WTI

Rural Public Safety and Communication Model Deployment Initiative: State of the Practice (Showcase Evaluation #7)

Primary Investigator Contact Information

External Project Contact(s)

Report(s)

1. Rural & Frontier EMS and Trauma " Summit at the Summit"
   1. Critical Illness & Trauma Foundation, Western Transportation Institute
   2. 426589_Final_Report.pdf

Project Objective

The State of the Practice will document innovative transportation-related emergency medical service technology and communications applications, activities or projects employed by state emergency medical services agencies.

Project Abstract

Emergency medical services as well as emergency service providers face a new challenge in the United States today. Even before the recent tragic events of September 11, emergency services were examining methods of improving not only the services they provide for their particular jurisdiction, but creating the necessary institutional relationships and technology and communications improvements for multi-jurisdictional or multi-agency emergencies.Today, the means exist to make major strides in improving emergency medical services (EMS) through the adoption of technology and communications applications. However, it is a fact that, throughout the U.S., emergency medical services and emergency services overall are responsible to and funded by independent local jurisdictions, jurisdictions that generally lack the funding, technical staff, institutional relationships and resources necessary to provide a coordinated and integrated emergency service system at the local or regional level.The Public Safety and Communications Model Deployment Initiative is designed to assist states in the development and implementation of critical emergency medical service and emergency service technology and communications enhancement. The premise for the Initiative and the State of the Practice document is that two main considerations must be met for technology and communications enhancements to be truly effective in improving emergency medical services and emergency services overall: the enhancements must be horizontally integrated internally across the emergency agencies and regionally with neighboring jurisdictions, and vertically integrated so that statewide and appropriate multi-state linkages are created and maintained. WTI is currently working with the National Association of State EMS Directors in the implementation of the initiative and actively seeks the participation and development of partnerships to move the initiative forward. This state-of-the-practice document provides an important foundational step for the broader initiative by reviewing and summarizing the utilization of transportation-related or transportation-based technology and communications applications by EMS providers.

Task Descriptions

1. Literature Search
   1. The literature search will incorporate the transportation, emergency service and emergency medical service based governmental, association and sector specific databases, publications and websites. It is assumed that the majority of the information will be in the association and sector specific newsletters, magazines and other publications.
2. State Survey
   1. A survey instrument and analysis protocol will need to be developed and provided to the all state and U.S. territories. It is anticipated that the National Association of State EMS Directors will assist in the review and editing of the survey. No student assistance has been requested for the State of the Practice document so it is anticipated that the author will do all survey data entry and analysis.
3. Technology-Communications
   1. This task will ascertain current and near-term potential technology or communications enhancements. This will be based on interviews with known individuals and organizations, leads developed from known individuals and organizations, and a Web-based search.
4. Publication
   1. Publication includes the compilation of all information noted above; the formatting and writing of all text, graphics and pictures; the review and final editing; the creation of the WTI or WTI related EMS website; and, the posting on the WTI or WTI related website.

Milestones, Dates, Schedule

Student Involvement

True

Relationship to Other Research Projects

True

Technology Transfer Activities

False

Transportation Research Board Keywords

ARTS, ITS Technologies in Rural Areas

Partners

Research and Innovative Technology Administration