Dane County EMS Priority Codes?

[biglaz]

Does anyone have any information on the priority codes for EMS dispatched in Dane County? This is as much info as I've gathered:

Code - Description
Alpha - Non-Emergency
Bravo - ?
Charlie - ?
Delta - ?
Echo - No pulse/non-breathing
Omega - ?

It seems delta is higher priority than charlie, which is higher than bravo, which is higher than alpha. Other than that, I'm not sure how they're different. Perhaps there's personnel requirements too? And I have no clue what omega is; I've only heard it a few times.

If anyone can shed some light on this, that'd be great. Thanks

 

[MADScan]

I believe that Charley is fire

 

[balmplant]

Dane County uses a system called the "Medical Priority Dispatch System".

When a call comes in to the 911 center they ask what the problem is. Based on the respond the 911 center either uses a Police, EMS, or Fire card. EMS for example has a list of 33 Cheif complaints. Based on the description of the caller they use one of those chief complaints and go to further questions.

For Example the "number 1" Chief complaint is Abdominal Pain/Problems.

There are 6 possible levels of a call for abdominal Pain/Problems.

1-D-1 Not Alert

1-C-1 Fainting or near fainting > 50 y/o
1-C-2 Femals with fainting or near fainting 12-50 y/o
1-C-3 Males with pain above navel >35 y/o
1-C-4 Females with pain above navel >45 y/o

1-A-1 Abdominal Pain.

A is the least serious of EMS calls to Echo which is the most serious (immediate life threat)

An omega call is a non-ems assist but PD is not available so they send EMS usually.

Luke if you want more info I can tell you tonite at midwest.

 

[sgtmatt]

I think Delta is Medical Emergency, but I'll do some snooping and get back

 

[balmplant]

Ok more detail...

With each incoming call, the dispatcher first refers to the Case Entry Protocol. The dispatcher will verify the location and callback number for the incident and then determine the patient's chief complaint, age, status of consciousness, and status of breathing. If the dispatcher receives information that the patient is unconscious and not or ineffectively breathing before continuing with any further interrogation or instructions, a maximal response is sent immediately and the caller is told to stay on the line for further instructions. Should the dispatcher learn, upon Case Entry, that the patient is otherwise breathing, approximately 30 seconds of additional interrogation are required to complete the Key Questions. This is the equivalent of the field responder's secondary survey. It provides a more orderly and much closer "view" of the patient so that the pre-hospital care provided is appropriate and in keeping with the severity of the injury or illness. In this later case, the dispatcher will next match the symptoms and/or incident features discovered through interrogation and send the appropriate response as indicated in the Determinant Response section.


Each Determinant Level and number Determinant Descriptor is, in essence, an answer the dispatcher received during questioning. If a dispatcher identifies a determinant in of the five levels of response (ALPHA, BRAVO, CHARLIE, DELTA, ECHO), they dispatch the response configuration (emergency vehicles and mode of response) as indicated in the response section. Each agency's response configurations are user-defined and must be assigned by local medical control and EMS administration. After the responders have been sent, the dispatcher remains on the phone with the caller to give instructions regarding what to do, and not to do, prior to the arrival of pre-hospital care providers.

This was taken from The National Academy Field Responder Guide v11.2

 

[balmplant]

I think Delta is Medical Emergency, but I'll do some snooping and get back

You are sort of correct.

There are many different "Delta Level" calls both medical and trauma.

Traffic accients, traumatic injuries, GSW, and trench collapse are some examples.

Some Medical Delta's are prenancy, psychiatric behavior, and overdose.

Keep in mind these Chief complaints also have lower levels. So the Alpha - Echo is just a seriousness of call.


As for fire calls if you read the news you see the County (Dane) went to this type of coding for fire calls as well. So depending on the seriousness of the fire call, if it is in fact a fire response needed and not an EMS response that will be coded Alpha - Echo as well.

 

[bc780l]

I don't have access to an online source that's up to date with the current 11.3 protocols, but these give you an idea:
http://www.abqscan.com/ClawsonCodes.htm (some errors) and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency (NOT coded or up to date)

While not in any way complete, real codes used in the Dane Co evaluation prior to adoption are included within this report:
http://www.co.dane.wi.us/ems/medical/pdf/als_final_report.pdf

Also, as stated, Fire has 4.0 protocols, and Law Enforcement 3.0 protocols. An agency and operators have to be trained and certified, ideally, to use these. These are controlled by the National Academies of Emergency Dispatch, found at: http://www.emergencydispatch.org/

 

[daleduke17]

Basically, the difference (like others have said) is how a call is toned out and what agencies respond. Here is a brief idea from my EMD class:

Alpha Level - BLS no lights/sirens, ALS not toned
Bravo Level - BLS lights/sirens, ALS not toned
Charlie Level - BLS lights/sirens, ALS no lights/sirens
Delta Level - BLS lights/sirens, ALS lights/sirens
Echo Level - BLS lights/sirens, ALS lights sirens AND closest available unit.

Echo Level is reserved for more serious stuff. Basically heart attack where the guy (or gal) is unconcious and not breathing. In addition to ALS/BLS you might get a PD unit with a defib who is in the area, or another unit that would not normally respond that could help out (nearby Engine Co, HAZMAT, Battalion, etc). Echo is one you don't want to hear. Ever.

Omega Level is a call that is referred to a different jursidiction/agency. A couple of ones I have heard in the past that were Omega were for Poison Control, DCFS, and (I think) a Suicide Prevention Agency.

Hope that helps.

 

[biglaz]

Wow...talk about reviving a two-year-old thread

I'm pretty much aware of what has been posted here. What I'm wondering is what effect does the call level have on responding units? Is it a department policy to determine if Alpha calls should be non-emergency response, Delta calls should request an ALS unit (if dept is BLS) etc.? Or is this something set at the county/state/national level?

P.S. Balmplant who are you anyway?

 

[jdm911]

[QUOTE What I'm wondering is what effect does the call level have on responding units? Is it a department policy to determine if Alpha calls should be non-emergency response, Delta calls should request an ALS unit (if dept is BLS) etc.? Or is this something set at the county/state/national level?

[/QUOTE]

Response is set by jurisdiction based on the Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) Protocols mentioned above. One of the major purposes of EMD is to determine not only who responds but how they respond. Rather than sending rigs out with lights/sirens on every call (risking their lives and those of the public) EMD helps determine those medicals that require a routine response. Many factors come into play (i.e. distance, level of training for available responders, medical control policy etc) but EMD is one tool that is used to slow units down when it is determined that the patient's condition will not be affected by a slower response. EMD is also used to give post dispatch instructions to the caller by the dispatcher for a variety of medical problems. The dispatch follows a prescribed set of instructions based on questioning that many times do increase chances of survival and decrease severity of complications. Hope this helps.

 

[balmplant]

Dane County EMS has recommended that ambulances do not respond emergent to Alpha Level calls. However some services such as Mount Horeb and Monona do not respect this request and respond emergent to all calls. Not all Delta calls require ALS. Certain calls have automatic built in ALS. This is set at the county level with input from each district.

Fire is a whole different ball of wax. Most fire departments, with the exception of a few respond emergent to all calls. Some have chosen to go non-emergent to alpha's and CO detectors with no illness. This is all chosen at the local level.

Clear as Mud?

Wow...talk about reviving a two-year-old thread

I'm pretty much aware of what has been posted here. What I'm wondering is what effect does the call level have on responding units? Is it a department policy to determine if Alpha calls should be non-emergency response, Delta calls should request an ALS unit (if dept is BLS) etc.? Or is this something set at the county/state/national level?

P.S. Balmplant who are you anyway?