Special Events

[Neb.EMT]

I will try to make this as short as possible. A buddy and I are going to be doing some special event/on site EMS stand by. My first question is how can we justify dedicated EMS, not security/EMS as they currently utilize? I can think of a bunch of reasons but, what I'm looking for is how do I justify this to someone without an EMS backround? Secondly, we will be responsible for coming up with a structured approach to providing coverage for this area. We're talking approx. 75 acres. I'm not talking about "what equipment do we need?" or "what kind of pts can we expect?" We know the answers to those types of questions already. I don't want our people to just wander around aimlessly. I'm thinking more along the lines of personnel/resource management. Any advice would be appreciated. Due to service licensure level we will be working as a BLS non-transport service at this point (although the majority of those involved are ALS providers). We have an ALS service approx. 10-15 min. away. Advice on either or both issues would be greatly appreciated. I've got experience with special events but, not so much with events that last a month or with the planning of the EMS coverage of them. Thanks in advance for your help.

[Eydawn]

Events that last a month?! What are you staging at, the SCA Pennsick wars? My gosh!

My questions about personnel management include how many responders do you have and what kind of mobility you've got. Also what kind of terrain it is.

One way to do this is to divvy up the acreage into zones and do a rotating stage in each zone, say you have 5 zones and 7 teams, teams 1,2 in a dedicated "ER" staging area, team 3 in zone 1, team 4 in zone 2, team 5 in zone 3.... with 1-3 hour rotation times. Depends on what kind of stuff you're going to be encountering, and what your response time from your "ER" staging area is to any given location.

That's the way my venturing crew does it at any given event where we have "roaming" teams. That's one way to make sure you don't have wanderers all over the place, or all the medics in the same area. Just thank God you don't have to make sure that your teams have a 2:1 gender ratio if they're a mixed team.... that gets funky. Sorry for the aside (gotta love Boy Scouts of America Youth Protection Rules).

You want dedicated EMS because fights and medical often go down at the same time in two different areas. You don't want your medics tied up doing something logistical or dealing with security issues if you have a high volume of people in your event, because the likelihood of something medical happening increases with the more people you have in the area. And medical is a much quicker way to get sued. Not to mention that split duties lead to less confusion. You don't have to worry about whether you're restraining someone as EMS or as security, for example... that can be a grey area, especially if alcohol or something else is involved.

Will your medics be on foot, bicycle, motorbike, gator, golf cart? What are we looking at here?

What is this event? I must admit, my curiosity is tweaked. Make sure your medics have shade, and plenty of access to water and facilities. I know it sounds stupid to say it, but having been at an event where neither was forthcoming, I know what a disaster it can be. Especially if you're doing this event for a month. (Seriously a month?!) That brings up sleeping quarters as well... how will you divvy up night shifts and what do you plan for that? Are there events going on at night, or is nighttime sleepytime for everyone?

That should be enough questions to start with. I know it's more than you asked for, but I hope it's helpful.

Best,

Wendy

CO EMT-B

[FormerEMSLT297]

It's going to be hard from the finaicial perspective to justify EMT only position as opposed to dual role/security EMT if you are not transporting. If you were transporting, you could argue that the EMT's would be taken away from the area for a period of time, and that would result in a lack of Security officer coverage. This is clearly not the case with non-transport. I'll have to sleep on this one for a while. Let me ask you, whay are you hell bent on getting EMT only positions? there are a lot of security EMT jobs that are combined ? Maybe if you explain your reason, i'll be able to come up with an answer.

Good luck,,,, ohh yeah ,, what event lasts a month or more ?????????????

[BEorP]

I'm making this comment without knowing the details of the event, but from ever major even that I have worked medical at there are many more security guards than medical staff. The medical staff usually are stationed at certain areas and because security is everywhere, they call us on the radio if we are needed.

If your event could run similar to this then there would be no need for all the security guards to be EMTs. Security and medical are very different, but I think Wendy already pretty much gave the good reasons.

[Richard B the EMT]

Cross reference to the EMT City link that follows, and contact the involved persons, via EMT City, if no e-mail address is listed.

