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In the most recent CERT class we were given a presentation on the emergency medical system, including a tour of two of Keller’s MICU’s (they have three, with two in service and one backup).  One of the most interesting bits of equipment they carry is the Lifepak 12, and we were given a full demonstration of its capabilities (well, everything except for the defibrillator ).  I learned that I have a normal CO₂ output.  But I digress…

The other topic of the night was HIPAA (HEALTH INSURANCE PORTABILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT) and how it relates to the emergency medical service.  The most important provision of HIPAA in this area is the privacy rule.  To sum it up, a health provider may not release personal health information to anyone but the patient.  The penalties are fairly stiff and they increase with each offense. 

We were told that later in the class we would be given the opportunity to sign up for their ride-along program.  HIPAA becomes important in that respect, because by going on ride-alongs, we will be bound by HIPAA rules concerning disclosure (there may also be some liability on the city if we were to violate the rules, which is why we were given the basic HIPAA training).  What was most interesting were the situations that might be considered a violation of HIPAA.  He brought up some points that I hadn’t thought of, although they make sense once you think about them a bit.

Personal health information includes any information that could serve to identify a person and a condition they may be suffering from.  The example he gave was as follows:  Consider a cul-de-sac with seven houses.  If EMS responds to a child drowning incident at one of those houses, and there is only one house with a pool (or only one house with a child), identifying even the cul-de-sac would be a HIPAA violation, since that would also identify the family and the child that drowned. 

I suppose it’s good to protect people’s medical privacy, but the law does seem a bit absurd in that it only applies to the medical providers.  If the police respond the the above scene, they are under no obligation under HIPAA rules to keep any of the information private since they aren’t medical providers.

I’m seriously considering going on the ride along program when it’s made available to us.  However, it appears that HIPAA will seriously curtail what I can share with people. 

Lately I’ve been working more hours, which has cut down on the number of posts I’ve made.  After spending 10 hours or so in front of a computer, sitting down in front of another one to write blog entries just doesn’t seem very appealing. 

However, now that I’m using Expression Engine 1.1 I can post entries that will appear later (this was possible with 1.0, but I had to hack it a bit to do the gunshow page, breaking the ability to do future entries on this weblog; 1.1 now handles this on a per-blog basis).  I’ve written 10 posts today, most of them for next week.  I’m thinking that I might start writing articles on Sunday to have them appear during the week.  For some reason, I feel I should write something every day (at least during the week, not so much on weekends).  Writing everything on Sunday lacks timeliness, though.  Perhaps I could do both—write up five entries or so on Sunday and then try to write as time permits during the week.  At least that way there would be something every day.

New content will appear below this entry thoughout the week.

I’m going to be travelling to Raleigh, NC for the week on business, so I won’t likely be blogging in real time.  However, I’ve written several entries that will appear throughout the week thanks to the ability of Expression Engine to do future posts.  A lot of it relates to the Keller Citizen’s Fire Academy and Community Emergency Response Team training that I’ve been taking for the past few weeks.  I’ve also got a few gun related posts for later in the week.

If I get a few minutes, or something gets under my skin, I might post something else, but I don’t know how much time I”ll have for that.

See you next week.

Update: (9/24/04)  Turned off the sticky setting, so this item will no longer appear above the other items it originally preceeded.

I’m travelling to Raleigh early tomorrow morning.  I’ve just about gotten everything packed and ready, leaving only a few things left to shove into the suitcase in the morning.

Sometimes I really dread travelling.  I’m one of those people who has to plan everything down to the minute.  It sometimes annoys the hell out of people who are with me, but I usually arrive on time or just slightly early.  If I tell you I’m going to be somewhere at a particular time, you can bet that I will have a pretty good reason if I’m not there at that time.

I also have a tendency to pack more crap than I need.  As an example, I always plan out the clothes for each day of the trip and then I throw in at least one more complete set of clothing just in case (i.e. pants, shirt, socks, underwear, etc).  I’ve rarely needed them.  However, through negative reinforcement I always pack them now, since the one time I didn’t I ended up extending my trip for a couple of days and I sorely wished I’d had them.

My computer backpack is another example.  I probably won’t need all of the stuff in there, but I just don’t feel comfortable without it.  I’ve got an extra ethernet cable, a telephone line tester, a phone cable, power adapter, and a wireless adapter (with driver CD).  The backpack also serves as a general carry-on, so I’ve got hand wipes, cell phone charger, iPod charger, disposable toothbrushes (this isn’t as odd as you might think, since I’ve got braces), an extra copy of my itinerary, some extra cash (squirreled away in an out of the way place), and a bottle of water.  In the morning I’ll put my watch, keys, wallet, and flashlight in there before going through the metal detectors (it speeds things up if you don’t have to pull everything out of your pockets and put them in those little buckets).

