers. This presentation will show you how to make good decisions that will protect you, your crew, bystanders, and patients.
Speaker Biography: Mike McEvoy, PhD, NRP, RN, CCRN is the EMS Coordinator for Saratoga County, New York and a Paramedic Supervisor for Clifton Park & Halfmoon Ambulance. He is a nurse clinician in the cardiovascular surgery ICU at Albany Medical Center where he also teaches critical care medicine. Mike is the lead author of the textbook “Critical Care Transport,” the “Informed” Pocket References and the Pediatric Emergencies for Prehospital Professionals (PEPP) textbook. In his free time, Mike is an avid hiker and winter mountain climber.
Katherine Schweit
August 18, 2022
Contagion and Crisis Communications
Session Description:
When one shooting leads to another research shows the media coverage causes that contagion effect. Hear the latest data and research on the contagion effect induced by media coverage and consider the impact of social media. Understand ways to control messaging and how to avoid a contagion creating event when violence strikes your community.
This Session will provide:
• A better understanding of how and when violence becomes a copy-cat event
• How to dissect the related data
• The latest data and research on the contagion effect induced by media coverage
• Ways to control messaging when targeted violence strikes your community
• How to avoid a contagion creating event in your community
Speaker Biography: Katherine Schweit frequently provides interviews and analysis for on air, radio, and print media on issues related to mass shootings, active shooters, threat assessments, school and business security, law enforcement matters, critical incidents, crisis communications, and other security-related matters.
She is an author, attorney, former Chicago prosecutor, and career Federal Bureau of Investigation special agent who authored Stop the Killing: How to End the Mass Shooting Crisis (Aug. 2021; Rowman and Littlefield). The guidebook is a revealing look into how she counsel’s clients in her current security consulting business, Schweit Consulting LLC.
After the murder of 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook elementary school in 2012, Schweit was promoted to the FBI executive ranks and joined a violence prevention team as part of a White House National Security Council effort within then-Vice President Joe Biden’s office. There, she worked with leaders from other federal agencies gathering best practices from federal and private industry experts, nationally and internationally. She was part of the crisis team responding to incidents, including the shootings at the Holocaust Memorial Museum, the Pentagon, and the Navy Yard in the Washington D.C. area.
She wrote the FBI’s seminal research, A Study of 160 Active Shooter Incident in the United States, 2000 – 2013. This benchmark study is the only research ever done relying on law enforcement reports. Her access to survivors and first responders prompted her role as executive producer of the award-winning dramatic film and documentary, The Coming Storm; a depiction of how to prepare for what happens after a shooting. At its premier at the annual International Association of Chiefs of Police convention, then-FBI Director James B. Comey called the film “the most important training available to law enforcement today.” The film is widely used in security and law enforcement training in the United States and relied on by the Department of State worldwide.
She is the former director for security training for a Fortune 300 company, and a member of DePaul University College of Law’s adjunct faculty, teaching courses in the culture of the Second Amendment and the rules of evidence. At Webster University, Ms. Schweit teaches courses in business and cyber law and policy. She is a Certified Compliance and Ethics Professional. As a member of the federally funded National Center for School Safety, her expertise in school safety supports the University of Michigan-led effort to provide extensive, free resources to school administrators, teachers, parents, and school resource officers.
A native of Detroit, Ms. Schweit earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Michigan State University and wrote for daily newspapers in Michigan and Chicago. She earned a law degree at DePaul University and joined the Cook County prosecutor’s office as an assistant state’s attorney. As a journalist she earned state and national writing recognition, including a Peter Lisagor Award for her 1990 analysis of discipline meted to judges and attorneys by the Illinois Supreme Court after one of the largest FBI public corruption investigations ever conducted. Today, she lives in Northern Virginia, outside of Washington D.C.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to us at info@vtemsconference.com.
Stephanie Busch, BS,
AEMT, CPST
Ruth Marquette
Terri Lavely
August 25, 2022
A recording of this webinar will not be made available.
