Gila River EMS and Dispatch Introduce Emergency Medical Dispatch
Early this year, Gila River EMS and the Gila River Dispatch Center through the Gila River Police Department teamed up together to introduce a new medical service which will benefit the community greatly. This new medical service, called Emergency Medical Dispatching (EMD) will allow dispatchers to provide life-saving information over the telephone. The program is nearing the end of Phase Three of a Five Phase initiative. EMD is expected to have been completed by the end of this year.
The program involves a great deal of training and education for dispatchers and EMS personnel. The educational process has included advanced schooling in emergency medical dispatching and communications techniques. Currently, dispatchers are provided with on-the job training and must adhere to well-established qualifications prior to hire. EMD which is an advanced dispatching skill will encompass not only life-saving information provided to callers, but also prioritization and effective utilization of resources.
When someone calls 9-1-1 for their child choking or for their family member who just had a heart attack, dispatchers will be able to given instructions over the telephone to help the person in need. CPR, the Heimlick Maneuver, and basic first aid information will be provided to the caller in order to help treat those who may be in need of emergency assistance prior to EMS arrival.
Gila River EMS would like the everyone to be aware of this process and understand that this program will improve the quality of medical care throughout the community. If you have any questions about this process, please contact us at (520) 562-5172.
