CommunicationsThe communications required for health and medical operations have always been pertinent to the success of emergency response in the State of Florida. Medical services rely heavily on the ability to receive, as well as, deliver life saving information, between multiple agencies, between hospitals and between first responders. An Emergency Medical Services (EMS) communications system must provide the means by which emergency medical resources can be accessed, mobilized, managed, and coordinated in both normal and adverse situations. This system must therefore employ sufficient communications paths and operational capabilities among all participants to facilitate functional EMS communications. The State of Florida, EMS Communications Plan (EMSCP) has established that all licensed transport vehicles (ambulances) have the capability for two-way radio communications. Specifically, this communications capability should exist for a firefighter (in an EMS role), emergency medical technician (EMT), or paramedic during daily operation or whenever there is a need to deviate from established medical protocols. Section 401.015. (Emergency Medical Services Telecommunications Act) and Section 395.1031 (Hospital Licensing Regulations), Florida Statutes, mandates that the Department of Management Services develop and maintain a statewide plan for emergency medical telecommunications within the state. The purpose of the EMSCP is to establish and regulate EMS radio communications (voice or data) to licensed EMS agencies, hospital emergency departments, and EMS Dispatch Centers. The EMSCP is supplied to all EMS providers, hospital emergency departments, EMS Dispatch Centers, ESF8 participants and other agencies associated with public safety communications within the state.
EMS Communications Plan (EMSCP)Volume I provides general, administrative, and regulatory information as well as compliance standards for radio communications equipment needed by the public safety organizations involved in EMS operations. Additionally, this volume also outlines the basic concepts for local and statewide medical coordination communication systems within Florida. Volume II has been developed by the State of Florida. Department of Management Services as an operational "field manual" to be carried as standard equipment on all permitted vehicles within the State as mandated by Volume I of the EMSCP. It lists contact information for all hospitals with emergency departments, EMS providers and air transport services within the State of Florida providing the data necessary to enable radio communications during transport operations in familiar and unfamiliar areas. Also included are areas in the bordering counties of Georgia and Alabama. The Department of Management Services invites suggestions regarding the contents of Volume I and Volume II as to any ways in which they may be made more accurate and useful. The Health and Medical Communications Engineer may be reached by telephone or by email: Under Florida law, e-mail addresses are public records. If you do not want your e-mail address released in response to a public records request, do not send electronic mail to this entity. Instead, contact this office by phone or in writing. Email Attn:
Health and Medical Communications
Engineer
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This page was last modified on: 08/31/2012 09:03:00