By Trend News Line 2024-03-27 17:16:06.
Cornwall’s 911 Dispatching Protocols Revamped for Improved Ambulance Response
In a bid to enhance critical land ambulance response in Cornwall and the surrounding region, a significant change to 911 dispatching protocols is set to take effect on April 10. The implementation of the new Medical Priority Dispatch System will see calls to 911 being categorized based on five different colours, each representing a specific level of urgency.
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New Prioritization System in Place
Under the revised system, calls categorized as Purple, denoting immediate life-threatening conditions, and Red, indicating potentially life-threatening situations, will be given the highest priority. In such cases, the closest available land ambulance, regardless of jurisdiction, will be dispatched promptly. Calls classified as Orange, Yellow, and Green will be prioritized based on the availability of ambulances within the service area, with Orange being for urgent and potentially serious but non-life-threatening cases, Yellow for non-urgent or non-serious incidents, and Green for calls that can be deferred without harm to the patient.
Optimizing Resource Allocation
Cornwall SDG Paramedic Chief Bill Lister expressed optimism about the changes, highlighting the improved resource management they would bring. “This ensures that critical cases flagged as purple or red receive immediate attention, irrespective of jurisdiction,” he stated. This move comes in response to challenges encountered in recent years, where a lack of available ambulances in the region led to what is known as a “Code Black” scenario.
Addressing Resource Shortages
CSDG and City of Cornwall spokesperson Chris Day emphasized the importance of the new system in preventing instances where ambulances are either unavailable or have to travel long distances to respond to calls. “By sending the right resources to the right place at the right time, every time, paramedic services will be less reliant on neighbouring jurisdictions,” he explained. While the Ambulance Act maintains the expectation of universality, the definition of universality will now only apply to purple or red priority calls.
Impact on Rural Communities
The revised dispatching protocols are expected to have a positive impact on rural areas within SDG Counties, where wait times for critical calls are anticipated to decrease. “The focus of this change is to ensure that an ambulance is readily available for the sickest patients, regardless of their location,” Day noted. By dedicating available ambulances to the most critical cases, the aim is to reduce wait times for acute situations.
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Enhanced Communication and Monitoring
Dispatchers will now engage in more detailed questioning during 911 calls and maintain regular contact with callers in non-time-sensitive categories to monitor any changes in priority. This proactive approach is designed to ensure that the level of response matches the evolving needs of each situation. Phillip Blancher, a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Morrisburg Leader, contributed to this report..
1. “Ambulance response time improvement strategies”
2. “Enhancing critical response in ambulance services”.
