James Michael "Mike" Greene - age: 67 (September 10, 1942 to February 22, 2010 ) Resident of Idabel, Oklahoma Visitation Information: VISITATION: 5:00 P.M. TO 6:00 P.M., WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 24, 2010 NORWOOD-NATION FUNERAL HOME-IDABEL, OKLAHOMA SERVICES: 2:00 P.M., THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2010 BY PASS CHURCH OF CHRIST-IDABEL INTERMENT: DENISON CEMETERY, IDABEL, OKLAHOMA 2010-02-24T17:54:58Z /home/okama/okama.org/v1/public/news_item/file/34/James_Greene.pdf 34 2010-02-24T17:56:10Z The Oklahoma Ambulance Association will be holding its Spring 2010 Education Conference on Wednesday March 10th at the Sooner Legend’s Inn in Norman Oklahoma. This year’s speakers will include Gail Atnip from TrailBlazers, Stacy Morton from EMS-C and Lisa Gifford from the Oklahoma Health Care Authority. See the attachment for registration information and forms. The host site for the OKAMA conference is the Sooner Legends Inn and Suites, a family-owned & Sooner sports themed hotel. All rooms are appointed with comfortable linens, flat screen color televisions, Cable, DVD players and complimentary wireless internet, a fully equipped business center, a fitness center, & an outdoor heated swimming pool. The home styled menu specializes in BBQ, Steaks and Seafood is delicious both during the conference and at the onsite restaurant. Room rates $89 a night. To register phone 405-701-8100 or email reservations@soonerlegends.com. For directions view sitemap at www.soonerlegends.com/Norman_Oklahoma_Hotel/location.html 2010-02-09T14:26:14Z /home/okama/okama.org/v1/public/news_item/file/33/Spring_2010.pdf 33 /home/okama/okama.org/v1/public/news_item/image/33/logo.jpg 2010-02-09T14:26:14Z OU Health Science Center 940 NE 13th, 5th Floor, Nicholson Tower, Oklahoma City. The goal of this symposium is to showcase the most innovative and promising approaches to improving emergency care for children. EMSC wants your help in ensuring that pediatric patients receive quality care in the pre hospital and emergency environment. Please see the attached flyer for more information! 2010-01-26T20:29:09Z /home/okama/okama.org/v1/public/news_item/file/32/2010_Pediatric_Symposium.pdf 32 2010-01-26T20:29:09Z Oklahoma Ambulance Providers: Please see the attached flyer announcing the OKAMA sponsored "Oklahoma EMS Capitol Day", March 9, 2010. Also remember the OKAMA Spring Conference will be held the following day in Norman, Oklahoma - more information to follow. 2010-01-18T17:53:18Z /home/okama/okama.org/v1/public/news_item/file/31/STDFlyer.D3.pdf 31 /home/okama/okama.org/v1/public/news_item/image/31/logo.jpg 2010-01-18T17:53:18Z Oklahoma University is sponsoring a First Responder's Night at the OU Men’s Basketball game Monday January 4th at 7:00 pm. All OKAMA members are invited. Tickets are just $10 dollars and include a hot dog and drink. To order tickets visit https//www.groupticketwindow.com/groupticket/ou/group and enter the User Name “responders” and the Password “gosooners”. 2009-12-29T20:39:17Z /home/okama/okama.org/v1/public/news_item/file/30/MBBFirstRespondersNight.pdf 30 /home/okama/okama.org/v1/public/news_item/image/30/MBBFirstRespondersNight.jpg 2009-12-29T21:34:21Z The OKAMA Spring 2010 Conference will be held on Wednesday March 10, 2010 at the Sooner Legends Inn in Norman, Oklahoma. Save the date for this one-day conference filled with information and education important to all ambulance providers. Watch this website and your email for more information soon! 2009-12-28T20:12:08Z 29 2009-12-28T20:12:08Z OKAMA members can receive additional benefits through AllMed's Value Added Program. Product savings, expired drug returns and other benefits can be obtained through this program. Application is attached. 