Pre-Arrival Instruction

[Niftymedi911]

EMD doesn't make very much of a difference, except in one instance. Cardiac Arrest. If EMD is not refused, some type of cpr is being done, ill biet it might not be the absouletely best way, but at least something like that is getting done. Remember the 5rings in the chain of sruvival. Early CPR is the best case scenario. We get alot of people down here who are CPR certified and if the call just happens to be there, EMD is utilized. ( Only a few calls however have turned out for the better utilizing this system).

[spenac]

We're dispatched by the sheriffs dept here and they have now EMD training. If they receive call for ambulance it is forwarded to us and we get details from patient, location and roll. If we're already out they get some basic info and relay it to us and if we're able we call person back, if we're rolling to hospital we have them call our mutual aid an hour away. About the only info they give patients is don't move trauma patients. I do not see them over the phone really being able to do much more. Even when we're there with the patient sometimes it's hard to get the whole story. My .02.

[brentoli]

[web:5705b2b0cc]http://www.emsresponder.com/article/article.jsp?siteSection=1&id=5192[/web:5705b2b0cc]

[Beagle189]

I can only put in from my experience and anecdotal evidence. I was once our service's Dispatch supervisor and was present when we started EMD. EMD dispatch treatments are possibly effective(make a difference) 2 percent of the time- so 98% of the time they are ineffective and dispatch is just giving the caller the "warm fuzzies" trying to keep them occupied until help arrives.

The EMD really only helps on airway problems, CPR, and arterial bleeds- but only if the caller will do what their told.(been there and seen it) Even then its usually not effective.

I agree w/ Dustdevil there seems to be NO real scientific evidence that EMD works as well as it is built up. But then as a medic my critical skills are usually only needed 5% of the time.

Just my two cents worth.

[Richard B the EMT]

Past personal experience, and remember this is the NYC experience:

When folks call 9-1-1 for help, they think things work like the old time movies, where the butler hears a noise, and finds that old man Smithens fell down the stairs. He walks 3 steps to a phone, clicks a few times, and tells the operator, "This is the Smithens residence. There's been a terrible accident. Please send an ambulance immediately. Thank you."

Modern day callers, who have no idea how a 9-1-1 system works, and have never heard of a PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point), are suddenly, with my scenario in their heads, being asked if the patient is breathing, is the patient conscious, what is going on with the patient, do you (the caller) know anything about the patient, please confirm the address, is that between these 2 cross streets?

The caller wants help, and thinks the EMD person is standing in the way of an ambulance responding by asking all these "damfool" questions. I had actually been told to get the (censored) off the phone and get into the ambulance, or the caller states that the hospital is only a few blocks away, where is the ambulance, for a hospital that doesn't even run ambulances.

I've offered the flip card instructions, only to be told by the caller, "that ain't my job to help them, it be yours, now get the devil here!"

They get possessive of the neighborhood, and will argue with you that the car crash is NOT at Fifth and Main, but at Main and Fifth, and repeat the address without confirming cross streets, as it is the middle of the block, not a cross street.

FDNY did me a favor when they moved me out of the EMD (then Communications bureau), as I don't know how I didn't go nuts during those 11 years.

On the other hand, there was the guy asked to be taken to a specific psychiatric hospital, as they had the equipment to hide his life signs from the crew of the Crystal Starship. When the crew arrived, they signaled "Unfounded, no patient found." Either the guy changed his mind and left, or the Klingons got to him first?