Legal Aspects of Emergency Services, Second Edition introduces members of fire and emergency medical services to the legal system in the United States, showing them how various types of laws affect their work in emergency services.

The third edition of Legal Considerations for Fire & Emergency Services is a reader-friendly guide to the challenging legal issues that firefighters and emergency service personnel encounter. Written by J. Curtis Varone, a practicing attorney as well as an experienced firefighter, this book explores such key topics as fire department liability, search and seizure, sovereign immunity, overtime laws, collective bargaining, OSHA compliance, workers’ compensation, physical abilities testing, medical examinations, drug testing, discrimination, and sexual harassment. It is a perfect textbook for any course on fire service law as well as an indispensable desk reference for day-to-day fire department administration. Features of the new 3rd Edition: • Updated cases on several topics including residency requirements, employment discrimination, and more • Expanded treatment of hot topics such as digital imagery, social media, and electronic surveillance • Meets the latest requirements for FESHE’s Legal Aspects of the Fire Service curriculum • Many new photos and graphics to help connect cases to day-to-day issues in the fire service • Coverage of recent changes to search and seizure law, use of digital photos and social media by emergency personnel, and fire department liability

This second edition is a major revision and update of Emergency Response and Emergency Management Law. As the first text to be published on emergency response and emergency management law this book provides an understanding of the legal challenges faced on a daily basis by the front-line troops in emergent situations. The emergency response law section begins with the duty to respond and proceeds through the wide range of legal issues that arise during response. Training accidents, vehicle issues, dispatch, emergency medical services issues, and “Good Samaritan” acts are covered. Additional topics include the standard operating procedures, mutual aid, the incident management system, hazardous materials incidents, OSHA, using volunteer resources, recovery by responders, the rescue doctrine, and the World Trade Center site litigation. The emergency management law section examines the powers of governors, state and local responsibilities, federal emergency management, difficulties in mitigating legal exposure, legal steps for mitigation, potential negligence liability, legal requirements and interpreting/translating assistance, preparedness cases, recovery cases, and the role of the local government attorney before, during, and in the aftermath of a disaster. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Stafford Act and the National Response Framework (NRF) are discussed in great detail. The third section discusses the ethical imperative, homeland security expenditures, policy and legal changes, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the war veterans. At the end of each chapter, questions and problems refer back to the text. These resources highlight the principal issues and serve as a valuable teaching tool for the instructor. This text provides a firm base of legal knowledge for emergency responders, emergency management professionals, and their attorneys.

This book provides a clear pathway through the common yet complex legal dilemmas frequently encountered in emergency medical practice.

Part of the "What Do I Do Now?: Emergency Medicine" series, Legal and Ethical Issues in Emergency Medicine uses a case-based approach to cover common and important topics in the legal and ethical dilemmas that surface in the practice of emergency medicine. Each unique case draws upon the four well-established principles of bioethics: beneficence, non-maleficence, respect for autonomy, and justice. Other ethical principles, such as honesty and personal integrity, are also addressed. Chapters are rounded out by key points to remember and selected references for further reading. Legal and Ethical Issues in Emergency Medicine addresses a wide range of topics including HIPPA and confidentiality, advance directives, suicidal patients, refusal of care, expert witness testimony, and more. This book is an engaging collection of thought-provoking cases which clinicians can utilize when they encounter difficult situations in the emergency department. The volume is also a self-assessment tool that tests the reader's ability to answer the question, "What do I do now?"

"In Emergency Department Treatment of the Psychiatric Patient Dr. Stefan uses research, surveys, and statutory and litigation materials to examine problems with emergency department care for clients with psychiatric disorders." "She relies on interviews with emergency department nurses, doctors, and psychiatrists, as well as surveys of people with psychiatric disabilities, to present the perspectives of both the individuals seeking treatment, and those providing it." "This eye-opening book explores the structural pressures on emergency departments and identifies the burdens and conflicts that undermine their efforts to provide compassionate care to people in psychiatric crisis." --Book Jacket.

The two-volume Emergency Medical Services: Clinical Practice and Systems Oversight delivers a thorough foundation upon which to succeed as an EMS medical director and prepare for the NAEMSP National EMS Medical Directors Course and Practicum. Focusing on EMS in the 'real world', the book offers specific management tools that will be useful in the reader's own local EMS system and provides contextual understanding of how EMS functions within the broader emergency care system at a state, local, and national level. The two volumes offer the core knowledge trainees will need to successfully complete their training and begin their career as EMS physicians, regardless of the EMS systems in use in their areas. A companion website rounds out the book's offerings with audio and video clips of EMS best practice in action. Readers will also benefit from the inclusion of: A thorough introduction to the history of EMS An exploration of EMS airway management, including procedures and challenges, as well as how to manage ventilation, oxygenation, and breathing in patients, including cases of respiratory distress Practical discussions of medical problems, including the challenges posed by the undifferentiated patient, altered mental status, cardiac arrest and dysrhythmias, seizures, stroke, and allergic reactions An examination of EMS systems, structure, and leadership