Suicide Prevention and Awareness Training for EMS and First Responders
Session Description: EMS and First Responders will learn basic knowledge and skills of suicide prevention, including societal myths and attitudes, state and national trends, warning signs, what to say and do, and local and national resources for help. Participants learn behavioral practice techniques to apply the three-step process for talking with someone who is struggling with mental health including suicidal ideation.
Objectives: At the completion of this program students will be able to:
· Describe the intersect between EMS, mental health, and suicide prevention.
· Identify why first responders are at increased risk of suicide.
· Utilize at least 2 new strategies when engaging with someone who may be struggling with a mental health challenge
Speaker Biographies:
Stephanie Busch, BS, AEMT is the Injury Prevention Manager at the Vermont Department Health in Burlington Vermont. She has been involved in EMS and public health since 2013 at the national, state and local level. In her current role she actively collaborates with community partners, governmental partners, and first responders around injury prevention initiatives including opioid overdose prevention, mental health, and suicide prevention. Ms. Busch has a long history of working within interdisciplinary committees and teams by bringing together non-traditional partners, and breaking down silos to build partnerships in addressing public health problems. Ms. Busch is currently an MPH student at Johns Hopkins University and a Bloomberg American Health Initiative fellow with a focus on Addiction and Overdose.
Ruth Marquette has been a certified QPR gatekeeper instructor since June 2018, and employed at Northeast Kingdom Human Services, Inc. (NKHS) based out of the Newport/Derby, Vermont office since 2009 in many administrative support roles. She has been involved with the NKHS Zero Suicide Initiative Team since 2017 to support NKHS employees and community members in gaining a general awareness and understanding of suicide prevention. As one of three NKHS certified QPR instructors, Ruth supports scheduling monthly open community QPR trainings and special group training requests. Ruth organized the NEK (Northeast Kingdom) CAMS-care Team for therapists and clinicians in the NEK who have completed the CAMS (Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality) course so they may have an outlet to share their experiences and ask questions of others in the area using this evidence-based intervention practice. Ruth is involved in statewide suicide prevention initiatives and participates in Vermont Suicide Prevention Center learning opportunities.
Terri Lavely MS, QMHP has been employed at Northeast Kingdom Human Services Inc (NKHS) since 2004, supporting the mental health needs of the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont in a variety of different roles. As Co-chair of NKHS's Zero Suicide team, she is active supporting training around awareness, prevention and postvension. Some certification around suicide support and programing included QMHP (Qualified Mental Health Professional), QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) Trainer, CAMs Care (Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality), and C-SSRS (Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale). She is a active member of The Vermont Suicide Prevention Coalition, VT's 9-8-8 Coalition and serves on many steering committees both state wide and nationally. Terri is also an active volunteer with the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention (AFSP), serving as Vermont Chapter Board Chair, Newport Out of the Darkness Walk Chair, Field Advocate, Project 2025 Champion and trainer to deliver AFSP programming.
Chris Ebright, B.Ed., NRP
September 7, 2022
The Day the Blue Bloater Met the Pink Puffer
Session Description: One of the most common calls to which an EMS provider responds is the classic “shortness of breath”. While there are many causes behind this chief complaint, this presentation focuses upon the two main types of COPD – emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Both disease processes’ pathophysiology are compared and contrasted as well as their signs and symptoms. This presentation follows an imaginary storyline of two patients named Betty and Earl that helps to explain the differences and commonalities of these two respiratory emergencies.
Speaker Biography: Chris Ebright is the lead instructor for The University of Toledo EMS Program in Toledo, Ohio, where he provides all aspects of primary EMS education in-house, as well as external continuing education for numerous EMS services in northwest Ohio. Chris has been a Nationally Registered paramedic for 27 years, providing primary EMS response and critical care transportation. He has educated hundreds of first responders, EMTs, paramedics, and nurses with his trademark whiteboard sessions, including students from the Cayman Islands, India, and Australia. Chris is also a recurring article contributor to the Limmer Education website, and has been a featured presenter at numerous local, state, and national EMS conferences over the past 15 years. Chris holds a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Toledo and can be contacted at c.ebrightnremtp@gmail.com or www.christopherebright.com.
