Ambulance to Hospital Communication

[ScannerSky]

Hi,
I would like to hear the communication between an ambulance and Morristown Memorial Hospital in Morris County, NJ. Is there a specific frequency I can use for this? I want to hear the patient updates before they get to the hospital. Thanks!

 

[dun34]

155.34 - aka JEMS 2.

 

[ScannerSky]

Okay, thank you. I will be able to hear all of the communication (ambulance-hopsital) in my area on this frequency?

 

[SLWilson]

Nation-wide

That freq is pretty much the same nation-wide for squad to hospital comms....

Thats what they use here in SE Ohio....

155.400 used nation and area-wide too....

Steve/KB8FAR

 

[ScannerSky]

Okay, thank you!

 

[SCPD]

very rarely do you hear a squad call the hospital and give a hear report over a radio anymore. while it is used some times, near half the time if it is a serious call, the paramedics will be on the phone with the doctor, and then the receiving hospital will be advised by phone. my squad does not even have a hear radio in its rigs

 

[swstow]

i was his back home in daytona beach this week for turkey day with the parents and herd lots of talk between evac ( county wide amb ) and the hosiptals was really quite surprised

 

[mondaro]

Each Hospital Emergency Room has or had a HEAR Radio in there ER, HEAR stands for Hospital Emergency Ambulance Radio Network, in recent times these radio are either turned off or not in service and have been replaced by the Statewide HERN Radio network ( Hospital Emergency Radio Network ) that can be monitored on the NJSP 800 MHZ trunked network.

The problem with the network is the B.L.S. or basic life support agenices are shut out from the network and have no way of accessing it from the field so if you ride BLS and want to contact the ER you better have a cell phone or the dispatch center with the CORRECT telephone number for the Emergency Department for online medical control. Sorry to say the HEAR radio system is a dieing breed these days.

 

[robbinsj2]

Each Hospital Emergency Room has or had a HEAR Radio in there ER, HEAR stands for Hospital Emergency Ambulance Radio Network, in recent times these radio are either turned off or not in service and have been replaced by the Statewide HERN Radio network ( Hospital Emergency Radio Network ) that can be monitored on the NJSP 800 MHZ trunked network.

The HERN has not replaced HEAR. They're intended for two different purposes. HEAR is very much still alive, used regularly and effectively, in the areas of NJ which I monitor and HEAR is also still endorsed in the NJ EMS Communications Plan (PDF). Yes, many hospitals are a little lax with their HEAR radios, but the solution is not supposed to be, nor do I think it should be, the state-wide trunked system.

The problem with the network is the B.L.S. or basic life support agenices are shut out from the network and have no way of accessing it from the field so if you ride BLS and want to contact the ER you better have a cell phone or the dispatch center with the CORRECT telephone number for the Emergency Department for online medical control. Sorry to say the HEAR radio system is a dieing breed these days.

This isn't a problem with the HERN, since it is intended for interfacility coordination and large-scale incident management, not for ordinary patient reports. HERN is doing what it is supposed to, what you describe is a problem with HEAR. A problem which might be helped by testing it occasionally just as the HERN and SPEN networks are tested. I am a little curious about the squad which doesn't have a HEAR radio in its rigs, as it is required by the NJSFAC of member squads and the state DOH of the services it regulates.

There are communication failure protocols in every medical control system I've heard of, it would be quite an irresponsible medical director that doesn't consider that.

We're straying a bit from the topic; to the original poster, the designated BLS (non-paramedic) patient report channel in NJ is, as mentioned, JEMS 2 or 155.340. 155.400 is not used for this purpose in NJ. Some counties have an additional channel for this purpose but Morris is not among them.

If ALS (paramedic) is on board then the med channels may be used but more than likely it will be a cell phone. Refer to the RadioReference.com Wiki or the NJ EMS Communications Plan linked above for the UHF med channel frequencies.

