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SOUTH ORANGE RESCUE SQUAD,INC. <br /> North Carolina <br /> Standard Operations Manual <br /> Subject: Rehabilitation SOM No.: <br /> Effective Date: <br /> Revision Date: Authorization Signature: <br /> 5.5. Forty-five minutes of work time is generally recommended as an acceptable level of work prior <br /> to mandatory rehabilitation. <br /> 5.5.1. Members having worked through two full 30-minute-rated SCBA cylinders,or for 45 <br /> minutes,shall be rotated to the rehabilitation sector for rest and evaluation. <br /> 5.5.2. For confined space or trench operations,personnel should be rotated on an"early"basis, <br /> approximately every 15 to 20 minutes,30 minutes in the winter. <br /> 5.5.3. In all cases,an objective evaluation of a member's fatigue level is the appropriate <br /> criterion for determining if rest is required. Rest period for members in the rehab sector <br /> shall be at least 10 minutes or greater. <br /> 5.5.4. Crews sent to rehab should be replaced by fresh crews from the staging sector. Crews <br /> released from the rehab sector should be rotated to the staging sector prior to returning to <br /> work. This procedure insures that fatigued individuals do not return to work before they <br /> are rehabilitated. <br /> 5.6. Members should not be removed from a hot environment and placed directly into an air- <br /> conditioned environment because the body's cooling system may shut down in response to the <br /> external cooling. An air-conditioned environment is acceptable only after a cool-down period at <br /> ambient temperature with sufficient air movement. <br /> 5.'7. EMS at the advanced life support level will be provided at each incident. EMS personnel <br /> (paramedics)will evaluate the vital signs and the physical condition of members as they are <br /> rotated through the rehab sector. <br /> 5.7.1. EMS personnel will determine whether a member will be allowed to return to work, <br /> remain in rehab,or receive further medical treatment and be transported to a medical <br /> facility for further evaluation. <br /> 5.7.2. Continued rehabilitation consists of the ongoing monitoring of vital signs,rest,and fluid <br /> intake. Medical treatment for a member whose signs and symptoms indicate potential <br /> problems will be provided in accordance with local medical control procedures. EMS <br /> personnel will be aggressive in determining that potential medical problems exist. <br /> 5.8. When working crews arrive at the rehab sector,each member's vital signs shall be taken and <br /> recorded. The following criteria are used in the evaluation of rescue personnel during a rescue or <br /> EMS incident: <br /> 5.8.1. Transportation to the hospital is required when the diastolic blood pressure is? 130. <br /> 5.8.2. Transportation to the hospital is also required when the diastolic blood pressure is? 110 <br /> and the individual is symptomatic. <br /> 5.8.3. An individual may be transported to the hospital for further evaluation when the diastolic <br /> blood pressure is<_1 10 and the individual is symptomatic. <br /> GEN-Rehabilitation.doc <br /> -4of10- <br />