Figure 1. Survival as a function of time.1
Time is one of the most important predictors of patient outcomes in a medical emergency. The following graph illustrates one type of emergency that benefits from early response to an emergency by showing the survivability of a cardiac arrest as a function of time to CPR and defibrillation.
Figure 1. Survival as a function of time.1 |
The rural nature of Wetzel County can result in delays for an ambulance to reach the scene of an emergency. Funding limits the number of ambulances and paid personnel to cover the county. Multiple emergencies calls are common, and can result in long delays to get an ambulance to an emergency. Wintertime can present challenges to rapid emergency response to an emergency.
The Wetzel County Emergency Ambulance Authority recognizes the need to minimize the amount of time it takes to respond to an emergency and has initiated a Rapid Response program. Volunteers, known as Rapid Responders, close to the scene of an emergency are paged by the 9-1-1 center to respond to the emergency. The Rapid Responder then responds to the emergency in their privately owned vehicles.
Some of these privately owned vehicle carry essential emergency supplies, as illustrated in the following picture:
After the patient is treated and loaded into the ambulance the Rapid Responders often enhance public safety by helping with traffic control situations.
2.33. Rapid Response. -- A form of emergency medical services for which the lead EMS agency or an associated organization provides an initial response service in an area that may be remote from regularly staffed ambulances to improve on response times. Rapid response EMS personnel can provide on-scene assessment, intervention and supervision without patient transportation.
5.5. Rapid Response.
5.5.a. Capability.
5.5.a.1. The EMS Agency has formal, authorized, rapid response programs in place which routinely place trained and equipped personnel on the scene of potential life-threatening emergencies within four to eight (4-8) minutes of receipt of call ninety percent (90%) of the time in remote areas - two (2) points; or
5.5.a.2. The EMS Agency has rapid response capability, but is not using it regularly, or it is not available in all remote areas - one (1) point. 5.5.b. Public Information and Education.
5.5.b.1. The EMS Agency has a functional community CPR training and EMS education program for the covered population with frequently published and well attended courses routinely conducted - two (2) points; or
5.5.b.2. The EMS Agency has a community CPR training and EMS education program for the population with intermittent courses conducted - one (1) point.
8.1. Class A. -- A rapid response vehicle is classified as a Class A EMS vehicle.
8.1.a. The EMS Agency may own and operate a Class A EMS vehicle as an optional unit intended solely for the immediate response to the location of a call for the delivery of life support. Personally owned vehicles (POVs) of rapid responders may be used for rapid response purposes and are exempt from Class A requirements but remain under the authority of the official representative of the licensed EMS agency. POVs and their operators are subject to requirements of the Division of Motor Vehicles and OEMS Emergency Vehicle Permit program.
1 The Textbook of Emergency Cardiovascular Care and CPR By John M. Field, Michael Bressler