Emergency medical support plan for the president of the United States and VIPs

IntroductionRecent studies have discussed major deficiencies in the preparedness of emergency medical services (EMS) providers to effectively respond to disasters, terrorism and other public health emergencies. Lack of funding, lack of national uniformity of systems and oversight, and lack of necessary education and training have all been cited as reasons for the inadequate emergency medical preparedness in the United States.MethodsA nationally representative sample of over 285,000 emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and Paramedics in the United States was surveyed to assess whether they had received training in pediatric considerations for blast and radiological incidents, as part of their initial provider education or in continuing medical education (CME) within the previous 24 months. Providers were also surveyed on their level of comfort in responding to and potentially treating pediatric victims of these events. Independent variables were entered into a multivariate model and those identified as statistically significant predictors of comfort were further analyzed.ResultsVery few variables in our model caused a statistically significant increase in comfort with events involving children in this sample. Pediatric considerations for blast or radiological events represented the lowest levels of comfort in all respondents. Greater than 70% of respondents reported no training as part of their initial provider education in considerations for pediatrics following blast events. Over 80% of respondents reported no training in considerations for pediatrics following events associated with radiation or radioactivity. 88% of respondents stated they were not comfortable with responding to or treating pediatric victims of a radiological incident.ConclusionsOut study validates our a priori hypothesis and several previous studies that suggest deficiencies in preparedness as they relate to special populations - specifically pediatrics. Increased education for EMS providers on the considerations of special populations during disasters and acts of terrorism, especially pediatrics, is essential in order to reduce pediatric-related morbidity and mortality following a disaster, act of terrorism or public health emergency.

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Disaster Preparedness

Prehospital and Disaster Medicine ◽

10.1017/s1049023x0004406x ◽

1985 ◽

Vol 1 (S1) ◽

pp. 118-121 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

E. L. Quarantelli

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Natural Disasters ◽

Emergency Medical Service ◽

Disaster Preparedness ◽

Large Scale ◽

Medical Service ◽

The United States ◽

Mass Casualties ◽

Disaster Plan ◽

Emergency Medical

The 1973 Emergency Medical Services System Act in the United States mandates that one of the 15 functions to be performed by every EMS system is coordinated disaster planning. Implicit in the legislation is the assumption that everyday emergency medical service (EMS) systems will be the basis for the provisions of EMS in extraordinary mass emergencies, or in the language of the act, during “mass casualties, natural disasters or national emergencies.” Policy interpretations of the Act specified that the EMS system must have links to local, regional and state disaster plans and must participate in biannual disaster plan exercises. Thus, the newly established EMS systems have been faced with both planning for, as well as providing services in large-scale disasters.

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A Framework for Multinational Medical Support for the International Space Station: A Model for Exploration

Aerospace Medicine and Human Performance ◽

10.3357/amhp.5771.2021 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 92 (2) ◽

pp. 129-134

Author(s):

Charles R. Doarn ◽

James D. Polk ◽

Anatoli Grigoriev ◽

Jean-Marc Comtois ◽

Kazuhito Shimada ◽

...

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

International Space Station ◽

European Space Agency ◽

Space Station ◽

The United States ◽

Medical System ◽

Medical Support ◽

International Space ◽

Space Agency ◽

Medical Certification

INTRODUCTION: In the 1990s, Canada, member states of the European Space Agency, Japan, the Russian Federation, and the United States entered into an international agreement Concerning Cooperation on the Civil International Space Station. Among the many unique infrastructure challenges, partners were to develop a comprehensive international medical system and related processes to enable crew medical certification and medical support for all phases of missions, in a framework to support a multilateral space program of unprecedented size, scope, and degree of integration. During the Shuttle/Mir Program, physicians and specialized experts from the United States and Russia studied prototype systems and developed and operated collaborative mechanisms. The 1998 NASA Memoranda of Understanding with each of the other four partners established the Multilateral Medial Policy Board, the Multilateral Space Medicine Board, and the Multilateral Medical Operations Panel as medical authority bodies to ensure International Space Station (ISS) crew health and performance. Since 1998, the medical system of the ISS Program has ensured health and excellent performance of the international crewsan essential prerequisite for the construction and operation of the ISSand prevented mission-impacting medical events and adverse health outcomes. As the ISS is completing its second decade of crewed operation, it is prudent to appraise its established medical framework for its utility moving forward in new space exploration initiatives. Not only the ISS Program participants, but other nations and space agencies as well, concomitant with commercial endeavors in human spaceflight, can benefit from this evidence for future human exploration programs.Doarn CR, Polk JD, Grigoriev A, Comtois J-M, Shimada K, Weerts G, Dervay JP, Taddeo TA, Sargsyan A. A framework for multinational medical support for the International Space Station: a model for exploration. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2021; 92(2):129134.

