ASTM F1268-90(2012)

Standard Guide for Establishing and Operating a Public Information, Education, and Relations Program for Emergency Medical Service Systems

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
It is essential to have the public's understanding and support for the EMS system to ensure its proper development and utilization.
This guide encompasses those procedures, considerations, and resources that are necessary for a successful EMS public information, education, and relations program. Complex EMS systems may integrate or augment, or both, this guide in its entirety. Less complex systems may need to collaborate with other EMS organizations and related agencies. Responsibility for this guide will vary by level of authority, that is, state, regional, and local. (See Guide F1086.)
The PIER tasks involve research, planning, production, distribution, and evaluation. Production requires significant resources and expertise and may be done most appropriately at the higher level, such as regional, state, and national levels.
SCOPE
1.1 The purpose of this guide is to provide national voluntary standards and recommendations to effectively provide emergency medical service system information and education to the public.

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 30-Jun-2012
• ICS: 11.160 - First aid
• Technical Committee: F30 - Emergency Medical Services
• Drafting Committee: F30.03 - Organization/Management

Standards Content (Sample)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
Designation: F1268 − 90 (Reapproved 2012)
Standard Guide for
Establishing and Operating a Public Information, Education,
and Relations Program for Emergency Medical Service
Systems
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F1268; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
INTRODUCTION
The Emergency Medical Service (EMS) system exists for only one reason—to serve the public. If
the system is to perform its functions, the public must be aware of it and must use it to the fullest
extent. Because the public is an essential part of the EMS system, every EMS system must support
a public information, education, and relations (PIER) component. However, because other elements
such as categorization, critical care protocols, communications, and provider training require as much
time and energy, plus the fact that most administrators lack orientation to public information
principles, there is a tendency to approach the public information, education, and relations component
in a less organized and scientific way. Consequently, PIER may suffer a lower priority and may
become a random or fragmented activity.
The fact is that people do not readily change their attitudes and behavior unless it is specifically and
immediately demonstrated to them that there is a need to do so. In this day of complex media message
sending, it is often difficult to get the attention of the general public in the first place. To achieve a
successful PIER program, it should be an organized and systematic effort, including:
(1) An assessment of the attitudes, awareness and knowledge about one’s health and access to the
health delivery system;
(2) A determination of the knowledge needs and identifiable components of the general public;
(3) A method for delivery of information that is relevant, accessible, understandable, acceptable,
usable, timely, and cost-effective;
(4) Ensure that, as much as possible, the information is integrated into attitudes and behaviors of
daily living; and
(5) Evaluate PIER objectives to assess whether or not behavioral changes have occurred, with
beneficial effect upon the individual and ultimately society, and adjusting future PIER activities as
indicated.
Education about health matters has to be interesting, enjoyable, uncomplicated, relevant, and have
some evidence of immediate concrete benefit to the individual’s activities. In EMS, some of the
programs are intrinsically appealing: for example, people might readily participate in CPR training as
it represents a dramatic and demonstrable learning process. However, citizens are less enthusiastic
about access information, abuse and misuse messages, or other facts which are to them, less dramatic
and apparently less relevant.
This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F30 on Emergency
Medical Services and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee F30.03 on
Organization/Management.
Current edition approved July 1, 2012. Published August 2012. Originally
approved in 1990. Last previous edition approved in 2008 as F1268 – 90 (2008).
DOI: 10.1520/F1268-90R12.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
F1268 − 90 (2012)
1. Scope 5. Statement of the Problem
1.1 The purpose of this guide is to provide national volun- 5.1 Despite the development and rapid expansion of emer-
tary standards and recommendations to effectively provide gency medical services following the passage of the Highway
emergency medical service system information and education Safety Act of 1966 and the Emergency Medical Services
to the public. System Act of 1973, underutilization and improper utilization
of services still exists in the system. The general public lacks
2. Referenced Documents
information on how to access and use the EMS system
appropriately.
2.1 ASTM Standards:
F1086 Guide for Structures and Responsibilities of Emer-
5.2 The public needs to learn what EMS is and especially
gency Medical Services Systems Organizations
that it is a system, the importance of utilizing EMS, how to
access it, and what to do and not to do until the ambulance and
3. Terminology
therefore the EMS system arrives. If the public knowledge
concerning EMS can be improved, then it is likely that
3.1 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
appropriate utilization of EMS will increase.
3.1.1 demographics—the study of the descriptive character-
