Orange County NC Website
' GUIDELINES FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE MUTUAL AID <br /> Page 2 <br /> Recommended Procedures <br /> 1. Each coun y EMS Director/Chief (or the county's designee) is authorized <br /> to request assistance when mutual aid is needed. <br /> 2. Each county EMS Director/Chief (or the county's designee) is authorized <br /> to dispatch vehicles and personnel in response to requests for mutual <br /> aid. Theiresponse may consist of dispatching assistance, or determining <br /> that the ambulance service cannot assist and suggesting alternative <br /> sources of assistance. The decision as to whether or not to dispatch <br /> assistance on a request for mutual aid may be based on many factors, <br /> including the responding county's own situation with regard to vehicle <br /> . and personnel availability. <br /> 3. When on a mutual aid response, the ambulance personnel will , upon <br /> entering the said county, contact the CMED directing response and follow <br /> their directions for movement. It is understood that radio <br /> communications, insofar as is feasible, will be on 155.280 MHz, <br /> designated as the state mutual aid frequency and in accord with the <br /> State Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council . . <br /> 4. When responding to a request for mutual aid, EMS personnel will operate <br /> within applicable rules, regulations, etc., and cooperate to the extent <br /> possible ith the provider initiating the request. <br /> 5. It is recognized that different counties have different rate schedules <br /> for ambulance service. As a general rule, the established rate schedule <br /> of the re ponding ambulance service may be charged for mutual aid calls. <br /> Each ambulance service should bear all responsibility for billing and <br /> collecting the charge for the patients it transports. <br /> 6. In a disaster situation, the county requesting mutual aid will make <br /> arrangements to provide fuel , meals, and lodging, when appropriate, for <br /> the assisting counties. Counties may elect to reimburse further <br /> expenses, Ito be judged on an individual basis. <br /> 1 <br /> OTHER <br /> 1. In order to facilitate mutual aid response, all ambulance services will <br /> maintain road maps of adjacent counties at the dispatch center, and may <br /> maintain maps in each vehicle. <br /> 2. It is desirable to conduct frequent and regular tests of communications <br /> equipment for use in mutual aid response. Emergency Medical Services in <br /> all counties are encouraged to establish a schedule for such tests so <br /> that all m.y be prepared for mutual aid response. <br />