ASTM F1221-89(2014),Standard Guide for Interagency Information Exchange.
ASTM F1221-89(2014) covers the planning, operations, and evaluation phases of interagency communications as part of a comprehensive EMS system.
ASTM F1221-89(2014) has been developed to address the need to provide for effective information exchange between agencies involved in responding to emergency medical services (EMS ) situations.
Commications in the context of this guide refers to the communications that need to occur (1) prior to the EMS event, (2) during the EMS event, and (3) afer the EMS event. Commications in this guide includes face-to-face communications, telecommunications, and written communications.
Before EMS events, the agencies that need to work closely together in emergency medical situations need to hold face-to-face meetings to develop communication plans that include an interagency communications component. These communication plans need to include written protocols outlining how the emergency response agencies will interface with each other during EMS events.
During the actual event, the agencies need to communicate either directly between emergency units,or through dispatch centers, or face-to-face (for example, communications related to implementin protocols or communications regarding decision making between agencies’senior officials, or combination thereof).After an emergency, there is a need for the agencies to critique the response This may include face-to-face meetings to review the events, written critique reports of the emergency events, and revisions to the written protocols as may be found necessary by review of the events. (See the Rationale in Appendix XI)
3. Terminology
3. 1 Definitions
3.1. 1 citizen access-act of requesting emergency assistance for a specific event.
3.1.2 dispatch-act of sending emergency resources in re- sponse to a specific event.
3.1.3 interagency communication evaluation phase – interagency communications following an EMS incident for evaluation purposes
3.1.4 interagency communication operations phase – interagency communications during an EMS incident for operational purpose
3.1.5 interagency communication planning phase – interagency communications before an EMS incident for planning purposes.
6. Keywords
6. 1 communications; emergency medical services; interagency information exchange.