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National characteristics of non-transported children by Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in the United States

Prehospital Emergency Care ◽

10.1080/10903127.2021.1985666 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-15

Author(s):

Caleb Ward ◽

Anqing Zhang ◽

Kathleen Brown ◽

Joelle Simpson ◽

James Chamberlain

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Emergency Medical Services ◽

The United States ◽

Medical Services ◽

Emergency Medical ◽

National Characteristics

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Abstract 203: Characteristics of Emergency Medical Service Responses for Adults With Cardiovascular Disease-related Chief Complaints in The United States, 2016

Circulation Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes ◽

10.1161/hcq.13.suppl_1.203 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (Suppl_1) ◽

Author(s):

Isaac A Nwaise ◽

Erika C Odom

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Cardiovascular Disease ◽

Emergency Medical Services ◽

Statistical Tests ◽

The United States ◽

Medical Services ◽

National Database ◽

Patient Disposition ◽

Emergency Medical ◽

Chief Complaints

Background: Gaps exist in understanding the commonality of cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related responses by emergency medical services responders in the United States (US) community setting. Objective: We examined characteristics of CVD-related responses among US adults with 9-1-1 emergency medical services (EMS) responses in a national database. Methods: The 2016 National Emergency Medical Services Information System (NEMSIS) database (Version 2.2.1) from 49 states was used. CVD-related chief complaints were defined by data element E09_12 in the NEMSIS code book. Exclusions were EMS cancellations, persons not found, those with unknown sex, and patients aged <18 years. Rates (per 1,000 EMS responses) were calculated for total population and by patient demographics. Chi-square statistical tests were used to assess associations. Percentages of CVD-related chief complaints were calculated for EMS responses (incident patient disposition, type of destination, and reasons for destination), and clinical characteristics (provider’s primary impression, provider’s secondary impression, primary symptom, and EMS condition code). Results: We identified over 19.8 million EMS responses among adults aged ≥18 years old in 2016, including 1,336,684 (67.4 per 1,000 EMS responses) with CVD-related chief complaints. Rates of CVD-related chief complaints per 1,000 EMS responses for females (68.5), patients aged 65-74 years old (87.7), Hawaiian Pacific Islanders (83.6), whites (73.4), and those living in the South census region (72.8) were significantly higher than their respective counterparts. Among EMS responses, most CVD-related chief complaints were treated and transported by EMS (83.1%), and of those transported by EMS, 83.5% were transported to a hospital. Reasons for hospital destinations among adults with CVD-related chief complaints were patient’s preferred hospital (34%) and closest facility (32.9%). Most CVD-related chief complaints were chest pain or discomfort according to provider’s primary impression (48%) and provider’s secondary impressions (6.1%). Finally, pain (46.2%) was the most frequently reported condition as primary symptom among EMS patient with CVD-related chief complaints. Conclusion: Approximately 1-in-15 EMS (9-1-1) responses among adults involved a CVD-related chief complaint. Future research could focus on trends for CVD-related EMS responses overtime. Keyword: 9-1-1 emergency system, prehospital cardiovascular disease, CVD-related events.

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The Medic-Alert Foundation, International Extension Program

Prehospital and Disaster Medicine ◽

10.1017/s1049023x00044903 ◽

1985 ◽

Vol 1 (S1) ◽

pp. 306-308

Author(s):

Alfred A. Hodder ◽

Douglas S. Thompson

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

The United States ◽

Charitable Organization ◽

Non Profit ◽

Emergency Medical ◽

The People ◽

Volunteer Organizations ◽

Tax Exempt ◽

Medical Identification ◽

Extension Program

From the Medic Alert Foundation International, PO Box 1009, Turlock, CA 95381 USA.Medic Alert Foundation International is dedicated to the thesis that one universally recognized symbol of emergency medical identification will best serve all people. This is why Medic Alert conducts an active program to expand its services internationally.Volunteer groups in 17 countries presently provide Medic Alert services to over 1.7 million people worldwide. The Foundation's purpose is to give a lifetime of fast reliable protection for a modest, one-time fee. Medic Alert is a non-profit, tax-exempt and charitable organization.The volunteer organizations in these 17 countries are affiliated with the international headquarters in the United States, but each is autonomous in providing protection to the people of its nation. National boards and staffs actually deliver the total services to their members within their country.

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