Oswego County EMS

Purpose of this training  Present the EMS Communications procedures to the users

Important principle  The current version of the procedures is expected to be followed. In other words, not following procedures is not an option  If anyone has suggestions for improvements, please send them to the EMS Coordinator. This should be done via

Why are we doing this?  To effectively communicate  Make maximum use of the new radio system  Comply with current national communications practices (National Interoperability Field Operations Guide)  Minimize the burden on the 911 Center

Training process  All EMS providers shall Receive a copy of the ○ Oswego County EMS Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) ○ Radio System EMS Operator Aid Read, understand and comply with the SOP Begin using the procedures on 23 July 2012  Attendance roster and affirmation shall be signed

General Radio Use  Please read the section  Essential points Keep your messages short and to the point Eliminate useless words and unneeded transmissions Have a portable and pager with you always Use the standardized terminology in the procedures

General Radio Use  Each crew should ALWAYS Have a portable with them and turned ON Have a pager with them and turned ON  Before asking dispatch to repeat the address, nature or priority, hit the repeat button on the pager

General Radio Use  Use Responding Arrived Available Out of service Priority Non-priority  Don’t use Enroute On scene or On location In service Clear In quarters Off the air At this time When prepared Be advised Come on the air for

Talkgroups and their uses  If in doubt, refer to the procedure or Operator Aid

1. EMS Incident Dispatch  Please read the section  Points Validate dispatch information using the pager When stating “Responding”, also state where you are responding to (that is, the address you were dispatched to) ○ Example: McFee 4 responding to 120 North Street, Mexico

2. EMS Unit Response to Minor Incidents  Please read the section  Points Use Ops 3 unless a Fireground has been assigned

3. EMS Unit Response to Major Incidents  Please read the section  Points First EMS unit on the scene ALWAYS assumes EMS sector command Incident Command is required to be informed of all resource requests (ambulances or helicopters for example) Major incident = 3 or more ambulances, or 2 or more fire agencies ○ Use assigned fireground or talkgroup

4. EMS Response to an MCI  Please read the section  Points Use the MCI plan First EMS unit on the scene ALWAYS assumes EMS sector command Use OPS 4 or 5 (network talkgroups) to coordinate incoming EMS units Use EMS Talk 6 or 7 (Non network talk groups) to talk to EMS units on scene

5. Patient reports to hospitals  Please read section  Points Primary for Oswego Hospital is OswED talkgroup. Secondary is Med Channels are available on the County radios  Clearance through Oswego 911 to Syracuse Use OPS 5 ○ ONLY for stable patients and no physicians orders needed ○ Sex and age ○ Chief complaint ○ ETA ○ Nothing else (no hx, no VS, no “VS are stable”) ○ If you think you need to relate additional info, then you need to call the ED

6. Coordination with other agencies  Please read section  Points For contacting other, non-Fire agencies (Law or Highway for example) ○ Use CW16 ○ Example: If you are staging waiting for Law, call on CW 16 “North Shore 1 to the Law unit enroute to Salt Road” ○ To talk to another ambulance for any reason, go to OPS 3 or OPS 4 Call the other ambulance on EMS Dispatch Tell them to go to OPS 3 or 4

7. Coordination with Air Medical  Please read section  Points Use Ewide, or Use whatever talkgroup that 911 has assigned to patch, or

8. EMS Ops in other Counties  Please read section  Points Use EWide Use County zones (Onondaga or Cayuga)

9. Mayday  Please read the section  Points After you press the emergency button and hear the emergency signal, your mic stays open for 10 seconds Remain silent or state your situation Law will respond to your location if requested OR if there is no response from you after hitting the emergency button

10. Intra-agency Ops  Same as old “6-11”  Remember…this is not a private talkgroup

11. Returning to service  Please read the section  Points State “returning” when you leave the hospital ○ If the ambulance is trashed, you may also report “out of service” at this time State “available” when in or near your service territory

12. Use of scan  Please read section  Points Disabling, scan deleting or adding talkgroups should only be done rarely. Very, very rarely. If you want to call someone on a talkgroup that is not scanned, then ○ First call them on a scanned talkgroup (preferably OPS 3 or CW16) ○ Tell them to meet you on the desired talkgroup

13. Radio system failure  Please read the section

14. Request for resources  Please read the section  Points When requesting additional resources, please state the reason for the request ○ Example: Request Central Square Fire for lift assist ○ Example: Request Law for a violent patient

Questions? Suggestions?