FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 19, 2008

St. John’s Mercy Hospital (SJMH) is participating in First-Med, a regional program that allows paramedics and registered nurses to give certain medications to police, firefighters and other emergency service people who would respond if a disaster were to strike.

“With our first responders being on the front lines of any regional emergency, these medications are designed to keep them focused on their tasks,” said Tom Nuernberger, Emergency Medical Service (EMS) coordinator at SJMH.

The first responder agencies agreed to store the medications in First-Med trunks. The trunks contain medications that could treat anthrax poisoning, plague and tularemia.

“When a federally declared disaster occurs, these medications will be distributed to first responders and their immediate family members if directed by our local public health department,” Nuernberger said, adding that within 24 hours after an emergency has been declared medications from the National Strategic Stockpile would be available to residents.

First-Med is funded by the St. Louis Area Response System and the Public Health Committee that serves the city of St. Louis and the Missouri counties of Franklin, Jefferson and St. Louis, and the Illinois counties of Madison, St. Clair and Monroe. The Franklin County Public Health Department is the lead agency working with area First-Med managers, medical facilities including SJMH and the public health committee.

“St. Johns Mercy was especially instrumental in steering the program and in working with all of the different agencies and the Franklin County Public Health Department to make this happen,” Nuernberger said. “Our mission is to protect our first responders so that they can better assist the community and work with the Public Health Department if there is an emergency.”

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