Developing EMS Communication Systems

Overview

Communication systems and technology is inadequate in many rural areas because of distances and land features. Not all areas have access to 911 systems, physical location addressing or Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) services. Changes in radio frequency management and technology may soon make existing radio equipment obsolete and rural providers may not be able to afford new equipment. Well-integrated radio, cellular, and other telecommunications systems provide robust service for both emergency and primary care purposes. This section of the toolkit will focus on innovative communication approaches to allow for the effective exchange of information from the field to facilities and among facilities.

Wisconsin Communications Plan

• Wisconsin EMS Communications Plan

Public Access

• When to Call 911
• When to Call 911 and When to Use the Non-Emergency Number
• When Should You Call 911?

Dispatch Standards & Protocols

• National Academies of Emergency Dispatch (NAED)

Public Education & Awareness

• Make The Right Call: People in Rural Areas
• Make The Right Call Booklet
• Make The Right Call: Guidelines and Talking Points

Emergency Medical Dispatch Standard Practice, Planning and Development & Integration of Resources

• Federal Communications Commission's Public Safety & Homeland Security Bureau (PSHSB)
  
• Wisconsin EMS Communications Plan
• Annual Book of American Society for Testing & Materials Standards (ASTM):
  • F 1258-95 Standard Practice for EMD
    F 1560-00 Standard Practice for EMD Management
    F 1552-94 Standard Practice for Training, Instructor Qualifications, and Certification Eligibility of Emergency Medical Dispatchers (2009)
• Planning Emergency Medical Communications, NHTSA

Training Courses & Certification

• APCO Institute
• National Academies of Emergency Dispatch (NAED)

Resources / Associations

• National Emergency Number Association (NENA)
• National Academies of Emergency Dispatch (NAED)
• National Association of Air Medical Communication Specialists
• National Public Safety Telecommunications Council (NPSTC)
• "The Status of State EMS Office Involvement in EMS Communications" (December 2008), National Association of State EMS Officials
• Uneven Implementation of Wireless Enhanced 911 Raises Prospect of Piecemeal Availability for Years to Come”. General Accounting Office (GAO) Report, Nov 2003