Jim

 

[radiomanNJ1]

Wondering where you get the idea that 155.34 is in use around the country? Maybe in your world but surely not in the real world. Many major areas are on trunked radio systems and connect that way with each facility having it's own talkgroup.
I know trunking is something Joiusyites can't relate to.

 

[SCANdal]

NJ1,

I agree. Westchester County (NY) uses it's 400 MHz trunked system for HEAR purposes. Each hospital has it's own assigned talkgroup - no need for dial-ins anymore. Should an out-of-county rig not have a trunked radio, 155.220 is used instead (and was primary before the switch to the TRS). Suffolk County (NY) used to use 155.325 before they switched to talkgroups 2480 (Hospital South) and 2512 (Hospital North) on their countywide 800 MHz trunked system. Note that both counties equipped every in-county rig with a trunked radio.

SCANdal

 

[SLWilson]

In Ohio....

very rarely do you hear a squad call the hospital and give a hear report over a radio anymore. while it is used some times, near half the time if it is a serious call, the paramedics will be on the phone with the doctor, and then the receiving hospital will be advised by phone. my squad does not even have a hear radio in its rigs

Maybe we haven't come out of the dark ages here, but, in the state of Ohio, patient reports are still called in to the hospital on each ER delivery (in southern Ohio anyway). Same for St. Mary's ER and Cabell-Huntington ER in Huntington, WV.

Ohio is using 155.34. Wv seems to be mostly 155.400 but, squads also call "Med Com" which relays info to the proper hospital too....

Steve/KB8FAR

 

[PM08203]

For what it is worth I hear activity on 155.34 daily with Shore Memorial in Somers Point.
However, most of the trama cases are flown to Atlantic City and that you get on the NJ 800.

Somers Point does have alot of PENNSTAR action.

Most of the trama in AC (gunshot, etc) gets very little action since you can get the AC medical center in 10 minutes from anywhere in town,

 

[mondaro]

The HERN has not replaced HEAR. They're intended for two different purposes. HEAR is very much still alive, used regularly and effectively, in the areas of NJ which I monitor and HEAR is also still endorsed in the NJ EMS Communications Plan (PDF). Yes, many hospitals are a little lax with their HEAR radios, but the solution is not supposed to be, nor do I think it should be, the state-wide trunked system.

This isn't a problem with the HERN, since it is intended for interfacility coordination and large-scale incident management, not for ordinary patient reports. HERN is doing what it is supposed to, what you describe is a problem with HEAR. A problem which might be helped by testing it occasionally just as the HERN and SPEN networks are tested. I am a little curious about the squad which doesn't have a HEAR radio in its rigs, as it is required by the NJSFAC of member squads and the state DOH of the services it regulates.

There are communication failure protocols in every medical control system I've heard of, it would be quite an irresponsible medical director that doesn't consider that.

We're straying a bit from the topic; to the original poster, the designated BLS (non-paramedic) patient report channel in NJ is, as mentioned, JEMS 2 or 155.340. 155.400 is not used for this purpose in NJ. Some counties have an additional channel for this purpose but Morris is not among them.

If ALS (paramedic) is on board then the med channels may be used but more than likely it will be a cell phone. Refer to the RadioReference.com Wiki or the NJ EMS Communications Plan linked above for the UHF med channel frequencies.

Jim

Jim...

I am a paid chief for a EMS agency in Bergen County - North Arlington, 100% of the hospitals have there HEAR Radios off or not operating that I deliver patients to in my primary. Also If there are no cell phone with our medics there are zero communications with the medical control unless they would due a patch on there primary channel within MONOC communications, no medic unit I come in contact with has a portable med radio any longer, My primary ALS is MONOC with one of the worst Northern NJ medical communications systems I have ever came across in 27 years. You are correct on the JEMS plan they must be every NJDOH licensed BLS unit and Let's no even discuss the NJ first aid council they are being shut out of many EMS operations slowly, Mobiliziation was the first step their not in charge of that any longer in the 21 counties in New Jersey it's all going through County Emergency Management currently under the direction of the NJDOH EMS Task force.