istics of the population. They have long been used to divide or
6. Elements of a PIER Program for EMS
segment the population.
6.1 The essential elements of an effective public
3.1.2 external PIER attributes—for the public or user of the
information, education, and relations program include, but are
EMS system.
not limited to:
3.1.3 internal PIER attributes—within the EMS system for
6.1.1 An understanding of EMS system design and opera-
its participants and providers.
tion.
3.1.4 public education—an activity that conveys knowledge
6.1.2 Proper access to the system (9-1-1, telephone, call
or training, or both, in specific skills.
box).
3.1.5 public information—an activity that factually teaches 6.1.3 Self help, for example, CPR, First Aid, Vial of Life,
Medic Alert, and other emergency data devices.
what the EMS system is and how to enter and use it.
6.1.4 Provision for the appropriate and timely release of
3.1.6 public information, education and relations (PIER)
informationonEMSrelatedevents,issues,andpublicrelations
program—the totality of efforts in all three areas. It is ideally
(damage control).
well integrated, unified, focused, with planning and systematic
6.1.5 Evaluation of EMS.
execution.
6.1.5.1 Importance of user and provider input.
3.1.7 public information offıcer—a person who disseminates
6.1.5.2 How to effectively collect and assimilate input.
appropriate and timely facts.
6.1.6 Current health and safety habits as they relate to
3.1.8 public relations—an activity used to foster positive
prevention and reduction of health risks for the public and
public attitudes and enhance trust and credibility about the
providers.
EMS system and its providers.
6.1.7 Provision for recruitment campaigns for career and
volunteer personnel in EMS.
4. Significance and Use
7. Organizational Commitment to and Authority for
4.1 It is essential to have the public’s understanding and
PIER
support for the EMS system to ensure its proper development
and utilization. 7.1 There must be an organizational commitment from the
EMS system (See Fig. 1.)
4.2 This guide encompasses those procedures,
considerations, and resources that are necessary for a success-
ful EMS public information, education, and relations program.
Complex EMS systems may integrate or augment, or both, this
guide in its entirety. Less complex systems may need to
collaborate with other EMS organizations and related agencies.
Responsibility for this guide will vary by level of authority,
that is, state, regional, and local. (See Guide F1086.)
4.3 The PIER tasks involve research, planning, production,
distribution, and evaluation. Production requires significant
resources and expertise and may be done most appropriately at
the higher level, such as regional, state, and national levels.
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
NOTE 1—In order to provide the elements of the PIER program, this
contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM
planning model should be followed.
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
the ASTM website. FIG. 1 PIER Planning Model
F1268 − 90 (2012)
7.2 To have an effective PIER program the chief executive programs of other organizations and institutions (for example,
officer (CEO) must be personally committed to PIER and be AHA, ARC, and so forth).
able to make definitive decisions concerning committment of 9.2.5 Current Public Perceptions and Knowledge—This
organizational resources. This CEO must assign a PIER includes knowledge of existing system structure, capabilities,
director who has access to the CEO. This person may in some andquality,accesstothesystem,selfhelpprograms(CPR,first
small areas also be the CEO. The CEO must be continually aid, and related programs), and current health habits, for
apprised of the progress of the PIER program. example, diet, smoking, exercise, substance abuse, and so
forth, as it is related to prevention and reduction of emergency
7.3 The organization must designate a responsible and
health risks.
committed public information and education person with
9.2.6 Emergency Health Data—This includes morbility/
demonstrated ability, who is accountable for the PIER pro-
mortality from critical care, subgroups of cardiac, trauma,
gram. This person will also provide the mechanism for
poison, drugs, burns, neonate, CNS, behavioral, and other
establishing standard operating procedures for the occurrence
emergency health data that may affect the EMS system. This
of unplanned events, and appropriate training for PIO’s or
includes prehospital, hospital, and rehabilitation data.
others assuming that role. The PIO’s responsibility may
9.2.7 Risk Variables (Possible Public Health Hazards and
include, but not be limited to the news media concerning the
Possible Dangers in Particular Area or System)—These in-
nature and extent of an incident and emergency medical care,
clude insufficient medical facilities, cultural, occupational,
for planned or unplanned events.
criminal, recreational, transportation, system maturity (ALS
versus BLS capabilities), weather, sanitation, disease, and
8. Identify Resources and Funding
geographic considerations (rivers, mountains).
8.1 A successful PIER program must have a source of
9.2.8 Media Resources—These include type (radio, TV,
funding exclusively dedicated to PIER. Funding sources exist
print, public, private), availability, cost, public relations and
at federal, state, and local levels.
marketing firms, and contacts.
9.2.9 Contributory Variables—These include adjoining
8.2 Greater expenditures may be required in areas where
systems/resources, political and financial considerations, type
hard costs such as media space and time, and morbidity and
and effectiveness of EMS management at all levels, and
mortality from medical/trauma emergencies are higher than
applicable regulat
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