Just FYI, COVID19 response statewide on the true Emergency Services side of the house is being treated just like any other flu-type virus, with just a little added tracking and use of PPE. You're not going to hear any Massive Organized Command Structure producing a giant centralized response or activating major cache resources with the present known mutations and effects of the virus.
Coronavirus monitoring: Which channels to watch?
- Thread starter SpectrumKing
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Ok, thanks. When I asked about confirmation, I had the original post about mapping COVID-19 cases in mind. Nobody should be mapping anything based on symptoms.
Confirmation is done by lab testing, so unlikely that First Responders could confirm that a patient in respiratory distress is suffering from a COVID-19 infection since they operate in a pre-hospital setting. An exception *could* be when a patient has been diagnosed with the disease and is under home monitoring, then develops complications and needs to be transported to a medical facility for treatment. At this point in this area, there are no specialized radio channels or procedures, no encrypted comms, etc. I'd expect that there is landline coordination, as has always been the normal practice in the EMS system.
Anne Arundel is using the EMRC Med channels as usual. I have heard at least 3 PUI's hospital notifications so far today on the med channels.
Yea, A199 (Cape St. Claire) is running a "potential PUI" as described by Fire Alarm now. I don't have their RIDs defined.
amp1776
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EMS protocol 36 emissions so far...
Howard County had its first identified case yesterday. The victim is a 82 year old with underlying medical conditions residing in a nursing facility. The 6 First Responders are now in self-quarantine - not sure why they were apparently not using PPE. Seems to me the protocol should be to wear PPE on all respiratory illness incidents since we cannot afford to lose personnel to quarantine.
SpectrumKing
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Anyone listening to Montgomery County?
I have a close family member living in Rockville. She's high risk.
I have a close family member living in Rockville. She's high risk.
SpectrumKing
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My main concern is Montgomery County. If I can ascertain where the exposure areas are in MoCo I can help my aunt stay safe.
She should stay home. There is no way to drill down to a specific area.
If you cannot receive MCFRS over the TRS from where you live, I believe there is a stream of their dispatch and several ops TGs. But the MC TRS booms (being an old school design,) so many areas of western and southern Howard County have a signal.
SpectrumKing
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Openmhz has a stream, but is missing the EMRS channels.
SpectrumKing
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She is. But had to go out to get prescriptions filled.
Many pharmacies are offering free delivery.
You can tell by the initial dispatch call what is going on, at least in Anne Arundel County. That can give you a general area by the incident address and the units assigned. The MED channels aren't going to be giving any confirmations anyway, that is determined by testing.
It has been an increase. Would be interesting to know how many of these PUI's are actually being tested at the hospital. Would be interesting to know if the local hospitals are even testing yet...
Local hospitals can order tests; LabCorp can do tests, so that's not an issue. Not sure of the turnaround time, I'll have to do some research since there are different types. The state count is updated every morning at 10am.
boatbod
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I'm told the test takes about 3 days.
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