2009-10-26T14:49:20Z /home/okama/okama.org/v1/public/news_item/file/27/AllMed.pdf 27 2009-10-26T14:49:20Z Dear Association Members: Over the past few days we have received a number of calls concerning our stance in the on-going debate over HB1888 that we felt you, our membership should be made aware of...... (please see attched letter) 2009-10-16T16:46:35Z /home/okama/okama.org/v1/public/news_item/file/26/Member_Letter_100809.pdf 26 2009-10-16T16:46:35Z The 2009 Fall Conference October 23rd in Norman Oklahoma is filling up fast. Vendors and particpants please download the attached brochure and sign up today. See you next week. 2009-10-16T16:42:49Z /home/okama/okama.org/v1/public/news_item/file/24/Fall_2009_Final.pdf 24 2009-10-16T16:42:49Z According to Article IX of the OKAMA By Laws' (below)amendments to the By Laws may be made at the OKAMA Conference, with notice. Attached is a red-line copy of the proposed changes to the By-Laws which will be voted on at our Fall Conference ARTICLE IX – AMENDMENTS TO THE BYLAWS Bylaws may be adopted, amended or replaced at any annual or special meeting of the Active Members by a two-thirds [2/3] vote of the membership in attendance. The membership shall be notified in writing of the proposed action at least thirty [30] days in advance of the meeting. 2009-09-25T21:29:23Z /home/okama/okama.org/v1/public/news_item/file/23/BYLAWS-090409.pdf 23 2009-09-25T21:30:21Z Registration for the October 23rd Fall 2009 OKAMA Conference is in full swing! Download the conference brochure here and register today. This year's speakers will include: •Shawn Rogers - Director, EMS Division, State of Oklahoma •Gail Atnip - Provider Relations Specialist, Trailblazers •Jim Buell - Director of Special Projects, American Amb Assoc •Kristy Ventimiglia - Hicks and Associates The Conference Hall will be packed with vendors showing the latest in industry specific goods and services. Join us for a full day of education and networking. Participant and Vendor Registration Forms are available in the Conference Brochure attachment. 2009-09-23T16:02:28Z /home/okama/okama.org/v1/public/news_item/file/22/Fall_2009_Final.pdf 22 2009-09-23T16:02:28Z The OKAMA Board of Directors met Thursday September 17, 2009 to discuss OKAMA's direction for 2010. President Bob Hawley and Jimmy Johnson will give a full report to the members at the Fall Conference, October 23rd in Norman, Oklahoma. Register today for this conference by downloading the forms from the website. 2009-09-17T22:30:00Z /home/okama/okama.org/v1/public/news_item/file/21/DSCN0450.jpg 21 /home/okama/okama.org/v1/public/news_item/image/21/DSCN0451.jpg 2009-09-17T22:30:00Z The following attachment shows step-by-step procedures for member agencies to apply for funds to help your service receive H1N1 Pandemic Supplies. Do this today, as the deadline for submission of the application packet is 3:00 pm, September 8, 2009 to the address shown on page 1 of the following documents. The deasline must be met - don't be late. A copy of the application and cost estimates from two of our regular supporters, BoundTree Medical (Eddie Watson 918.289.4984) and Alliance Medical (Ken Schrum 405.659.0838, can be found in the "Download" section of the web site. 2009-09-03T18:38:02Z /home/okama/okama.org/v1/public/news_item/file/16/PPEforH1N1.doc 16 2009-09-03T18:38:02Z The EMS community in Oklahoma lost a pioneer and long standing OKAMA member Saturday August 8, 2009. Tim Sinor, owner of Sinor EMS, headquartered in Clinton, Oklahoma was involved in a motorcycle accident in Sturgis, SD while there on business and did not survive. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Tim’s wife Linda and family. Tim’s funeral will be held Wednesday August 12th at 2:00pm at the First Christian Church of in Clinton, 111 S. 28th Street , Clinton, OK 73601. The Tim Sinor Memorial EMS Scholarship Fund has been established and Memorial Fund contributions may be sent to the Troy Lee – Kiesau Funeral Home, 2500 W. Modella Avenue, Clinton, OK 73601. Question may be directed to the funeral home at 580-323-1212. 2009-08-11T14:53:03Z 14 2009-08-11T14:53:03Z AAA Members You are invited to participate on a FREE WEBINAR for an EFFECTIVE GRASS ROOTS LOBBYING TRAINING SESSION and HEALTH CARE REFORM UPDATE. TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2009 2:00 pm Eastern Training Session by Advocacy Guru Christopher Kush of Soapbox Consulting Health Care Reform Update by Tristan North, AAA SVP for Government Affairs The American Ambulance Association is hosting a FREE WEBINAR on how to become more effective in advocating issues before your Members of Congress. The training session will be conducted by Advocacy Guru Christopher Kush of Soapbox Consulting. Prior to the session, AAA Senior Vice President of Government Affairs will provide participants with an update on health care reform