I was never a Boy Scout, but I think their motto is a great way to live.  I may carry a lot more junk that I need, but at least I’m prepared for most things (although not as prepared as I’d like, given what we’re not allowed to take on a plane).

One of the first things they taught us in the citizen’s fire academy was that in an emergency situation you must identify someone to call for help.  Yelling for “someone” to call 911 doesn’t work very well, since no one really has ownership of it.  You should make eye contact with someone and tell them to call 911.  That way they know you want them to do it and it’s more likely to get done.

One of the more annoying facets of Texas law is the way alcohol is treated.  In particular, the one that I find onerous is the restriction on concealed carry in any place that makes more than 51% of its revenue from the sale of alcohol.  Whenever I go out with people I tend to be the designated driver.  I’m just not fond of drinking in public as I don’t like being out of control.  Further, being intoxicated is an automatic “condition white” situation.  I just don’t want to go there.

Given that criminals tend to be “full service” types (i.e. they like to go where the easy targets are), it’s no surprise to me that Dallas has been dealing with a crime problem in Lower Greenville and Deep Ellum.  People coming out of clubs usually have a little money, they’re usually unaware of their surroundings, and they’re unarmed if they’re following the law.  This makes for a perfect situation which stick-up artists can take advantage of. 

My thought is that we already have a statute that makes it illegal to carry a concealed weapon if you’re intoxicated.  Let’s repeal the 51% prohibition on concealed carry and let people take care of themselves when they leave the club.

We’re constantly admonished to designate a driver.  Why not designate a carrier as well?  Perhaps after a few stick-up artists are shot the others will think twice before flocking to the area.

I always like a good article about some person who refuses to give up his property for the whim of some city pipe dream to build some kind of fancy park or other feel good project.

Fred Mitchell stood his ground for years, refusing to sell his house near Johnson Creek for a flood control and parks project.

This week, he waved the white flag—sort of.

Mitchell, who has lived in his three-bedroom house since 1969, finally agreed to sell it to the city for $137,500.

However, under a life-estate agreement approved by the Arlington City Council on Tuesday, Mitchell will be allowed to stay in his house until he dies or chooses to leave.

“I fought them for eight years because I knew what they were doing was wrong,” said Mitchell, 72, a retired Air Force radar technician and former city worker.

Yes, they’re claiming it’s a flood control project, but it’s interesting to note that somehow it got turned into a park.  But nevermind my take on it, consider what Mr. Mitchell said about it.

For years, Mitchell has contended that the corps is using an outdated, 1975 flood plain map that does not accurately show the depth or width of the creek or the areas that might flood.

His small brick house was built in 1959 on the north side of the 700 block of Mitchell Street. The houses across the street that backed up to the creek and those closer to Collins Street have been demolished. Only the arching magnolias and spreading oaks remain on the grassy lots.

“They had no business taking some of those houses,” Mitchell said. “Nobody on this side of the street ever flooded.”

I guess he finally realized that he wasn’t going to be able to hold out forever.  I like his attitude about it, though:

“I’m not going to move,” Mitchell said, “I ain’t got that much longer to go. I might as well stay put.”

While the city ultimately will get the land, they’re not going to be able to force this guy off his property.  I bet this situation is really chapping somebody’s ass down at city hall.  Good.  These petty little local tyrants need to be reminded from time to time that they don’t own the city.

It’s good for you.

Beer drinkers can toast the news that their favourite beverage possesses the same benefits as red wine, the alcohol long celebrated for its antioxidant properties.

Researchers at The University of Western Ontario have found one drink of beer or wine provides equivalent increases in plasma antioxidant activity, which helps prevent the oxidization of blood plasma by toxic free radicals that trigger many aging diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease and cataracts.

Biochemistry and kinesiology professor John Trevithick, one of the lead researchers and a long-time expert on the role of antioxidants in human health, says, “We were very surprised one drink of beer or stout contributed an equal amount of antioxidant benefit as wine, especially since red wine contains about 20 times the amount of polyphenols as beer.”

I guess I’m just not drinking enough beer.  I’d better get cracking…

Link via Slashdot.

Listening to my MP3 collection on shuffle is a jarring experience.  Think Sarah McLachlan followed by the Beastie Boys… 

<sarcasm>Lovely.</sarcasm>

I’m supposed to be in Raleigh, NC next week.  At least I won’t be on the coast, but it still doesn’t look like a good time to be in North Carolina.

Hmm… it looks like Ivan just might pay the area a visit first, though (or at least what’s left of him).