By Art Hsieh
EMS1 Editorial Advisor
This tragic story reinforces the concept of the chain of survival, from incident to definitive care. This chain is as only as strong as its weakest link.
In this case, based solely on what the media piece focused on, it appears that the primary PSAP operator was trying to transfer the call to the responsible EMS provider. It’s not clear what efforts the operator did to try to assist the caller, nor is it clear what the training standards were for the personnel in the primary PSAP center.
It remains to be seen whether the operator was required to be trained to provide pre-arrival medical instructions. It will be also interesting how similar the 911 system standards for its personnel relates to other systems in the area.
However, what the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials’ president states in the video is true: The 911 call center is an integral part of the emergency response system in the community.
Not recognizing that may lead to underfunding, under training and a collapse in the response. 911 centers should review their policies and procedures and strengthen any potential weak link in the chain, so the system can provide an optimal response when seconds count.
Art Hsieh, MA, NREMT-P, is Chief Executive Officer & Education Director of the San Francisco Paramedic Association, a published author of EMS textbooks and a national presenter on clinical and education subjects.