EMS Dispatch and Education
During a Pandemic Event
Alicia Wiren LP, FP-C (+ all those other EMS related letters)
EMS Pandemic Influenza
Guidelines for Statewide
Adoption
National Guidelines published in 2007
from the U.S. D.O.T.
 It is 178 pages of insight and guidelines
outlined to states and individual EMS
agencies for responding to a Pandemic Flu
Disaster.

EMS Pandemic Influenza
Guidelines for Statewide
Adoption
EMS Planning
 Roll of EMS in Surveillance and Mitigation
 Maintaining EMS Operation
 Legal Authority
 Clinical Treatment Protocols
 Workforce Protection

Emphasis in the Plans
Protection
 Identification
 Triage
 Treat and maybe…
 Transport
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◦ Alternate Standard of Care Enroute
◦ Alternate Care Sites
◦ Hospital
Preparing for Pandemic
Influenza:
Recommendations for
Protocol
Development for 9-1-1
Personnel and Public
Safety Answering Points
(PSAPs)
Recommendations for Protocol
Development for 9-1-1 Personnel
and Public Safety Answering Points
Guiding Principles
 Information to the Public
 Facilitation of Call Screening
 Assistance with Priority Dispatch with
Limited Resources
 Other Considerations

Call Taking & Dispatching
Challenges
EMS and Dispatch Center Regulations
 Vast differences in care provided and
access to pre-hospital care.
 Resources and funding.
 Medical Director involvement.
 Perceived vs. actual liability in disasters.

PSAP:
Public Safety Answering Points.
EMS Dispatching

Types of Dispatch Centers
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Ring Down Lines
Other Party Dispatch (PD, FD)
EMS Dispatch
EMS Dispatch with Pre-arrival Instructions
National Dispatching Standards
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National Academy of EMD
PowerPhone,
Association of Public Safety Officials
International
NCI
All of these systems gives detailed, lay
person, questions and instructions for prearrival care that can be provided by lay
persons to the patient
State of Texas EMD Instructor

“The adoption of Rule 157.49 in November1999
by the Board of Health established standards for
implementing emergency medical dispatch
systems in Texas. Based on provisions in a law
passed by the 76th Legislature, the new rule sets
the criteria for EMD course approval, creates a
new EMS certification category for EMD
Instructor, and establishes the requirements for
the development of the Protocol Reference
System to be used by the dispatchers.”
National Academy of EMD
Medical Priority Dispatch
Founded in Salt Lake City, Utah
 Their Pandemic Protocol follows the
Utah and National Guidelines

MPD Pandemic Protocol
National Pandemic Dispatching Plan
Classification 1
Confirmed/Suspected Cardiac Arrest (Not
Breathing, Unresponsive per 911 call)

◦ Standard Response: Closest AED Unit; Closest
1st Responder; Closest ALS Ambulance (HOT)
◦ Category I: Closest AED Unit; Closest 1st BLS )
Responder; Closest Ambulance if available (HOT
◦ Category II: Closest AED Unit (HOT); Closest
1st Responder if available (HOT)
◦ Category II or III: Closest AED Unit if available
(HOT)
National Pandemic Dispatching Plan
Classification 2
Life Threatening Emergency/Potentially Life
Threatening/Confirmed Unstable Patient(s)

◦ Standard Response: Closest 1st Responder;
Closest ALS Ambulance (HOT)
◦ Category I: Closest 1st Responder; Closest ALS
Ambulance if available; BLS ambulance if ALS unit
not available (HOT)
◦ Category II: Closest 1st Responder; Closest
Ambulance available (ALS or BLS) (HOT)
◦ Category II or III: Closest 1st Responder if
available; Closest Ambulance available (ALS or
BLS) (HOT)
National Pandemic Dispatching Plan
Classification 3
Non-Critical/Currently Stable Patient(s)
Requiring ALS Assessment
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◦ Standard Response: Closest ALS Ambulance
(COLD)
◦ Category I: Closest Ambulance available (ALS or
BLS)(COLD)
◦ Category II: Closest Ambulance Available (ALS or
BLS) (COLD)
◦ Category II or III: Referral to Alternate call
center; or advise self-transport to Alternate
Treatment Site
National Pandemic Dispatching Plan
Classification 4
BLS Assessment for unknown/possibly
dangerous scenes
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◦ Standard Response: Closest 1st Responder
(HOT); Closest BLS Ambulance (COLD)
◦ Category I: Closest 1st Responder (HOT);
Closest BLS Ambulance if available
◦ Category II: Closest 1st Responder (HOT)
◦ Category II or III: Closest 1st Responder if
available; or Closest stand-in responder unit
National Pandemic Dispatching Plan
Classification 5
BLS Treatment
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◦ Standard Response: BLS Ambulance (COLD)
◦ Category I: BLS Ambulance (COLD)
◦ Category II: Alternate call center (such as
Poison Control Center, Nurse advice line,
health care call center, etc.)
◦ Category II or III: Alternate call center (such
as Poison Control Center, Nurse advice line,
health care call center, etc.)
National Pandemic Dispatching Plan
Classification 6
Non Ambulance Care
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◦ All Categories: Alternate call center (such as
Poison Control Center, Nurse advice line,
health care call center, etc.)
Points to Ponder

Managing Entry Points
CONTAGION
Points to Ponder
Integration with tracking systems in place
 Follow up
 Roll to identify and triage and keep
hospitals overburdened.
 Integration with Public Health
 Staffing
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Points to Ponder
To evaluate and/or treat….. then leave at
home or send POV to an alternate site
for treatment.
 Legal ramifications for agencies and
Medical Directors
 Regional Call Centers?

Points to Ponder
Expanding tracking to healthcare workers
 Alternate sites for living quarters off duty
 Downtime requirements
 Equipment needs
 Out of Hospital Fatality Management
 Training Options
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Things to examine
U.S. D.O.T. Guidelines
 State and City EMS Plans
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Ohio
Utah
Arizona
Alabama
MPD Pandemic Dispatch Card
◦ Texas EMD Instructor Options
Out of Hospital Provider
Education
Thank You!
Questions?
 What is your local community doing?
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Contact Information
◦ Alicia Wiren LP, FP-C
◦ awiren@earthlink.net