Charlotte Safran
Clare LaFrance
Emerson Wheeler
Kana Zink
Mona Tobla
Nazly Guzman
September 14, 2022
Together We Can Do So Much: Centering and Elevating the Voices of Those with Lived Experience in Health Equity
Session Description: Please consider joining us as we meet members of Vermont Department of Health’s new Health Equity Integration Team, discuss best practice and strategies for shifting power to communities, and hear about the department-wide work in which they are engaged.
Speaker Biographies:
Charlotte Safran (she/her) is the Health Equity Lead for the Division of Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Injury Prevention. Prior to working with VDH, Charlotte’s professional journey included creating mechanisms for meaningful engagement between patients, families, and providers in health systems. Charlotte has three teenage sons with whom she enjoys biking, playing boarding games, and watching baseball.
Clare LaFrance (pronouns: they/them) is a member of the Community Engagement Team that is part of the Health Equity Integration Team. They have two populations of focus that include Vermonters experiencing homelessness as well as LGBTQ Vermonters. In their spare time Clare also enjoys philosophy and bicycling.
Emerson Wheeler (they/them) works as a Health Equity Coordinator for Disability Inclusion at the Vermont Department of Health. With lived experience in the healthcare field as both a medical student and a patient, they are passionate about improving health disparities for other people living with disabilities and chronic illnesses, teaching about disability culture and etiquette, and engaging in lifelong learning. In their free time, you can find Emerson reading, swimming, or playing with their puppy.
Kana Zink (they/them) is the Health Equity and Community Engagement Coordinator, with focus in Indigenous Communities. Before joining VDH, their lived and learned experiences centered in domestic violence advocacy, harm reduction, and restorative justice. New to the state, Kana has been exploring VT parks and test-tasting many cremees!
Ryan Sexton, MD
Jenny Schmitz
Sarah Perry
September 27, 2022
VT Medical Operations Network - Concept to Activation
Session Description: In September 2020, the Vermont Healthcare Emergency Preparedness Coalition (VHEPC) conducted a COVID-19 Gap Assessment that identified the need for a centralized process to share healthcare information and coordinate healthcare resources.
To address this need, the Vermont Medical Operations Workgroup (MOW) was established in March 2021 to “Vermont-ize” ASPR’s Medical Operations Coordination Cell (MOCC) concept. Over the next several months, the MOW gathered a group of stakeholders to develop the Vermont Medical Operations Network (MON) as a centralized hub for healthcare information sharing, resource coordination, patient movement, and clinical expertise for any event that impacts healthcare facilities.
As the workgroup was refining the Concept of Operations (CONOPS), the COVID-19 Omicron variant arrived in rural Vermont, and the MON was activated in December 2021 to support rural acute care hospital requests for staffing and other resources. The MON also supported skilled nursing facility staffing requests as well as coordinating COVID-19 therapeutics to healthcare partners and prisons. VHEPC members were key partners in the workgroup, and this panel presentation with representation from VHEPC, Vermont Department of Health, Vermont Association for Hospitals and Health Systems, and All Clear Emergency Management Group, LLC. will review the conditions that necessitated the MON, the core functions and participants in the MON, and what’s next for the MON.
Learning Objectives:
· Identify the situation that precipitated the need for a statewide medical operations network
· Define essential planning elements of a Medical Operations Network (MON)
· Discuss key lessons learned, ongoing efforts and the future of the VT MON
Speaker Biographies:
Ryan Sexton, MD
Dr. Sexton graduated from the University of Vermont College of Medicine and completed residency in Emergency Medicine and a fellowship in Disaster Medicine and EMS at UMDNJ Cooper University Hospital in Camden, NJ. Dr. Sexton is double board certified by the American Board of Emergency Medicine in the specialties of Emergency Medicine and Emergency Medical Services (EMS). He practices emergency medicine and serves as the Medical Director of Emergency Services at Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital, a critical access hospital in St. Johnsbury, VT. He is Medical Advisor to VT District 5 EMS. He is the president-elect of the Vermont Medical Society and is the immediate past president of VT Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP). Dr. Sexton serves as a Clinical Advisor to the Vermont Healthcare Emergency Preparedness Coalition.
