Mainline - San Francisco Firefighters Local 798

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Super Bug - MRSA By: Dan Beckwith Maybe it’s time to pay attention to the little things. I mean really little, like microscopic. For me, there was a time not long ago that I didn’t know much about little things like Methicillinresistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Unfortunately, the recent untimely death of a friend and coworker who suffered from complications of this disease amongst other things has forced me to learn more about it than I wanted to know. Those little things kill. I never really worried because I figured there was a scientist somewhere, inventing antibiotics just for something like this little bug. Funny thing is, there was and he created the drug Methicillin in the early 1960s . Two years later, Staphlococcus became resistant to Methicillin, hence the name Methicillin resistant Staphlococcus aureus. Over the years, MRSA became resistant to drugs faster than they could be manufactured. The antibiotic Vancomycin has always been considered the last line of defense. Unfortunately, it is still the last line of defense and MRSA has become resistant to that as well. Now we’ve got a problem. Historically, MRSA was a disease of hospitals, and only people suffering from a weakened immune system had to worry about it. Now, strains of this bug like community-acquired MRSA are affecting people who have not had any contact with hospitals and we are beginning to see the devastating effects of this little bug. According to recent research from the United States, “Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections result in 19,000 deaths a year in the United States. Epidemiologic studies have shown that community-acquired infections are increasing dramatically, and strains typical of community infections are increasingly detected in hospital populations.” Firefighters are exposed to both community and hospital MRSA patients, which combined with their communal lifestyles in fire stations, results in higher risk of exposure. It’s definitely our problem now. In our department there have been numerous MRSA infections documented. Many of 28 Main Line www.sffdlocal798.org
you know someone who has had one of these infections and if not, you most likely will soon. In 2007, the Tucson Fire Department and the University of Arizona College Of Public Health engaged in a study to investigate Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in the firefighter and EMS provider environment. The results were shocking in that they found it in a nuber of places —where you sit, sleep, live a n d e at. T h i s st u d y d e term i n e d the occurrence and frequency of MRSA and other bacterial indicators on environmental surfaces in fire stations, training sites, and offices of Emergency Medical Responders. Handled sponges were used for collection of targeted bacteria from commonly contacted environmental surfaces at Emergency Medical Response facilities. Biochemical tests confirmed isolates as S aureus, and MRSA was confirmed by growth on selective and differential media. An initial set of 500 samples were collected at 9 fire-related facilities to identify areas of increased exposure. Subsequent studies targeted sites (n=160) for repeat sampling that were MRSA positive. S aureus was isolated from 10.6% (17/160) of the sampled sites. The couch and the classroom desks were the most contaminated at 20% (4/20 and 2/10, respectively). Of the S aureus isolated, 64.7% (11/17) were confirmed as MRSA. Firefighters have a high potential for exposure to MRSA, not only through patient and hospital contacts but also in the fire station environment. MRSA “was isolated with the highest frequency on the couches and the class desks,” wrote J.D. Sexton and colleagues, University of Arizona. The researchers concluded: “Although the true health significance of these exposures is unknown, improved infection control practices, such as routine hand washing and surface disinfection, are warranted to reduce MRSA exposures.” Basic infection control procedures Remember the fact that hazardous exposures don’t just occur outside the firehouse. Firefighters spend long periods of time together, in close contact (for a workplace), in facilities that are occupied 24 hours/day, 365 days/year. Under these circumstances, cleanliness and personal hygiene are not optional. Hand washing is still the number one way to decrease risk. Use soap and warm water for a minimum of 15 seconds or an alcohol based hand cleaner when water is not available. Change your clothes if exposed to an infectious environment and wash them at the station or have them professionally laundered – DO NOT take them home. At your firehouse, we need to designate clean and dirty areas. Typically where the apparatus bay meets the living area is a great place to start. Alcohol based hand cleaner dispensers placed at each entry point in the firehouse, should be used before entry. How about morning cleanups? Don’t just clean the bathrooms because we need something to do; remember that it can actually help keep someone from getting sick or potentially contracting an illness. The same thing goes for kitchens, floors, furniture, etc., and make sure the cleaners you use in the house meet the EPA H list for MRSA. Our Formulation 64-RP (the red stuff you dump into toilets instead of cleaning them) is effective against MRSA with a 10 minute contact time. This means that it is left on the surface you are disinfecting for a minimum of 10 minutes before it is wiped dry. Given the constant use and abuse to which firehouses are subjected, it’s also a good idea to select and maintain furnishings that can be easily cleaned (not necessarily an old fuzzy sofa someone brought in from their home). In the Tucson study, a cloth couch was cultured and produced 664,000 MRSA. After switching to furniture covering that was cleanable with disinfectants they cultured zero (like none). The chain of infection is pretty sneaky. It only takes 10 of these little microscopic MRSA bugs to make you sick. So you lean against the patient’s bed, the bugs cling to your pants, your jump bag on the floor gathers more of them. You touch the patient with gloved hands, picking up more of the little guys and your gloves touch your jump bag. Now put the jump bag over your shoulder and walk back to the rig. Get on the rig, go back to the firehouse and have a seat on the couch. Sounds like thirty times a day for some of the busier companies. Hopefully you get the point. Am I needlessly ringing the alarm? Based on recent events in my firehouse, I think not. Time will tell. Though many believe that MRSA is the next big epidemic, we’re not helpless against it. Be creative with solutions, and break the chain of infection. There is no substitute for doing the simple things we all learned early in our careers: If you are sick, use your sick time, go see your doctor and don’t come back to work until you are well again. Remember that you’re not just protecting yourself, but your fellow firefighters and the family you go home to. Be safe, be well. www.sffdlocal798.org Main Line 29
Page 1 and 2: l l MainLine SAN FRANCISCO FIREFIGH
Page 3 and 4: Main LIne July/aug 2010 Executive B
Page 5 and 6: what the Adachi amendment will mean
Page 7 and 8: The Vanucchi Papers Secretary Jim V
Page 9 and 10: Hotel Workers Rally for a Fair Cont
Page 11 and 12: T h e S FFD S h o ot i n g C lu b B
Page 13 and 14: California EMSA Regulatory Changes
Page 15 and 16: Retired Firemen and Widows Associat
Page 17 and 18: Letter From the Director Stephen Gi
Page 19 and 20: 2010 Station S t e w a r d s Statio
Page 21 and 22: Local 798 Giving back to the commun
Page 23 and 24: Retired Members Corner This section
Page 25 and 26: www.sffdlocal798.org Main Line 25
Page 27: the Local 798 automobile associatio
Page 31 and 32: Meghan Doherty, CFP ® Financial Pr
Page 33 and 34: www.sffdlocal798.org Main Line 33
Page 35 and 36: 2010 Championship Softball Tourname

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