QUINCY -- The Adams County Ambulance Service is exploring ways to help prevent supply loss and potential overstocking within the department. Plans call for the department to acquire the asset management software OperativeIQ next year to track its inventory, assets and fleet. Capt. Kyle Dixon, the department's asset manager, said the department utilizes a just-in-time ordering process.
"If we know that we use 50 pieces of this equipment in a week, when we reach a certain threshold, we need to order more," Dixon said. "That way we don't have a lot of overstock."
By using the software, the department hopes to cut losses from disposable supplies and medications that have expiration dates.
Paul Davis, director of the Ambulance Service, said the department has seen an increase in the cost of medications and disposable supplies, such as nasal cannulas, IV solution and oxygen equipment, in recent years. The department budgeted $110,000 for equipment, which is up from about $72,000 in 2013.
"Our medications are ever increasing triple-digit percentages," Davis said.
There are medications the ambulances must carry, but aren't used often.
"Cardiac drugs, we use those daily," Davis said. "Some more specialized drugs we may only use every couple of months."
Dixon has researched the software since 2012, and the department has made site visits to other agencies that use the program. He said many see supply costs reduced by 10 to 20 percent. Locally, the Marion County Ambulance Service uses OperativeIQ.
The paper checklist crews use while checking their ambulances will be moved to an electronic version.
"That's how paramedics and EMTs will request the supplies they need for their truck, so that inventory levels across the fleet our equal and adequate," Dixon said. "On the backside of the software, it will maintain the inventory levels in the supply room, so if the reorder point is 25 for nasal cannulas, then it will make a notification to reorder."
The software also monitors vehicles and provides notifications when maintenance is required.
Posted: Sep 6, 2016
In an ironic start to the week, a fire broke out at a fire station in El Paso's Lower Valley. The incident occurred at 6 a.m. Monday on San Jose Street while firefighters were asleep. Battalion Chief Carlos Franco said they came down and found one of their
Crews are still investigating exactly how the fire started, but Franco said it was some type of mechanical failure.
“The crews were in bed. They heard a loud noise in the bay. When they went to investigate, they saw one of the fire engines had heavy smoke and fire coming from under the truck,” Franco said. “They exited the building through the back and called for additional units to extinguish the fire."
Fighting the fire took seven units and 19 firefighters. The only damage was to the truck, not the building. “The firetruck is now out of commission and not able to operate or respond to calls," Franco said.
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