Jenny Schmitz
Jenny is the Vice President of All Clear Emergency Management Group, LLC., where she is working diligently to advance the preparedness level in all facets of the healthcare industry. Prior to joining the All Clear team in January 2016, she served as the Director of Safety and the Environment of Care at Denver Health and Hospital Authority in Denver, CO. In this role she was both the Safety Officer and Chair of the Environment of Care Committee, managing all of the emergency preparedness and response planning activities for Denver Health. This experience provided her the opportunity to hone her skills in healthcare preparedness and exercise design, as well as responding to real incidents.
Ms. Schmitz received her Masters Degree in International Studies (with concentrations in Global Health and International Security) from the University of Denver and her B.A. in International Studies from St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud, MN. She is a FEMA Master Exercise Practitioner (MEP), Colorado Certified Emergency Manager (CO-CEM) through the Colorado Emergency Management Association, and a Healthcare Environmental Manager (HEM). She also served as the Safety Officer on the Colorado-3 Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT). Jenny lives in Denver, CO and is an avid reader, sports lover, and traveler. If she is not working, she is probably planning her next adventure!
Sarah Perry
Sarah serves as Healthcare Preparedness Coordinator for Vermont’s Department of Health in the Division of Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Injury Prevention. In this role, she works closely with Vermont’s hospitals and the Vermont Healthcare Emergency Preparedness Coalition to support preparedness, response, and recovery efforts throughout the state and regionally. Her day-to-day responsibilities include liaising and coordinating capabilities around medical surge, hospital data collection, crisis standards of care, and Regional Disaster Health Response System planning.
Prior to joining Vermont’s preparedness team in Region 1, Sarah spent over twenty years in the fields of healthcare, public health, and education. She earned her Master of Public Health from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and some of her most memorable positions have included Guinea Worm Hunter, Health Education Specialist for refugee schools, and Professor of Public Health. Additionally, she currently serves as an intermittent Public Health Advisor for ASPR.
Sarah Schlein, MD, FACEP, FAWM, DiMM
October 19, 2022
Hypothermia
Session Description: In this webinar we will discuss new directions in hypothermia in the EMS and Wilderness Environments. We will learn a new simplified clinical staging approach, how to determine if CPR is indicated, a decision tree for transport designation decisions, and when/how to perform prolonged or intermittent CPR.
Speaker Biography: Sarah Schlein, MD, FACEP, FAWM, DiMM. Dr. Schlein is an Emergency Medicine attending physician and the Wilderness Medicine Director and Wilderness Medicine Fellowship Director at the University of Vermont Medical Center, with the Emergency Medicine Residency in Burlington, VT. She is an Associate Professor at the Larner College of Medicine where she founded and directs the medical school Wilderness Medicine electives. She is fellowship-trained in medical education and has a FAWM and DiMM through the Wilderness Medical Society (WMS). She co-chairs the WMS Women in Wilderness Medicine committee and is the Conference co-Chair for the WMS. She believes it is the responsibility of all educators to create environments where humility, vulnerability and humor can allow students and faculty to learn with honesty and authenticity. Sarah and her family live and work on their off-grid 100-acre homestead in Huntington, VT.
Ginny Schwartzer
Baillie Brooks
Sam Carr
October 27, 2022
A recording of this webinar will not be made available.
CMS Exercise for Ancillary Healthcare: Utility Failure
Session Description: Join your healthcare community for a utility failure exercise which has been specifically developed for Vermont's Ancillary Healthcare (Long Term Care, Home Health, Dialysis, Skilled Nursing, and other Non-Hospital) organizations looking to complete their Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) 'required' exercise. During the exercise, participants will partake in an exercise designed to engage your staff with the healthcare community while participating in operations-based tasks and discussions.
