EMS Agency �Medical Coordination Center (MCC) Communications���John Quiroz, RN, Nurse Manager �Ambulance Services, Central Dispatch Office & Medical Alert Center�Essence Wilson, RN, Sr. Nursing Instructor, Disaster Services

COMMUNICATION BETWEEN FACILITIES DURING AMHE 2025

Presentation Objectives:

• Provide Summary of MCC Exercise Activation

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• Review Methods of Communications

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• Explore Types of Information Gathered and Exchanged

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• Real World Applications

Summary of MCC Activation

• The Medical Alert Center (MAC) was alerted to incident
• Earthquake and subsequent Multi Casualty Incidents
• MAC communicated with EMS Agency Administrator on Duty (AOD)
• AOD decided to lean forward and activate our MCC to support incident (Everbridge Notification System)
• MAC sent incident notifications to EMS alert our Agency, relied heavily on ReddiNet messaging and polls to communicate with our acute care hospitals, prehospital care and healthcare coalition partners
• MCC communicated with hospital partners to assess, coordinate and prioritize resources requested in support of incident
• End all activations with End Exercise messages and complete After Action Debrief

Methods of Communication

• ReddiNet
• HAvBED Poll
• Service Level Poll (Hospital Triage Tag Concept)
• MCI Module
• Messaging Module (one-way, two-way or group comms)
• Resource Request Module
• Assessment Poll Module
• Telephone (landline, fax and satellite back-up)
• VMED-28 Radio
• Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES)
• Email
• Conference Call Software (Microsoft Teams, Zoom)
• Everbridge Notification System

HAvBED

Information Gathered/Exchanged

• HAvBED-Bed availability
• Service Level Poll (Damage Assessment)
• MCI Module to manage patient destinations with paramedic Providers and receiving hospitals.
• ReddiNet Message Module notice of MCC activation, reminders to complete polls, notifications, complete victim list information.
• Resource Request Module to process hospital request for resources (Supplies, Services, Equipment, and Personnel)
• Assessment Polls are ad hoc request for more detailed information (ie)
• How many staffed beds available post surge plan activation

ReddiNet Information

Application of Information

• Obtain Situation Awareness
• Scope of the incident (Isolated, South bay, or County-wide)
• Impacted facilities-Service Level (ID hospitals requiring assistance)
• Identify hospitals with resources to assist others
• Intake Resource Request from healthcare partners
• Prioritize and fulfill Resource Requests
• Maps of facilities, evacuations, fires, floods, smoke plumes.
• Communicate status updates and guidance with hospital partners
• Consider waivers to 9-1-1 Prehospital Care System (ie) patient destinations, transportation guidelines, or activation of Surge Plans (ie) Burn Surg Plan
• Assist with hospital evacuations and patient transfers by providing bed availably (HAvBED) for transfers and provide ambulance transportation resources
• Use information to conduct an After Action Debrief (identify sustainment and improvements)
• Share information with local, state and Federal partners

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Sustain and Improvement

• Sustain
• ReddiNet Effective Communication Method
• Service Level and Assessment Polls
• Resource Request Module intake process and track
• Improvement
• Participant ReddiNet Contact Directory
• Hospital Staff Unaware of HICS Activation and Contact Info

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Closing Comments on Communications:

• Serves as the foundation in responding to exercises and real incidents

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• Rely on redundant technology to communicate, coordinate and fulfil mission objectives

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• Historically communications involved short bursts of one ,two-way voice or text messaging

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• In today’s environment, we rely heavily on communications to exchange data to assess, coordinate disaster response, including resource allocation with hospital, prehospital, state and Federal partners

Thank you!