and efforts on Medicare ambulance relief. Please RSVP to tnorth@the-aaa.org if you would like to participate On Monday, July 27, the AAA will distribute details to all AAA member contacts on using Adobe Connect© to participate in the FREE WEBINAR. You will just need a computer with speakers to participate and hear the audio portion of the conference. About Christopher Kush As CEO of Soapbox Consulting in Washington, DC, Christopher Kush has trained thousands of federal, state, and local advocates to effectively advocate for their issues. He is the author of three books, The One-Hour Activist (Jossey-Bass, 2004), Grassroots Games, a collection of interactive training exercises (ASAE, 2001), and Cybercitizen (St. Martin's Press, 2000). He has been on National Public Radio, in U.S. News and World Report, in the Los Angeles Times, and on the Sirius Satellite Radio Network. 2009-07-26T20:19:36Z 13 2009-07-26T20:19:36Z The Oklahoma Ambulance Association will hold its Fall 2009 Conference and Trade Show at the Sooner’s Legend Inn in Norman Oklahoma on Friday, October 23, 2009. The OKAMA Board Meeting will be on the previous Thursday at 3:00 p.m. Watch for the announcement of speaker's and topics soon. More information and the Conference brochures will be sent by both mail and e-mail. 2009-07-19T20:11:54Z 12 2009-07-19T20:11:54Z OKLAHOMA CITY -- Oklahomans who need an ambulance and live in the Tulsa or Oklahoma City metro areas can consider themselves fortunate. They have access to one of the best emergency medical services programs in the country, one that's an example of outstanding public-private sector collaboration. The Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA) was established in Tulsa in 1977 as a public trust authority and later expanded to include Bixby, Jenks and Sand Springs. In 1990, service was again expanded to include the Oklahoma City metro area. The state's two biggest municipalities are the primary beneficiaries, but the program also serves 16 separate towns in the two metro areas. Foresight by EMSA officials and leaders in both Oklahoma City and Tulsa has also put the program on a solid financial footing, one that's rare in the United States. Escalating costs and cutbacks in Medicare/Medicaid reimbursements have forced many private ambulance companies across the U.S. to close, including 40 companies in Oklahoma since 2000. Oklahoma's EMSA program, however, has become a model for the rest of the nation, and is ranked as one of the top five in the country. It's also the only such partnership of its kind in the state. To achieve financial stability, EMSA adheres to a public utility model, which allows a quasi-government sector organization to contract with private sector medical service providers and dispatchers. Since 1998, Oklahoma has contracted with the firm Paramedics Plus LLC. This marriage of public sector oversight and private sector performance is supervised by authority personnel, an appointed 11-member EMSA Board of Trustees, and an independent medical director. Any changes to the EMSA Trust Agreement, which governs operations, must also be approved by the city governments of Tulsa and Oklahoma City. In a time when the market rate for ambulance transport is about $1,100 to $1,200 per ride, a third of all riders have no health insurance, and the federal government is cutting reimbursements, EMSA is offsetting the cost through a nominal charge on all metro area utility bills. Residents who participate in the program can then obtain EMSA services as needed, at no additional charge. This initiative can literally mean life or death for many Oklahomans who would otherwise hesitate to call an ambulance because of the associated fee. EMSA serves more than 1.1 million residents in central and northeast Oklahoma, averaging more than 110,000 calls for help each year. More than 70,000 of these callers are transported to area hospitals. 