I never got a reply from the NYS DoH that I requested, which shows in the string.

http://www.emtcity.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.ph...oodstock#102911

[Richard B the EMT]

OK, I have sent this to 3 friends of mine from the New York State Volunteer Ambulance and Rescue Association. I hope to have a response soon.

Richard B, The EMT.

Hello, Jim, Marty, and Kuntree.

An Internet associate of mine, in Nebraska wrote me, via the EMT City Web Site, (www.emtcity.com), for some help in setting up medical coverage at an event, quoted as follows:

"I will try to make this as short as possible. A buddy and I are going to be doing some special event/on site EMS stand by. My first question is how can we justify dedicated EMS, not security/EMS as they currently utilize? I can think of a bunch of reasons but, what I'm looking for is how do I justify this to someone without an EMS background? Secondly, we will be responsible for coming up with a structured approach to providing coverage for this area. We're talking approximately 75 acres. I'm not talking about "what equipment do we need?" or "what kind of pt's can we expect?" We know the answers to those types of questions already. I don't want our people to just wander around aimlessly. I'm thinking more along the lines of personnel/resource management. Any advice would be appreciated. Due to service licensure level we will be working as a BLS non-transport service at this point (although the majority of those involved are ALS providers). We have an ALS service approximately 10-15 min. away. Advice on either or both issues would be greatly appreciated. I've got experience with special events but, not so much with events that last a month or with the planning of the EMS coverage of them. Thanks in advance for your help."

I have already explained to my Nebraskan friend that, under NYS DoH rules, and, I think, NYS Public Health Laws, for a set amount of expected event participants, a set number of EMS personnel must be on site, as so ordered after Woodstock 1969. I also realize that what holds for New York might not be the standard for Nebraska.

Can you either let me know what our state requirements for an event are, direct me to specific documentation, or put me in touch with someone who has set up such coverage?

I seem to remember taking a convention class at Roaring Brook on this topic. Does anyone have a name and e-mail for me to contact the lecturer, that I can put my EMT City associate in direct touch with him?

With any responses, I will "sanitize" your e-mail addresses off them for your privacy, as I plan to publish any material so received on EMT City.

Thank you in advance for any help in this matter.

Richard B*******

Member, Dist 4

NYSVARA.

[firespec35]

Are you working as part of an established company, are you starting a company, or is this just you and friends. Also what are we talking about here? month long event peaks my interest too. What kind of setup is there. Natural barriers? erected barriers. If you'd like to email me at firespec35@aol.com I work for a special events EMS and have been a supervisor at large events. I will help you any way possible

[Just Plain Ruff]

I am also curious as to what the month long event is?

one good example of a long event and ems coverage is the burning man event. Went there about 10 years ago and it was cool. I went as a participant and not a medic.

you could probably get some good info from the ems organizers of that event.

[firespec35]

Probably the 2 longest events we work are the MI state fair at a week 24/7 and the Detroit Auto show at 1 month 24/7 for construction and 2 weeks at just operating hours.

Normally the state fair is relatively easy. The layout is condusive to breaking it into zones and we add 2 for the concert each night. The overnight is usually covered by one person and they clean the place up and stock everything as they might get one call per night

The auto show construction is easy 2 shifts day and night both 12's 1 or 2 people each shift depending on what they want to pay for. They just hang out in the First aid room or go wander. wanderings not easy though cause you have to carry like 6 radios. When the show starts we break the show up into zones. Either way we always get the appropriate radios and dispatch ourselves. The nice part is we are integrated into the 911 system so even if a patron calls 911 the City EMS doesn't have to get tied up on a call.

[BEorP]

The auto show construction is easy 2 shifts day and night both 12's 1 or 2 people each shift depending on what they want to pay for. They just hang out in the First aid room or go wander. wanderings not easy though cause you have to carry like 6 radios. When the show starts we break the show up into zones. Either way we always get the appropriate radios and dispatch ourselves. The nice part is we are integrated into the 911 system so even if a patron calls 911 the City EMS doesn't have to get tied up on a call.

So do you transport? And if so, what do you do about losing staff members who should have been on site for the event?