On behalf of Greater Dayton Area Hospital Association (GDAHA), Greater Miami Valley EMS Council (GMVEMSC), Dayton MMRS, and others, thank you to everyone who participated in our first Regional Quarterly Triage Day (QTD) Drill.

We are making some changes for the second QTD Drill.  Obviously, in light of the Las Vegas attack, everyone is concerned that our region be as prepared as possible.  In recognition of that, and to make sure as many different EMS personnel can participate as possible, the next QTD Drill will begin at 0800 Hours, October 18, 2017, and lasts until 0800 Hours the next day. 

Also, for part of the day, we’ll be adding use of the Regional MCI Talk Groups for all EMS that are on the MARCS radio system.  See Key Points in blue below for details.

Key Points:

• On QTDs, every patient in every ED will receive a Triage Ribbon and Green Triage Tag.  In most cases, those should be placed by EMS.
• Actually assign every patient a SALT triage category (most will be yellow or green).
• Apply a Triage Ribbon using the Ribbon Kit.
• On QTDs, use GREEN Triage “Drill” Tags that have been distributed around the region.  For the most part, only Medics and Ambulances will have the GREEN Drill Tags, but first responder apparatus can and should apply a ribbon before the Medic arrives.
• Fill out the Triage Tag with actual patient information.  Hospitals will manage HIPAA material when EMS turns the tags over to them.
• DO NOT USE the “live” White Triage Tags for the drill.  Those are only for real world incidents.
• On QTDs, EMS should complete a full runsheet on each patient.
• Future drills will incorporate additional communications tools including OHTrac.

· Training materials for both EMS and hospitals are available at http://gmvemsc.org/training-mcicomm.html, and more information is below.

Starting with the October 18 QTD, Drill, EMS agencies with MARCS radios are asked to communicate with hospitals on EVERY RUN for two periods (a total of four hours out of the 24).

· The first two hour block will be 0800 – 1000 (8 – 10 AM) during the day; the second will be from 2000 – 2200 (8 – 10 PM) during the night.

· During those blocks, every hospital in the geographic area will monitor the MCI Talk Group

· NOTE:  the EMS agency’s location has no impact on this; the question is based solely on the location of the destination hospital.

· During the morning two hour block, EMS crews transporting to HOSPITALS north of Interstate 70 will call using HSR3MCI

· During the evening two hour block, EMS crews transporting to HOSPITALS south of Interstate 70 will call using HSR3MCI Talk Group, except for hospitals in Butler and Warren Counties.

· For all hospitals in Butler and Warren County, use HSR6 MCI Talk Group during the block from 8 PM to 10 PM.

· Each EMS agency calling during those blocks will make brief, MCI-style reports to the hospital over the appropriate Talk Group

· Only items to be covered are number of patients, triage color, and a one or two word description of medical issue, e.g., chest injury

· e.g., “Wayne Hospital, this is  Greenville Medic 591 en route with one Yellow, possible fractured ankle.”

· Avoid transmitting HIPAA protected health information (PHI)

· Any more extensive information or requests for orders, the Medic Crew will call by cell phone or on the hospital’s regular radio channel

· No call will be made on MCI Talk Group if crew workload does not permit.

There may be some confusion about when you will use the MCI Talk Group, so here are a couple of examples.

· Kettering Fire Department is making a removal at 9 AM to Upper Valley Medical Center.  Since the hospital is north of i-70, KFD would call the hospital on HSR3MCI.

· At 9 that night, Sidney is making a removal to Atrium.  Since the hospital is south of i-70, Sidney will call on an MCI Talk Group.  However, since Atrium is in Butler County, Sidney would call using HSR6MCI.

David N. Gerstner

                           MMRS/RMRS/EP Coordinator

                           Department of Fire  I  City of Dayton

                           300 N. Main St.  I  Dayton, Ohio 45402

       Office 937.333.4551  I  Fax 937.333.4561  I  www.daytonohio.gov

       24/7 Pager: 937-227-8705 or E-mail 9372278705@archwireless.net
david.gerstner@daytonohio.gov I  http://DaytonMMRS.org