EMS1 article by Mike Taigman - Leaders from Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Service and Snohomish County Fire District detail how they’re monitoring the COVID-19 surge and preparing for the worst-case scenario.
Any time there is a novel virus, regardless of what it is or where it came from, there is a learning curve for virologists, infectious disease doctors, epidemiologists, other health care workers, first responders and the public. This is even more pronounced when it is a global event, since different countries note and report different data points and have different thresholds for including these elements in a report. Those countries with their own robust health systems, especially with epidemiologically-based public...
A new COVID-19 resource page on EMS.gov provides easy to find links to the most relevant and up-to-date information from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), NHTSA Office of EMS and other Federal agencies involved in the response to the pandemic. This includes guidance for treating potential COVID-19 patients, information on PPE use and supplies and processes for handling healthcare providers who have been exposed to coronavirus.
FirstWatch Medical Director, Silvia Verdugo Puts COVID-19 in Perspective in JEMS Interview
EMS1 article - Our friend Catherine Counts PhD from Seattle shares data visualization resources to help manage the response to our pandemic.
EMS1 article by Rob Lawrence - Communication, PPE and decontamination strategies highlighted the 4th FirstWatch and Paramedic Chiefs of Canada COVID-19 webinar
This joint webinar of PCC, AIMHI, IAED, NAEMT, CAA, and FirstWatch was the 4th in a series. We were proud to see that over 1,300 people registered for it. With Matt Zavadsky from MedStar moderating, our presenters for Solano County, California were Dr. Bela Matyas from Solano County Public Health, Ted Selby from Solano County EMS, and Jimmy Pierson from Medic Ambulance. They provided incredibly useful and practical information from their ongoing experience providing care for COVID-19 patients quarantined at Travis Air Base. One example of insight shared is how they balanced the needs of the community for EMS coverage with the...
EMS1 article by Mike Taigman - Coronavirus spread in an already busy flu season calls staffing contingency plans and a commitment to hygiene and PPE
The intention of the COVID-19 Process/Policy Template is to provide agencies, medical directors, or others who want to utilize it, an outline/template on which to build an agency-specific policy/protocol to address COVID-19. This includes suggestions for development and/or oversight committees, outside partners and stakeholders, as well as preparation and process for EMS workers who provide best practice care for patients as well as providing for the protection of pre-hospital providers and medical director(s). Its application is totally up to the user. This document...
WSB-TV - Article and Video: Two dozen emergency workers in Washington state are off the job as they are being monitored for possible exposure to the coronavirus. (KIRO7.com)
Executive Summary: A revised Criteria to Guide Evaluation of PUI for COVID-19 and Footnotes have been developed by the CDC to better define what currently makes a person fall into ‘A Person Under Investigation Status’ (aka Case Definition). It consists of an Introduction, the Criteria Chart, List of Affected Geographic Areas of Widespread or Sustained Community Spread, and Footnotes to clarify specific application. Download the Full Update
Executive Summary: The CDC considers this COVID-19 outbreak to be, “an emerging, rapidly evolving situation. The CDC/NIOSH have published a webpage with links to resources for the protection of workers to be used by a variety of industries. Download the pdf
This Paramedic Chiefs of Canada (PCC) webinar is presented in conjunction with the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch (IAED), and FirstWatch. View Webinar Recording View Webinar Slides (PDF Format) Additional Resources Mentioned During the Webinar: COVID-19 Update 2/25/20 Questions and Answers Description: This webinar was the 3rd COVID-19 webinar and provided an update on COVID-19, specifically as it relates to emergency call centers, paramedic and EMS services, and other responders. Also presented, the pediatric implications and potential EMS system impacts to support advanced planning. Like most disaster pre-planning...
This list of URLs provides current, as of 2/12/20, URL links to both Canadian (PHAC) and American (CDC) COVID-19 Case Definitions, including a rapid use CDC Flowchart for ID and Assessment, CDC Interim EMS and PSAP Guidance, and Interim Guidance for All Health Care Workers. There are also links to Home Pages with links to a wide variety of COVID-19 information, and helpful Appendices from PHAC’s Routine & Additional Precautions Guidelines. Paramedic Chiefs of Canada (PCC) COVID-19 Webinar #2 -...
2nd PCC Webcast in a Series: 2019-nCoV "Coronavirus" - Feb-13-2020 View Webinar Recording View Webinar Slides (PDF format) Download Webinar Slides (PowerPoint format, for your teaching purposes) Additional Resources Mentioned During the Webinar: This list of URLs provides current, as of 2/12/20, URL links to both Canadian (PHAC) and American (CDC) COVID-19 Case Definitions, including a rapid use CDC Flowchart for ID and Assessment, CDC Interim EMS and PSAP Guidance, and Interim Guidance for All Health Care Workers. There are also links to Home Pages...
IN THE NEWS Executive Summary: The CDC and NIOSH have reported counterfeit respirators being sold on the open market with various methods of NIOSH Approval misrepresentation in the way of pictures and descriptions. Full Report: NIOSH-Approved N95 or better masks are the mainstay of preventing airborne diseases from being transmitted and is the minimum required mask for health care workers when Airborne Precautions are in place (such as for suspected 2019-nCoV patients). They must be individually Fit Tested after a medical evaluation to assure...
EMS1 Article by Rob Lawrence. Snohomish County, Washington, officials describe the EMS transport of the first confirmed 2019-nCoV patient in the U.S.
PCC Webcast: 2019-nCoV "Coronavirus" - Emerging Infectious Disease - Feb-3-2020 View Webinar Recording View Webinar Slides Additional Resources Mentioned During the Webinar: Novel Coronavirus 2019-nCoV – What Public Safety/First Responders Can Do Resource URLs for Public Safety Worker-Related Agencies & Organizations EMS1 Article by Rob Lawrence. Snohomish County, Washington, officials describe the EMS transport of the first confirmed 2019-nCoV patient in the U.S. Quick Take: Transporting Patient One – Coronavirus in the US Description: FirstWatch helped the Paramedic Chiefs of Canada (PCC) host an informational webinar on the 2019-nCoV...
What First Responders Can Do Feb-3-2020: The information in the attached PDF is designed to assist EMS and other First Responders, but may contain information not complete or applicable to a particular agency or situation. All stakeholders should review pertinent national public health and WHO documents to ensure complete knowledge. Download the pdf
Coronavirus Resource URLs for Public Safety Organizations: Link to the IAED EIDS Tool for 2019-nCoV: https://www.emergencydispatch.org/coronavirus-2019-nCoV OSHA Recommendations for 2019-nCoV: https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/novel_coronavirus/ FEMA on 2019-nCoV: https://www.usfa.fema.gov/operations/infograms/012320.html NAEMSP Recommendations for 2019-nCoV: https://naemsp.org/home/news/ems-considerations-for-coronavirus/ FireRescue1 Presents the IAFC List of Resources for 2019n-CoV including the NHTSA Office of EMS01: Guidance for the novel virus: https://www.firerescue1.com/fire-chief/articles/iafc-compiles-wuhan-coronavirus-resources-for-fire-ems-leaders-pjDd627JV7ana0sZ/ IAFF Recommendations for 2019-nCoV: https://www.iaff.org/coronavirus/ HHS ASPR/Tracie EMS Infection Control Handbook (not limited to Coronavirus): https://files.asprtracie.hhs.gov/documents/aspr-tracie-transport-playbook-508.pdf WHO, PHAC, and CDC Resources for 2019-nCoV: WHO Home Page with Links to Other Resources including Daily Situation Reports: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019 Public Health Agency of Canada Home Page with Links to Multiple...
