ANNEX J
EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES
(excerpts)
1. PURPOSE
To describe the procedures and responsibilities for Emergency Medical Services during disasters in order to reduce death and injury.
2. SITUATION
City has a full range of medical facilities, numerous general and specialty hospitals, ambulance services, hospices, and two (2)
aerial ambulance services.
3. CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS
A. General
1. The City Emergency Medical Services Officer will coordinate the activities of municipal and volunteer agencies in response to medical situations.
2. EOC Emergency - The EOC is activated to the extent required in special situations (e.g., missing aircraft, drowning, missing children) to coordinate and support rescue operations.
3. EOC Not Activated - The EOC is not activated to support all Emergency Medical Service operations.
B. Emergency Phases
1. Preparedness
a. Check medical supplies and equipment
b. Emergency Plans for Mutual Aid Response - Review agreements for mutual aid support with Emergency Medical Services (EMS) located outside the City to include services and facilities such as Red Cross, hospitals, nursing homes, ambulances and morgues.
c. Emergency Plans for Hospitals - Review emergency plans for hospitals and pre-hospital EMS treatment and transfer of patients.
d. Emergency Procedures for Public Health - Review emergency plans with appropriate agency for activities regarding examination of food and water, and identification, registration and disposal of the dead.
e. Emergency Personnel and Equipment - Review lists of emergency medical and Rescue personnel and equipment.
f. Temporary Morgues and Services - Review requirements for temporary morgues and mortuary services.
2. Response
a. Dispatch and Initiate EMS - Initiate triage, treatment and transportation activities; set up of field command post and Incident Command System.
b. Establish communications with EOC.
c. Establish staging areas for mutual aid forces as required.
d. Request resources as needed - Request additional resources to support EMS operations as necessary.
e. Perform assigned radiological functions as required.
f. Control hazardous materials by priority. (see Annex F)
g. Support EMD in SAR operations.
h. Handling Deceased and Injured - Provide for handling the deceased, including temporary morgues; and transporting injured people.
i. Assist with Public Health Procedures - Coordinate plans for waste disposal, refuse, food, water control, and vector control with Allegheny County Health Department.
j. Process Incident Reports - Prepare and process incident report sheets.
3. Recovery
a. Response and Treatment Activities - Continue response and treatment activities, as necessary.
b. Compile Reports - Compile reports for state and federal agencies. Review and prepare critiques of health and medical operations during the emergency pace.
c. Re-supply Response Agencies - Coordinate the re-supply of health and medical services response agencies.
4. ORGANIZATION AND RESPONSIBILITIES
A. E.M.S.
1. Provide Advice - Provide professional information and advice on medical and health matters.
2. Location of Health/Medical Facilities - Identify the locations of all health/medical facilities within the City (see Appendix 1)
3. Radiation Health Care Facilities - Indicate those health care facilities capable of treatment and care of radiation-contaminated victims.
4. Resources - Direct the management, distribution and use of EMS and other health medical services resources -- personnel, equipment and facilities.
5. Health and Medical Information - Provide the Public Information Officer with pertinent health and medical information for release to the public.
6. Designate an on-scene medical officer.
7. Triage and Morgues - Designate staging and triage areas, physicians to perform triage, temporary morgues, etc., when needed.
8. Coordinate with Medical and Nursing Facilities - Coordinate with medical and nursing facilities for implementation and support of their emergency plans, to include reducing patient load and/or evacuation, as necessary.
9. Reception and Mass Care Centers - Coordinate health and medical services for reception and mass care centers, if required.
10. Essential Workers - Establish or identify an operating emergency medical care center for essential workers following evacuation of the general population.
11. Coordinate with Radiological Officer regarding spills of radioactive materials.
12. Support SAR operations when required.
13. Water Supplies - Develop, review and coordinate with the Public Works/Engineering Officer and the Department of Environmental Resources emergency procedures for and capabilities of public water supplies.
14. Cleanup Information - In coordination with the Public Works/Engineering Officer, provide general and specific cleanup information to the public.
15. Coordinate with other staff groups.
16. Keep Emergency Operation Coordinator advised of status.
17. Compile reports of emergency medical activities for the EMD to include tracking patients injured during the emergency situation.
18. Review and Revise Annex - Review and revise, as necessary, the Health/Medical Services Annex after emergencies and exercises.
B. Police Services Officer
1. First Responders - Ttrained personnel may give first aid or serve as triage team members.
2. Support - Support such activities as blood runs, physician transports, and communication backup.
3. Assist with body identification, transfer, storage.
C. Fire Services Officer
1. Provide First Responder - Trained Personnel - Provide first responder - trained personnel and/or basic life support-trained personnel, as necessary.
D. Transportation Services Officer
1. Persons with Special Medical Needs - Coordinate with Emergency Medical Services Officer, transportation for persons with special medical needs to include the non - ambulatory.
2. Civil Air Patrol
E. Communications and Warning Officer
1. Command Post - Determine Emergency Medical Services field command post telephone and radio needs and arrange for necessary equipment and operators.
2. Frequencies/Call Signs - Maintain records of radio frequencies and call signs of EMS agencies and mobile units.
3. Netting Capability - Ensure that EOC radios and select local government mobile units can communicate with EMS forces.
F. Red Cross/Other Voluntary and Community Groups
1. Assist health/medical services operations, as appropriate.
2. Support Services - Provide support services for victims and their families, and for emergency response personnel.
G. Public Health, Medical and Hospital Services
1. Activate Disaster Plans - Activate disaster plans and prepare facilities to receive disaster casualties, when necessary
2. Support health and medical services operations as site.
3. Provide treatment for radiation contaminated persons. See Appendix 2.
4. Supervise water and waste disposal operations.
H. County Coroner
1. Deceased Victims - Collect, identify, store, and dispatch deceased victims. Also, direct and coordinate expanded mortuary services when requirement exceeds municipal capabilities.
2. Coordinate with EMD and report unmet needs.