 

[SLWilson]

Ohio

Wondering where you get the idea that 155.34 is in use around the country? Maybe in your world but surely not in the real world. Many major areas are on trunked radio systems and connect that way with each facility having it's own talkgroup.
I know trunking is something Joiusyites can't relate to.

I guess the whole state of Ohio isn't part of the "real world".

Maybe the rest of the country isn't as "you" think it is or should be???

Our local hospital does have trunked radio in the ER. However, none of the ambulances or squads that service them have trunked radio to talk to them. Maybe some day when the cost comes down some, but, until then, it's 155.34 here....Statewide....

Steve/KB8FAR

 

[zzdiesel]

Wondering where you get the idea that 155.34 is in use around the country?

The 155.340 is used all around my area for ambulance to hospital use. It is like the 155.475 is a mutual aid channel.

 

[ScannerSky]

Thanks to everyone for being so helpful!

 

[KEVINOBRIEN6905]

although i don't ride much in freehold anymore /not certified-driver only on occasion/ the HEAR frequency was used frequently for pt reports - this was prior to ALS. ALS came along and if they were on scene, they would make contact via their set. back then, the hospitals were just getting into the triage nurse stuff and wanted everything called in so that they could find an open cubicle or move people around so that they could get the squads in and out as fast as possible. for those that ride, at least in monmouth county, those days went by the roadside long ago. the nurses constantly turned down the volume which pissed the squads off so it was a loose/loose situation. the squads weren't getting answered and the squad officers would complain at captains meetings with the chief e.r. nurse who always promised to fix the problem which occurred month after month. so those who wanted the information "every time you come in" they weren't getting the info, the squads would walk thru the doors and still have to wait 15 to 20 mins depending on patient severity and life goes on. now i believe, most ALS units are using cellular to ERs or thru their own dispatch centers(monoc control) or whatever for trauma notifications. now the ERs are so big and spread out with pedi over here cardiac over there short stays(non-admissions) over there ps i had some input into the jems plan on the last 2 or 3 updates

 

[radiomanNJ1]

That just means that your area has decided not to utilize the availability of a specific trunk talkgroup for each facility. How many ER's do you have? One or two might not be a problem but in larger areas the 155.34 would be jammed up with calls. After all you can only have one conversation per freq.

I guess the whole state of Ohio isn't part of the "real world".

Maybe the rest of the country isn't as "you" think it is or should be???

Our local hospital does have trunked radio in the ER. However, none of the ambulances or squads that service them have trunked radio to talk to them. Maybe some day when the cost comes down some, but, until then, it's 155.34 here....Statewide....

Steve/KB8FAR

 

[radiomanNJ1]

And how many times in Bergen Co. can they not get a "rig" so that they have to call for mutual aid from other areas? It's time for Bergen Co. to grow up and get more paid ems staff. The county has one running now and if it was not for the villages/towns political crap against the big bad county you might actually have decent service that saves lives without politics. Every day it's the same thing on the radio. Call and call and then mutual aid. Stop the politics and save lives not ego!

Jim...

I am a paid chief for a EMS agency in Bergen County - North Arlington, 100% of the hospitals have there HEAR Radios off or not operating that I deliver patients to in my primary. Also If there are no cell phone with our medics there are zero communications with the medical control unless they would due a patch on there primary channel within MONOC communications, no medic unit I come in contact with has a portable med radio any longer, My primary ALS is MONOC with one of the worst Northern NJ medical communications systems I have ever came across in 27 years. You are correct on the JEMS plan they must be every NJDOH licensed BLS unit and Let's no even discuss the NJ first aid council they are being shut out of many EMS operations slowly, Mobiliziation was the first step their not in charge of that any longer in the 21 counties in New Jersey it's all going through County Emergency Management currently under the direction of the NJDOH EMS Task force.