The Response by Texas EMS Agencies

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Montgomery County Hospital District (MCHD) EMS – James Campbell indicated that his agency is focusing on the following issues:

• Contingency plans for housing exposed employees – those plans are continuing to evolve. They are in a “white board format” at the moment.
• Nightly zoom meetings with all employees (for those who want to participate). This was an idea from Justin Reed of Cy-Fair Fire Department.
• “Group Me” with command staff and field supervisors for live changes and questions.

Click here for MCHD’s risk exposure process:
EE Exposure Procedure

Colorado County EMS – Michael Furrh shared the following documents:

• CCEMS recommendations: CCEMS COVID 19
• Personnel guidance: CCEMS COVID-19 Guidance for Personnel

Angleton Area Emergency Medical Corps – Jamie Praslicka shared the agency’s response procedure and non transport.

Click here to view its response procedure:
Covid 19 response procedure

Click here to view the known exposure procedure:
AAEMC Known Exposure – FINAL

AAEMC also created a hidden Facebook page to keep employees updated.

MedStar Mobile Healthcare – Matt Zavadsky of MedStar Mobile Healthcare provided the following documents related to their processes:

• MedStar – Handout-COVID-19 v4
• MedStar Supervisor 2019-nCov Screening Process V3
• MedStar Medical Directive – 2003001 – COVID-19 – March Update
• MedStar HCID_nCov Call Take Process V4
• MedStar Donning and Doffing Procedures
• MedStar 2019-nCov Field Process V2

Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Commission (STRAC) – Click here to view STRAC’s latest policies:

• STRAC – Regional No Transport Guideline_COVID-19 Final_3-20-20[1]
• STRAC – Coronavirus Information Pamplet_General Public_3-18-20[2]
• STRAC – SPANISH – Coronavirus Information Pamplet_General Public_3-18-20[1]

Other resources are available at strac.org/coronavirus

Granbury-Hood County EMS – Ricky Reeves of Granbury-Hood County EMS offered the following issues that were on his radar screen:

• Watch ambulances to prevent the loss of personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Review the process of EMS- and paramedic-initiated refusal of patients who don’t meet the need for treatment by directing them away from emergency departments. Some patients may believe that the emergency department is a “direct path” for COVID-19 testing.
• Discussions and steps to watch for the local workforce shortages and strategies to operate with limited staff should they become sick or have family members who are sick. A wellness check at the beginning of a shift for both incoming and outgoing crews will be critical.
• EMS agencies can be carriers into high-risk areas, such as nursing homes. It is critical to review steps to prevent this from happening.

Cy-Fair Fire Department – Justin Reed of Cy-Fair Fire Department shared two documents that they are currently using. The department’s branding has been removed in case your agency needs to use it.

Click here to view the flowchart:
CyFair – Bulletin #20009 – Novel Coronavirus Flowchart 03.11.2020

Click here to view the screening tool:
CyFair – COVID-19 Screening Tool