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After discussions with the NYS BEMS, the protocol that was released and disseminated a few days ago regarding cardiac arrest during COVID-19 was not intended to be released in the manor it was. After further discussions with the BEMS and the EMS medical directors in the region, the WREMAC have put forth the following statement.
We anticipate that the NYS guidance entitled, “The COVID-19 Public Health Emergencies EMS Cardiac Arrest Standard of Care,” will be modified by the state shortly. Agencies should notify their providers to delay implementation of this guidance until further notice. This standard was built as a crisis guideline. At the date of this memo, our EMS medical directors of the WREMAC do not feel we meet a community crisis standard. The WREMAC will issue new cardiac arrest guidance in the near future. Providers should continue managing cardiac arrest in accordance with the current NYS Collaborative Protocols and agency practices. We have requested that the WREMAC be granted the ability to activate this protocol in the future, should the need arise. We apologize for any confusion this has created in the interim. We will be putting forth additional guidance in the near future. Brian M. Walters, D.O., FACEP, FAAEM Please click here to download the WREMAC guidance document. Below are the new guidelines from Dr. Walters and Dr. Faulk for face coverings for Chautauqua County Fire & EMS Providers.
Chautauqua County COVID-19 Face Coverings for EMS/Firefighters PPE Flowchart for EMS The Bureau of Emergency Medical Services and Trauma Systems invites EMS Agency Leadership and EMS Providers for a direct conversation with the leadership of the Bureau regarding the current EMS system and our operational concerns.
Please encourage all interested EMS agency leaders and EMS providers to complete the online form to express interest in receiving an invitation to the meeting: https://apps.health.ny.gov/pubpal/builder/survey/ems-agency-leadership-and-ems-pr Any questions can be submitted through the current survey: https://apps.health.ny.gov/pubpal/builder/survey/nys-covid-19-response-ems-agency The NYS Bureau of EMS and Trauma Systems has implemented an EMS Certification Reinstatement Program for providers whose NYS certification is expired.
Below, please find the details pertaining to this program: For providers whose certification expiration date was September 1, 2019 through today:
NYS Department of Health Bureau of EMS and Trauma Systems has extended all provider expirations dates on their NYS EMT card. This includes CFR, EMT, AEMT, Critical Care, Paramedic providers. This extension also includes any providers who expired between September 1st, 2019 and today.
Certified Lab Instructors and Coordinators will also be extended. We do not have access to CLI and CIC extension dates, if you are going to expire soon, please contact Elizabeth Donnelly at DOH. Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, NYS DOH will not be able to send new cards to all providers across the state prior to many of your expiration dates. If your card that you carry has expired, your card is expiring in the next 45 days or you need verification for your employer, please fill out this form to request a copy of your verification. If you have any questions, please let me know. New York State Department of Health Bureau of EMS and Trauma Systems has started a webinar series that will take place twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:00 p.m. At this time, the webinars are offered free of charge. The first webinar will take place tonight, April 9, 2020 at 6:00 p.m. and will be an ALS seminar. To access the schedule of upcoming webinars, please go to VitalSignsAcademy.com and click on "Calendar" at the top. In the calendar you will see the different events and you will be able click on each individual event to register for the WebEx seminar. If you have any questions, please feel free to let me know.  The Schematron establishes the documentation standard implemented by all EMS agencies and ePCR software vendors for care provided by New York State EMS agencies. The Schematron is updated to adapt to a changing EMS system or current situations. The COVID-19 Schematron Update is designed to improve documentation standards during the COVID-19 pandemic response.
The 2020 COVID-19 Schematron Update is being implemented by ePCR software vendors and the Regional Elite Sites on Tuesday, April 07, 2020. Please click here to download a summary of the Schematron Updates being implemented. Questions on this Schematron update or suggestions for future updates may be submitted to the Bureau of Emergency Medical Services at https://apps.health.ny.gov/pubpal/builder/survey/epcr-schematron-implementation-i Please click here to download the document with this information. Chautauqua County has released an updated version of the COVID-19 FAQ's for Fire and EMS.
Please click here to download the document. Considering the fact that a large percentage of our EMS agencies Statewide are fire based including but not limited to non-transporting BLSFRs, I am forwarding this newly released guidance to share with local/regional fire and EMS.
Please distribute widely. Please click here to download the guidance. (4/3/2020) Please click here to download the revised guidance. (4/6/2020) Daniel J. Clayton, BS, EMT-P Chief, Operations Section Bureau of Emergency Medical Services New York State Department of Health 875 Central Avenue Albany, NY 12206 daniel.clayton@health.ny.gov | https://www.health.ny.gov/professionals/ems/ Beginning today (March 31) at noon - the key pad at the Buffalo General Medical Center's ambulance bay will no longer be active.
All arriving crews should utilize the intercom located directly next to the key pad and security will open the door. Notice from BGMC will be provided once the key pad is active again. Dr. O'Brien, WREMAC Chair, has released a WREMAC Advisory in regards to the deadline of annual credentialing established in WREMAC Policy 2013-1. Provider credentialing will not be due until at least September 30, 2020. This date may be extended as evolving circumstances dictate.
