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DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
FIRE AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT
March 2001
BULLETIN NO. 54
Memorandum of Understanding: The
District of Columbia Fire and EMS Department
and the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad
In the spirit of cooperation and in an effort to
provide the best possible pre-hospital emergency medical care to the
residents of the District of Columbia, this Memorandum of Understanding
(Memorandum) is entered into by the District of Columbia Fire and
Emergency Medical Services Department (FEMS) and the Bethesda-Chevy Chase
Rescue Squad (BCCRS). The parties agree to abide by the letter and the
spirit of this Memorandum unless and until modified or amended by a
written amendment signed by the FEMS and the BCCRS, or otherwise
superseded by law.
In consideration of the mutual promises and covenants set forth herein,
the sufficiency of which is acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as
follows:
Article I
If a District of Columbia resident calls BCCRS
directly for emergency medical services, BCCRS will immediately notify the
FEMS Communications Supervisor via the direct line, giving all
particulars, which include but are not limited to, type of injury or
illness, level of consciousness, location, age, sex, ETA to incident
location, and any other pertinent clinical information, or specific
requests. BCCRS will dispatch the Basic Life Support (BLS) unit to the
incident. The Basic Life Support Unit shall be capable of using Automatic
External Defibrillators (AEDS). Predicated upon the information received,
and using the District of Columbia medical protocols previously
established, FEMS will make a determination as to the appropriate level of
patient care and may dispatch additional equipment as required by the
District of Columbia emergency medical protocols. In concurrence with the
FEMS Communications Supervisor, BCCRS may dispatch an Advanced Life
Support (ALS) Unit.
The intent of the parties is that calls or other
requests for assistance received and being processed by BCCRS will not be
duplicated with BLS units of FEMS. FEMS may supplement a BCCRS response to
a BLS call by dispatching the nearest Fire Fighting Division (FFD)
company. Nothing in this Memorandum shall be deemed to limit the ability
of the FEMS to make an Advanced Life Support (ALS) response to situations
determined to require ALS.
Article II
In an emergency situation, other than fire
related emergencies, occurring within the BCCRS service area, as defined
below, to which a rescue squad would normally be dispatched and when a
FEMS rescue squad is unavailable within the BCCRS service area, and
further, it is determined by the FEMS Communications Division that BCCRS
is geographically closer than a FEMS rescue squad, then BCCRS may be
requested to respond to the incident. Notwithstanding the foregoing
provisions, FEMS reserves the right to dispatch any apparatus deemed
appropriate by FEMS to any incident in the District of Columbia.
The BCCRS service area is defined as that area
lying within the following boundaries:
5000 block of MacArthur Boulevard, N.W., 2600
block of Foxhall Road, N.W., 2300 block of 44th Street, N.W., 2800 block
of New Mexico Avenue, N.W., 2900 block of Wisconsin Avenue, N. W., 2900
block of 34th Street, N. W., 3100 block of Connecticut Avenue, N. W.,
and Beach Drive in Rock Creek Park northerly to the boundary line of the
District of Columbia with Montgomery County, Maryland.
Article III
It is agreed that calls received directly by
BCCRS for inter-hospital emergency transport or routine nonemergency
transportation from a point of origin within the BCCRS service area shall
be handled by BCCRS in accordance with its established policies, including
notification to FEMS via the direct line.
Article IV
It is further agreed that BCCRS shall continue
its stand-by participation at social/civic activities in the District of
Columbia. BCCRS shall notify FEMS prior to providing such services.
Article V
It is understood that in all matters of incident
command, the ranking member of FEMS on the scene shall be in full command
and any command decisions rendered by said incident commander shall be
complied with. Medical control shall be retained by the first arriving
Emergency Medical Service (EMS) personnel (ambulance or medic unit) unless
subsequently arriving personnel are capable of providing a higher level of
care (i.e., ALS vs. BLS) or unless the first arriving personnel release
care of the patient to subsequently arriving personnel.
During the term of this Memorandum and in order
to be most responsive to patient needs and desires, the parties agree that
each will act so as to cooperate and aid in the rendering of care by the
other party, where such care is administered in accordance with the
provisions of this agreement.
Article VI
The parties agree that each will conduct
operations within the District of Columbia in accordance with the relevant
laws of the District of Columbia.
Article VII
No later than each January 15th, April 15th, July
15th and October 15th, BCCRS shall submit a report to FEMS which specifies
the number of BLS and ALS calls that BCCRS responded to in the BCCRS
service area for the previous quarter.
Article VIII
In order to ensure that the terms and intent of
this Memorandum are efficiently administered and operated, the principals
agree to meet as necessary to resolve any operational difficulties which
may arise and to meet at the end of each year to review the success of
operations under this Memorandum.
Article IX
This agreement shall remain in effect for a
period of one year from the date it is executed by both parties. The
agreement shall automatically renew for additional one-year terms, unless
otherwise modified or terminated.
Article X
This agreement may be terminated, by either party at any time and for
any reason, upon 60 days advance written notice to the other party.
Ronnie Few
Fire/EMS Chief
District of Columbia
Fire and EMS Department
May 1, 2001
Edward G. Shelburne
Chief
Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad
May 10, 2001 |