Speaker Biographies:
Ginny Schwartzer is the Chief Executive Officer of All Clear Emergency Management Group. She has nearly ten years of experience in safety and emergency management through positions with the North Carolina Industrial Commission Safety Education Section and as an emergency management consultant working with healthcare, higher education, and private industry clients. Ginny previously served as the System Emergency Manager for Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth (SCL) Health, a health system of nine acute care hospitals, two long term care facilities and more than 200 ambulatory care clinics. Ginny is a FEMA Master Exercise Practitioner (MEP), Homeland Security and Exercise Evaluation Program (HSEEP) instructor, and Incident Command System instructor. Ginny Schwartzer graduated with honors from North Carolina State University with a B.S. in Meteorology and a minor in Journalism.
Baillie Brooks joined All-Clear Emergency Management Group as the VHEPC Assistant Readiness & Response Coordinator in 2022. She worked as a data coordinator for a public health research company and interned with CDPHE during her master’s program.
Baillie has a bachelor's degree in Public Health and Environmental Studies with a minor in Sociology from Augustana College (IL). She also holds a master's degree in Public Health with a concentration in Environmental and Occupational Health and a Certificate in Public Health Disaster Preparedness and Response from the University of Colorado, Colorado School of Public Health. In addition, Baillie holds multiple FEMA certifications. She currently lives in Colorado and spends most of her free time skiing, hiking, climbing, and camping.
Sam Carr joined All Clear Emergency Management Group as a Planning Specialist in 2022. Sam brings emergency management experience from the public and private sectors. While serving with the South Carolina Emergency Management Division, Sam supported the response and recovery during multiple federally declared disasters, including Hurricane Florence and Hurricane Dorian. As the state’s Individual Assistance Officer, he coordinated the delivery of disaster recovery programs across the state. Sam worked in the private sector most recently, developing emergency preparedness and incident management plans for a national retail company.
Sam holds a B.S. in Criminal Justice from Radford University and an M.S. in Criminal Justice concentrating in Homeland Security from Liberty University. He also holds multiple FEMA certifications, including the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP), and has completed the National Emergency Management Basic Academy. Sam currently lives in Virginia and spends his free time golfing, hiking, and traveling.
Sarah Vose
November 2, 2022
Chemical Incidents in Vermont
Session Description: In this webinar, State Toxicologist Sarah Vose from the Vermont Department of Health will review chemical hazards that may result in EMS calls.
Speaker Biography: Sarah received her undergraduate degree in Molecular Biology from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee and her Ph.D. in Molecular Toxicology from the University of California, Berkeley. She completed post-doctoral training at Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, Massachusetts. In 2012, Sarah joined the Vermont Department of Health in Burlington as the State Toxicologist. Sarah oversees risk assessments, cyanobacteria monitoring, private drinking water, chemical emergency response, and the Chemical Disclosure Program for Children’s Products. She is also an Instructor in the University of Vermont’s Master of Public Health program.
Travis Howe, EMT, CIC
November 10, 2022
The Times They Are a Changin’. So, What’s Your Plan?
Session Description: Is your agency swimming or sinking like a stone? Many sink each year. As we navigate the issues plaguing EMS, and look to create viable and sustainable systems, have you conducted an honest assessment of your agency? Where does it stand, and does it have a future? Join Travis as he outlines trending issues and discusses 5 critical must-do's for any organization that wants to survive and thrive, while being part of the solution.
Speaker Biography: Travis Howe is an emergency services executive, advocate, clinician, speaker and educator. He has 24 years of experience in rural and suburban EMS and fire systems, with much of his career taking place in Warren County (NY). Travis is currently the Director of EMS for the Town of Lake George, a Deputy EMS Coordinator for Warren County, the Executive Director of Mountain Lakes Regional EMS Council, and the Assistant EMS Advocacy Coordinator (NY) for NAEMT.
