EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES

Transcription

1 Radio Training Using your disaster radio to communicate with other health care facilities and the EMS Department Funded by the Hospital Preparedness Program through the Kern County EMS Department Contact: Tony Pallitto, HPP Coordinator (661) or

2 You are receiving this training because a radio was installed at your health care facility to serve as primary communications with other health care facilities in a disaster.

3 You are joining a communications network called the Med Alert System. The Med Alert System is a local network serving Kern County and administered by the EMS Department. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulates the Med Alert System for compliance in licensing and use. The Med Alert System has two (2) radio channels, they are called Med 7 and Med 9.

4 So Why radios? In a disaster, radios have proven to be more reliable than telephones and cellular phones.

5 Other health care organizations that participate in the Med Alert System: Eleven general acute care hospitals Three clinic groups Five ambulance companies Kern County public health Kern County EMS To fully understand the membership, view the next slide

6 Kern County EMS Department Kern County Public Health Department Kern Valley Hospital Tehachapi Hospital Kern Medical Center Memorial Hospital San Joaquin Hospital Mercy Hospital Mercy Southwest Hospital Bakersfield Heart Hospital Delano Regional Medical Center Ridgecrest Regional Hospital Good Samaritan Hospital Kern Medical Center Sage Brush Clinic National Health Services Administration National Health Services Buttonwillow Clinic Clinica Sierra Vista Administration Clinica Sierra Vista Frazier Park Clinic Kaiser Administration Kaiser East Hills Clinic National Health Services Taft Clinic Clinica Sierra Vista East Bakersfield Clinic Kaiser Ming Clinic Clinica Sierra Vista Lamont Clinic Kaiser Stockdale Clinic Kaiser Logistics

7 As you can see, the Med Alert System links us all together and the network looks complicated. However, with reasonable familiarity with your new radio and by following a few simple rules (radio etiquette), the Med Alert System can be a reliable and efficient mode of communications during a disaster. Rule # 1 The Med Alert System is used for radio tests, communication exercises, disaster exercises, or in a real disaster. Do not use the radio for any other reasons. The EMS Department uses the Med Alert System to manage local emergencies from time to time and interference with radio communications may impact EMS operations.

8 Rule # 2 When talking (transmitting) on the radio, use professional language and plain text (no codes). Do not use patient identifiers that could violate HIPAA. Remember, the FCC may be monitoring our radio transmissions and cuss words, vulgar language, and inappropriate conversations may lead to fines and incarceration. Be professional!

9 Up for Med 9 Down for Med 7 Volume Radio On/Off Power Supply On/Off

10 Before operating your radio ensure that: Power supply is plugged in and the switch is glowing red Radio is turned on and the LED display shows that a channel has been selected Volume knob is turned up Select Med 7 Channel

11 For East Bakersfield Community Health Center: Plug antenna cable into the wall receptacle

12 For Frazier Park Community Health Center: Select Med 9 as your radio channel Med 9 radio channel will boost your transmissions through a repeater (antenna relay station) on a mountain top and back down to us in Bakersfield.

13 Summary Rule # 1 Use radio for real disasters or disaster exercises Rule # 2 Talk professionally on the radio Radio needs to have power supply (red light glowing) and Med 7 showing in the LED display Volume must be turned up otherwise you may think your radio is broken East Bakersfield Community Health Center will need to plug their antenna cable into a wall receptacle Frazier Park Community Health Center will need to select Med 9 channel

14 The microphone has a button that needs to be depressed only when talking. This is called keying the microphone. When the microphone is keyed, you will not be able to hear any other radio transmissions. Push here to talk

15 Most of the time, when you key your microphone, the radio sends a signal to a repeater (relay antenna) that passes your transmission to the next radio. A two-second delay is caused by using these repeaters. To make sure other radios hear all of your transmission: Depress the key and wait 2 seconds before talking.

16 Questions about your radio should be directed to: Tony Pallitto (661) Or