2009-03-21T17:23:43Z 11 2009-03-21T17:23:43Z OKAMA Conference - Special Pricing April 3, 2009 All OKAMA members with annual dues exceeding $2,500 will now be able to bring an unlimited number of attendees to the conference at no cost! The Oklahoma Ambulance Association (OKAMA) is proud to announce that Greg Lawton, the President of Avesta, the leading provider of recruitment, selection and performance management tools for the EMS industry will be presenting important information on how large and small EMS companies can create and maintain a stable workforce. Greg brings thirty years of EMS management experience to Avesta. His team of Industrial –Organizational Psychologists and Instructional Design professionals have designed systems and solutions to maximize human performance within the EMS industry. Gail Atnip, Medicare Part B Provider Relations Specialist of TrailBlazer Health Enterprise will be speaking at this year’s Spring Conference and Trade Show. TrailBlazer is the combined administrator of Part A and Part B Medicare fee-for-service claims for Oklahoma providers; making this a very important session to all ambulance providers. The Oklahoma Ambulance Association will hold its Spring 2009 Conference and Trade Show at the Sooner’s Legend Inn in Norman Oklahoma on Friday April 3, 2009. Gail and Greg will be joined at this one day conference by other industry experts speaking on issues important to Oklahoma providers. You can contact the hotel today at (405) 701-8100 to make reservations 2009-03-16T02:58:01Z /home/okama/okama.org/v1/public/news_item/file/10/Sprg_2009_brochure_v05.pdf 10 /home/okama/okama.org/v1/public/news_item/image/10/scan0001.jpg 2009-03-16T13:58:02Z The conference brochure for the April 3rd 2009 Spring OKAMA Conference in Norman Oklahoma, is now available. Download the brochure and sign up today! 2009-03-09T01:38:11Z /home/okama/okama.org/v1/public/news_item/file/8/Sprg_2009_brochure_v05.pdf 8 2009-03-09T01:38:11Z Managing Turnover in the EMS Industry The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently published a workforce analysis report titled EMS Workforce for the 21st Century: A National Assessment (NHTSA, 2008). This report highlighted the need for EMS agencies to focus on building and maintaining a viable workforce and specifically cited the implementation of effective human resource management practices as a key system attribute for the attainment of this goal. Much research conducted by human resources specialists can be harnessed by decision-makers within EMS agencies and applied to their own contexts in order to build a strong workforce and minimize costly turnover. This discussion will outline what human resources researchers have found to be important antecedents of turnover, describe state-of-the-art human resources system techniques that have been found to reduce turnover, and clarify some of the practical benefits that accompany the implementation of these solutions. About the speaker: Greg Lawton is the President of Avesta, the leading provider of recruitment, selection and performance management tools to the EMS industry. Greg brings thirty years of EMS management experience to Avesta. His team of Industrial –Organizational Psychologists and Instructional Design professionals create systems and solutions to maximize human performance within the EMS industry. 2009-02-26T16:08:26Z 7 2009-02-26T16:08:26Z On February 11, 2009 all OKAMA Active Members were mailed a ballot for this year’s election of officers for the OKAMA Board of Directors. The ballots must be returned by mail and received in the OKAMA office no latter than March 28, 2009. Late, incomplete or ballots received by non-members will not be used in the tabulation of votes. Please remember to vote! Attached is a copy of this year's ballot of Officers. 2009-02-15T20:11:31Z /home/okama/okama.org/v1/public/news_item/file/6/Ballot.pdf 6 2009-02-15T20:11:31Z The Oklahoma Ambulance Association (OKAMA) is proud to announce that Gail Atnip, Medicare Part B Provider Relations Specialist of TrailBlazer Health Enterprise will be speaking at this year’s Spring Conference and Trade Show. The Oklahoma Ambulance Association will hold its Spring 2009 Conference and Trade Show at the Sooner’s Legend Inn in Norman Oklahoma on Friday, April 3, 2009. Gail will be joined at this one day conference by other industry experts speaking on Medicaid reimbursement issues important Oklahoma Providers. You can contact the hotel today at (405) 701-8100 to make reservations or Watch for conference brochures by mail and e-mail soon. 2009-02-15T20:02:24Z 5 2009-02-15T20:02:24Z The OKAMA 2008 Fall Conference Brochure is now available for download. Click on and download the brochure (PDF) which includes the agenda for the conference, the hotel information, and the registration form. See you in October. 