Rommie Duckworth
December 5, 2022
Anaphylaxis - They never taught me that! Critical updates for life-threatening emergencies.
Session Description: What’s the difference between anaphylactic and anaphylactoid, and should I care? Can a patient have a life-threatening reaction on a first exposure? What are the most important ALS medications for anaphylaxis after epinephrine? How bad is it to give epinephrine for a panic attack? What the heck is Kounis syndrome? Why didn't they teach me this in class? The past ten years have seen a dramatic increase in the number of cases of anaphylaxis across the United States. In response, the American College of Emergency Physicians and the World Allergy Organization have issued important updates on initial emergency treatment for patients suffering from anaphylaxis. While epinephrine remains the front-line drug for all levels of care, recent studies show that in-hospital and pre-hospital providers alike aren’t giving it as often or as early as they should. This interactive case-study and pub-quiz style presentation answers these questions and many more with a focus on a rapid differential of anaphylaxis and effective initial and secondary treatments to manage these immediately life-threatening emergencies.
Teaching Formats:
-Lecture
-Case studies
-Question and Answer
-Live quiz
Learning Objectives: At the completion of this program students will be able to:
Describe the pathophysiology of anaphylactic reactions.
Differentiate anaphylactic and anaphylactoid reactions in the context of practical emergency medical care in the field.
Prioritize BLS and ALS prehospital airway, breathing, and circulation management tools and techniques of mild-moderate and severe anaphylactic reactions.
Speaker Biography: Rommie Duckworth is a dedicated emergency responder, author, and educator with more than thirty years of experience working in career and volunteer fire departments, hospital healthcare systems, and private emergency medical services. Rom is currently a career fire captain and paramedic EMS Coordinator for Ridgefield (CT) Fire Department, the founder and director of the New England Center for Rescue and Emergency Medicine. Rom is the recipient of the NAEMT Presidential Award, American Red Cross Hero Award, Sepsis Alliance Sepsis Hero Award, and the EMS 10 Innovators Award. Rom is the author of "Duckworth on Education" as well as chapters in more than a dozen EMS, fire, rescue, and medical textbooks and over 100 published articles in fire and EMS magazines. A member of national and international advocacy and advisory boards, Rom continues to work for the advancement of emergency services professions.
Jenny Schmitz
December 13, 2022
Building A Workplace Violence Prevention Program
Session Description: Does your facility have a workplace violence program? Do you know how to prepare for violence in your workplace?
The need for a comprehensive workplace violence program is evident as reports of violent incidents in the workplace continue to rise (especially in healthcare). This session takes an in-depth look at the different types of workplace violence and the key elements of a workplace violence program with a focus on the risks factors specific to healthcare. You’ll also learn important tools you can use when preparing for, responding to or assisting staff who may have been a victim in a workplace incident.
Speaker Biography: Jenny Schmitz is the Vice President of All Clear Emergency Management Group, LLC., where she is working diligently to advance the preparedness level in all facets of the healthcare industry. Prior to joining the All Clear team in January 2016, she served as the Director of Safety and the Environment of Care at Denver Health and Hospital Authority in Denver, CO. In this role she was both the Safety Officer and Chair of the Environment of Care Committee, managing all of the emergency preparedness and response planning activities for Denver Health. This experience provided her the opportunity to hone her skills in healthcare preparedness and exercise design, as well as responding to real incidents.
Ms. Schmitz received her Master’s Degree in International Studies (with concentrations in Global Health and International Security) from the University of Denver (Denver, CO) and her B.A. in International Studies from St. Cloud State University (St. Cloud, MN). She is a FEMA Master Exercise Practitioner (MEP) and a Healthcare Environmental Manager (HEM). She also served as the Safety Officer on the Colorado-3 Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT). Jenny lives in Denver, CO and is an avid reader, sports lover, and traveler. If she is not working, she is probably planning her next adventure!