Policy and Procedure Manual - Northern California Emergency ...

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EMS AIRCRAFT MODULE EMS Aircraft Requests and Field Operations # 104 2. P.A. Dispatch Center: a. May simultaneously dispatch an EMS Aircraft with the ground unit response when the incident/patient information meets the criteria listed in the EMS Aircraft Utilization policy. b. Shall dispatch the appropriate EMS Aircraft provider via the Communication Center’s designated telephone line. Within the Shasta County region, REACH and PHI share the common dispatch number (530) 245-6700, which is rotated between services every 24 hours at 0600. c. Shall dispatch scene calls with private requests, as follows: ‣ Single Provider: Request the closest Air Ambulance in areas with a single air ambulance provider regardless of patient request (patient preference). ‣ Multiple Providers: Request the appropriate Air Ambulance on rotation, unless a private request (patient preference) has been expressed prior to liftoff. d. Shall dispatch an EMS Aircraft immediately upon request from a ground ambulance while en route to an emergency. 3. The Communications Center is responsible for dispatch, flight following, and providing accurate ETAs. Any delay or an update of response is to be communicated immediately to ground providers. When an EMS Aircraft arrives at scene greater than five (5) minutes from the ETA provided, the prehospital care provider shall complete and submit an Unusual Occurrence Report, located in the Provider Requirements Module. ALS AIR RESCUE TRANSPORT 1. ALS Air Rescues may provide medical air transport of the ill and injured from scene calls to appropriate medical facilities when the delay in Air Ambulance transportation is reasonably likely to compromise patient care and outcome. This is only applicable when the ALS Air Rescue is the first on scene, is the primary care giver, and an Air Ambulance is unavailable or not immediately available. Efforts shall be made by the ALS Air Rescue to turn patient transportation over to air ambulances when safety and patient condition permits. a. References: California H & S Code, Section 1798.6, California Penal Code, Section 409.3, and Nor-Cal EMS’s Responsibility for Patient Management Policy. b. Prior to moving the patient, an ALS Air Rescue, shall make attempts to obtain the ETA of the air ambulance from an appropriate source (e.g., incident commander (IC), P.A. Dispatch Center, responding ground ambulance, or responding air ambulance). c. When the patient is transported by the ALS Air Rescue, the source where the ETA of the air ambulance was obtained by the ALS Rescue personnel shall be documented in the PCR. PCR’s for those patients who were transported by ALS Air Rescue shall be submitted to Nor-Cal EMS on a monthly basis. GROUND AMBULANCE RESPONSE 1. A ground ambulance shall respond to a scene call when an EMS Aircraft has been dispatched (this does not include private calls to clinics, medical facility, or physician’s office). 2. The ground ambulance unit responding to, or at the scene, shall not be canceled until: a. The EMS Aircraft has left the scene with the patient aboard, or b. The senior medical person on-scene has determined that patient transport is not required per the EMS Aircraft Utilization policy. 3. A ground unit paramedic, who accompanies a patient in an Air Rescue shall assure the presence of appropriate medical equipment and obtain orientation to the aircraft. AIR COMMUNICATIONS 1. Providers are hereby authorized to utilize the Nor-Cal EMS UHF radio channels for EMS coordination, dispatching of ambulances and providing patient reports, see the Communication Policy located in the Miscellaneous Policies Module. 2. Air to Air: Shall be conducted on 123.025. Originated: January 1, 2006 Last Revision: September 14, 2007 Page: 2 of 4
EMS AIRCRAFT MODULE EMS Aircraft Requests and Field Operations # 104 3. Air to Ground: a. If an air to ground frequency has not been established prior to dispatch, CALCORD (156.075) shall be utilized as the initial air-to-ground contact coordination frequency. If CALCORD is busy, the first choice shall be Med Alpha (155.340), sometimes known as “Old Med Net.” b. When CALCORD is utilized as the initial frequency, the IC or designee may direct subsequent medical traffic to an alternate frequency as specified. 4. Air to Receiving Facility: Patient report shall be provided to the Receiving Facility on the channel outlined in the Receiving Facility Channels policy, located in the Miscellaneous Policies Module. 5. Notification: When a helicopter needs to utilize a helispot or helipad, notification and coordination shall be made with the organization or person responsible for that landing site. LANDING ZONE MANAGEMENT Designation of Landing Sites: 1. Identify an Emergency Medical Services Landing Site that has been designated an EMS landing site by an officer authorized by a public safety agency using guidelines outlined in Appendix A and any criteria that the public safety agency has determined is reasonable and prudent for the safe operations of EMS helicopters. 2. This landing site may be used, over any twelve month period, for no more than an average of six landings per month with a patient or patients on the helicopter, except to allow for adequate medical response to a mass casualty even if that response causes the site to be used beyond these limits. 3. Is not marked as a permitted heliport as described in Section 3554 of Title 21; and (4) is used only for emergency medical purposes. 4. EMS Aircraft Staffing: If the EMS Aircraft is permitted by the provider agreement to be staffed with either BLS or ALS personnel, per their classification and/or provider agreement, it is the responsibility of the EMS Aircraft to notify the LZ Coordinator of their current staffing prior to landing, to assure that adequate resources are available to the patient(s). 5. See Appendix A for Landing Zone Setup and Safety. PATIENT DESTINATION EMS Aircraft shall transport patient(s) according the Patient Destination Policy, located in the Miscellaneous Policies Module. HELICOPTER RENDEZVOUS 1. The ground ambulance may consider initiation of ground transport with an EMS aircraft rendezvous if the patient is ready for evacuation and the air ambulance is not overhead or on scene. The IC or designee with either the P.A. Dispatch Center or the communication center shall coordinate the rendezvous. 2. The highest medical person in charge of the patient should avoid multiple attempts in rendezvousing with EMS Aircraft, if the individual in charge of patient care determines that further delays are not in the medical best interest of the patient. 3. When a safe landing site in proximity to the patient is not available at the incident: a. The IC or designee shall consider arranging for an EMS aircraft rendezvous at an appropriate location. The IC or designee in coordination with the ground ambulance (if communications allow) shall select a rendezvous site. b. If the rendezvous site is not an approved helipad or airfield landing site, the request for the EMS aircraft rendezvous shall be handled in the same manner as a request for an EMS aircraft to the scene. A public safety agency shall be on the scene at the rendezvous site. 4. Rendezvous at an approved helipad or airfield-landing site does not require presence of law enforcement or fire personnel. 5. Once the ground ambulance is enroute, the ambulance crew should consider initiation a helicopter rendezvous when: Originated: January 1, 2006 Last Revision: September 14, 2007 Page: 3 of 4
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