2008-09-18T12:52:29Z /home/okama/okama.org/v1/public/news_item/file/4/Fall_Conference_2008.pdf 4 2008-09-18T12:52:29Z The Federal Highway Administration is currently processing a new section to title 23, Code of Federal Regulations that will mandate the use of high-visibility safety apparel for workers operating within the rights-of-way of all federal-aid highways. This new regulation will have an effect on all persons that work on or near any state or US highway all across the United States whether volunteer or paid for fire service, law enforcement, EMS and will also apply to tow truck operators and volunteers that pick litter up along the highway. “Oh boy, another regulation that’s going to cost me money” you might be thinking and rightfully so, but consider that about 20% of the 100+ fire fighter deaths each year are ‘struck-by’ in nature. This means that while a brother FF is working a vehicle crash or fighting a fire along a highway, someone comes along and hits them resulting in their death. NIOSH reports that this number is up 89% over the previous 5-years. What this means in simple terms for all of us is that we must provide high-visibility safety vests that are at least ANSI class 2 or 3, with the large reflective bands and retro-reflective yellow background for our fire fighters that will be working a crash or while fighting a fire alongside or on any highway. From what I have read in the Federal Register there was a great deal of discussion on how this would apply to both law enforcement and fire fighters that traditionally must wear bulky protective clothing in the first place. It was decided that the safety of those workers is the first priority and departments will be required to comply. I asked an attorney friend of mine how this new regulation might be enforced and the potential consequences for non-compliance. While there will be no agency inspecting for compliance, should a covered organization not provide and require their members to wear compliant vests and a member is hurt or killed in the line of duty, there would be great deal of liability assumed, along with potential investigations and possible fines from the state Labor Department or OSHA against the parent organization. Our department purchased retro-reflective vests and placed them on our apparatus back in 2005, but now that this new regulation will become effective on November 1, 2008, we will be revising our standard operating guidelines to require their use to match the new reg’s. Departments should check with your current suppliers or go on-line at www.galls.com or www.qmuniforms.com for prices, styles and costs. Additional information on the Traffic Incident Management Coalition is available at www.TIMcoalition.org . EMS of LeFlore County is also available to assist with Scene Safety training by calling 647.9270. 2008-09-17T17:12:27Z 3 2008-09-17T17:14:23Z The Oklahoma Ambulance Association is pleased to return to the Sooner Legends Inn and Suites for the Fall 2008 OKAMA conference. October 17, 2008 is the date for this one-day educational experience and all Oklahoma providers should have received the conference brochure and agenda this week. If you did not receive one please contact us at (866)464-7799. Registration can be accomplished by mail, fax, or on-site the day of the event. Scheduled to speak at this year's event is Shawn Rogers, Steve Athey, Ann Singer, and Gail Atnip. Don't miss this event! We will see you there. 2008-09-17T16:21:42Z 2 /home/okama/okama.org/v1/public/news_item/image/2/3.jpg 2008-09-17T16:21:42Z The Oklahoma Ambulance Association (OKAMA) is pleased to announce the ongoing development of this new web site. This site, located here at www.OKAMA.org is still in Beta form but is planned to include many new features including pages for: - News, Articles and Updates - Members Only Information; including meeting notes, By-Laws - Vendor’s page complete with links to Vendor’s web sites Keep checking back and watch the progress. If you are interested in purchasing advertising space, please contact Steve Athey at (940) 367-3280 or contact him at SLAthey@aol.com 2008-09-17T15:59:59Z 1 /home/okama/okama.org/v1/public/news_item/image/1/Image2.jpg 2008-09-17T16:01:38Z