Agenda - 10-03-2013 - 1 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Comprehensive Assessment of Emergency Medical Services 69 and 911 /Communications Center Operations Study 2.4 ISSUES OF CONCERN This section discusses the significant EMS issues of concern identified during the analyses of the various data collected, the visual study of conditions found to exist, and numerous conversations and formal interviews conducted over the course of the study. The determination of whether or not an "issue" was identified as such was based on the assessment of current operations and performance discussed in subsections 2.2 and 2.3. The issues identified as being of significant concern with regards to EMS involved the following topics: • Availability of ALS Ambulances • Response Times • EMS Facilities Issue: Availability of Ambulances During 2011 ambulances were directed to "MOVE" 2,360 times from their identified staging area or location to another point in the County because; a. The number of ambulances immediately available was down to one (1) and the subject remaining ambulance was directed to move to a location typically near the center of the County in anticipation of being able to respond in any direction the next call may direct; or, b. In tracking the status of multiple ambulances, the Communications Center and /or EMS Supervisor(s) noted significant area gaps in coverage and redirected movement of ambulance(s) accordingly. The practice itself is not uncommon and is referred to as system status management; locating /moving ambulances to address the current level of coverage or lack thereof. The risk, however, of being down to one (or "no ") ambulances is that the next emergency medical call that comes in to the Communications Center may not have an ambulance available to respond. Granted first responders fill a significant and vital role at this point, however, without an ambulance available there is likely no ALS level of service available and in turn no means of transport available. EMS Call Scenarios While monitoring EMS radio traffic during onsite time in the County over the months during which this study occurred, the actual announcement that "we are out of ambulances ", or "we have one ambulance left" was heard numerous times. In an effort to understand the specific circumstances that were resulting in such conditions, EMS call logs were reviewed over several months during 2011 to identify the specific conditions that occurred and the circumstances that contributed to them. On several occasions, typically during the busiest hours of the day previously noted, a closely bunched series of calls could be identified, each call was reviewed individually, and the "dispatch" and "available" (back in service) times were documented, as was the type of call; i.e. Chest Pains, Diabetic, Fall, etc. Solutions for Local Government, Inc. 25