Please click here to download the advisory. FDA is alerting patients, caregivers and health care professionals that EpiPen 0.3mg and EpiPen Jr 0.15mg auto-injectors, and the authorized generic versions, may potentially have delayed injection or be prevented from properly injecting due to:
Please find the attached documents:
This EMS protocol has been approved by the New York State Commissioner of Health and should be implemented in all regions. Steven P. Dziura Jr. Deputy Director New York State Department of Health Bureau of Emergency Medical Services & Trauma Systems 875 Central Avenue Albany, New York 12206 Steven.Dziura@health.ny.gov www.health.ny.gov NYS BEMS has released the guidance document 20-04 COVID19 EMS Provider Exposure. This document includes good information for if a provider has been exposed.
Dr. Walters and Dr. Faulk plan to provide further guidance on these topics in the next few days, so please stay tuned. As a reminder to all, it is important to visit the Bureau's policy page routinely to ensure you have the most up-to-date version of each policy. Currently, the policies available are:
Click here to download 20-05: COVID-19 Response to Respiratory Emergencies (V1.0)
It is important to visit the Bureau's policy page routinely to ensure you have the most up-to-date version of each policy. After care consideration and review by the WREMAC physicians, local medical directors, Offices of Emergency Services, and with review and approval of Public Health Directors in Allegany, Cattaraugus, and Chautauqua Counties the attached WREMAC guidance polices have been approved and authorized for use by our EMS providers.
Please see the attached WREMAC guidance policy on the approach to patients with “cold/flu/fever/cough” symptoms as it relates to possible COVID-19 exposure. This does not provide you with unilateral authority to refuse transport and all patients are required to be assessed by a qualified EMT or higher. If after recommendation to not transport, there is resistance – please contact medical direction. If non-transport is the recommendation – there are sheets you can provide the caller with information as a resource in English and Spanish. Local Health Departments may issue additional leave behind information for non-transported patients in the future as they see fit. We understand there are a lot of rapidly changing policies and guidance coming out over the last week. We anticipate the BEMS may release a statewide protocol similar to this. If/when this happens we appreciate your understanding in any adjustments or further guidance that may be added to this policy. Assessment Procedure for Patients with Suspected COVID-19 Acute Respiratory Illness Precautions and Recommendations - English Acute Respiratory Illness Precautions and Recommendations - Spanish At the last New York State Emergency Medical Advisory Committee (SEMAC), a process was approved to allow for annual updating of the EMS Protocols. This process will allow for year round submission of recommended protocol changes and new protocol suggestions through an online form described below. These recommendations will be periodically reviewed by the Protocol Working Group.
In March of every year, the Protocol Working Group will make recommendations that can then be distributed to the SEMAC Medical Standards Committee along with the 18 EMS Regional Program Agencies and their associated Regional Emergency Medical Advisory Committees. The months of April and May will be used to provide feedback to the Protocol Working Group so that recommendations can be reviewed in the next SEMAC Meeting. The drafted revisions will then be distributed for the required public comment period. Following the public comment period, the Protocol Working Group will address any outstanding concerns regarding implementation so that final approval may occur at the September SEMAC Meeting. Once the protocols are approved, they are then forwarded to the Commissioner of Health for administrative review and approval. The Medical Standards Committee does have a process for identifying exigencies to immediately address patient and provider safety. If you have any recommended protocol changes or suggestions for new protocols, you may submit them by clicking the following link and completing a brief online form. You must provide your name and contact information in the event a member of the Protocol Working Group needs to contact you to solicit more detail about your recommendation. Although the software used for protocol feedback is HIPAA complaint, please do not include any Protected Health Information. http://j.mp/2Qh9atV Please see the attached letter from NYS Health Commissioner Howard Zucker MD addressed to healthcare facility CEOs regarding possible shortages of PPE during 2019-nCoV and share with local/regional EMS.
I have also included the link to the Department’s webpage on the subject of the 2019-nCoV as well as the Bureau of EMS Policy 20-02 both of which will be updated as necessary. Consequently, please check these links regularly. https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/coronavirus/ https://www.health.ny.gov/professionals/ems/pdf/20-02.pdf Daniel J. Clayton, BS, EMT-P Chief, Operations Section Bureau of Emergency Medical Services New York State Department of Health 875 Central Avenue Albany, NY 12206 (518) 402-0996 | (518) 402-0985 | daniel.clayton@health.ny.gov | https://www.health.ny.gov/professionals/ems/ NOTICE: THIS IS A RAPIDLY EVOLVING SITUATION. PLEASE CHECK BACK DAILY FOR ANY UPDATES TO THIS POLICY. VERSION 2.0 UPDATED 01.30.2020 Click here to download the policy statement.
Purpose: This document is designed to provide Emergency Medical Services (EMS) practitioners, agencies and systems with interim guidance regarding the outbreak of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) that began in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China on December 2019. This guidance should be considered for the development of response plans and is not intended to supersede any infectious disease response plan that has been developed and approved by local, State or Federal authorities legally charged to do so. This guidance does not constitute a response protocol but serves as a reference for general considerations and the protection of responders. EMS agencies are encouraged to adopt policies and procedures regarding response and treatment of all patients with communicable diseases. EMS agencies should assure that all personnel are provided with information regarding the outbreak of 2019-nCoV and any necessary personal protective equipment (PPE), such as N95 respirators, including guidelines for the use of such PPE. For updates and additional information regarding this 2019-nCoV outbreak, please visit the following web pages:
For questions regarding information in this advisory or information you’ve received about this outbreak from other sources, please contact the Bureau of Emergency Medical Services and Trauma Systems. Additional updates will be provided as more information about the virus is released. Click here to download the policy statement. |
