Orange County NC Website
Comprehensive Assessment of Emergency Medical Services 30 <br /> DRAFT REPORT and 911/Communications Center Operations Study <br /> The total medical calls to which the Fire Departments responded was 5,990; which represents <br /> approximately 56% of the emergency calls to which EMS was dispatched. The concern, however, with <br /> regards to the response time standards cited is illustrated here: <br /> Figure 24 <br /> Fire Dept.Average Response Times Figure 25 <br /> to Emergency Medical Calls EMS&Fire Average Response Times vs.AECP&NFPA Standards <br /> Department Avg.RT 14:24 - , , , , , , , , , I , , <br /> Caldwell 9:38 <br /> 12:00 <br /> Carrboro 5:10 Orange Co.EMS 2011 Avg.(10:47) <br /> _ �. �_� Lr. _ _ _ �. <br /> CedarGrove 9:31 9:36 a ; ; ; ; ALS/AGEP <br /> Chapel Hill 4:48 7:12 - <br /> N.Chatham 12:00 <br /> 4:48 - <br /> Efland 7:05 <br /> , , <br /> Eno 8:46 2:24 Bi,S/MFPP <br /> Hillsb/Orng.Rural 5:24 <br /> 0:00 f 1 J r S S 1 r 1 I f <br /> Mebane 7:12 p o e �� a o 2> e e e <br /> New Hope 7:10 �`a�e Lei�oi tciko� �e\�� ca'irac <i'���c �° ��J�a e�a� �`iaQ 'k 05 <br /> Orange Grove 6:49 Lena `a �` a\oar �e a�� �r`e <br /> 5 <br /> White Cross 8:19 <br /> Moving upward from the horizontal axis in Figure 25 the first horizontal red line represents four (4) <br /> minutes; the second horizontal red line represents eight (8) minutes. The horizontal red-dashed line <br /> represents the total average response time for EMS in 2011. <br /> Based upon the response time standards cited, at the very least the Fire Department/BLS response <br /> times should be below the 4-minute line and the EMS/ALS response times should be below the 8-minute <br /> line. On the basis of the numbers and times illustrated, none of the Fire Departments who serve as BLS <br /> level medical first responders meet the 4:00 minute BLS response time standard called for; albeit several <br /> are very close and several certainly meet the criteria much of the time assuming that +/- 50% of the <br /> "average" responses are in fact less than the average. <br /> At the same time, the 2011 EMS average response time is nearly 3:00 minutes greater than the 8:00 <br /> minutes suggested for ALS response. <br /> NOTE: This issue is about EMS "response time", and as an issue it very much needs to be addressed. <br /> However, time of response is not the only factor that ultimately will determine the quality if the <br /> response. <br /> The role of the Communications Center in Medical emergencies is extremely important; in fact vital, if <br /> the "correct" response to a medical emergency is going to occur. The efforts to adequately triage a call <br /> based on the NAED and EMD protocols can many times provide valuable advise and/or verbal assistance <br /> in initiating basic care for the patient; can identify the specific conditions and/or symptoms to determine <br /> the level of response to be dispatched and can keep responders informed of any changes in the patient's <br /> condition or scene circumstances as they are enroute. <br /> Solutions for Local Government,Inc. 28 <br />