ASTM F1221-89(2022)

Standard Guide for Interagency Information Exchange

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 This guide has been developed to facilitate communications between agencies involved in the delivery of emergency medical services. This guide is intended to be applied by agencies providing emergency medical services to improve their communications with EMS support agencies. It recommends necessary communication before, during, and after an EMS event.
SCOPE
1.1 This guide covers the planning, operations, and evaluation phases of interagency communications as part of a comprehensive EMS system.  
1.2 This is a guide for interagency communications within an EMS system. Interagency communications involves the EMS responder and support agencies whose primary mission is not  to deliver prehospital emergency medical care.  
1.3 The primary focus of this guide is to address interagency communications necessary for ongoing EMS responses.  
1.4 The guide also addresses interagency communications in any major EMS incident, including man-made or natural disasters.  
1.5 The recommendations for drills/exercises for the evaluation of interagency communications during an EMS event are also incorporated into this guide.  
1.6 Additional information can be found in Guide F1220 and Refs (1-5).2  
1.7 The sections in this guide appear in the following sequence:    
Section  
Introduction  
Scope  
1  
Referenced Documents  
2  
Terminology  
3  
Significance and Use  
4  
Procedure  
5  
Rationale  
Appendix X1  
Keywords  
6  
References  
1.8 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.  
1.9 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 31-Aug-2022
• ICS: 35.200 - Interface and interconnection equipment
• Technical Committee: F30 - Emergency Medical Services
• Drafting Committee: F30.04 - Communications

Relations

• Refers: ASTM F1220-95(2006) - Standard Guide for Emergency Medical Services System (EMSS) Telecommunications
• Effective Date: 01-Mar-2006
• Refers: ASTM F1220-95 - Standard Guide for Emergency Medical Services System (EMSS) Telecommunications
• Effective Date: 01-Jan-2001
• Refers: ASTM F1220-95(2001) - Standard Guide for Emergency Medical Services System (EMSS) Telecommunications
• Effective Date: 01-Jan-2001

Overview

ASTM F1221-89(2022) - Standard Guide for Interagency Information Exchange provides essential guidance to facilitate effective communication between agencies involved in delivering emergency medical services (EMS). Developed by ASTM International, this standard is designed to support EMS agencies and their support partners in exchanging critical information before, during, and after EMS incidents. Its scope encompasses planning, operations, and evaluation phases for both standard EMS events and significant responses such as disasters.

This guide emphasizes structured, consistent information exchange and supports interagency coordination among EMS responders and support agencies-including those whose primary mission is not the direct delivery of prehospital emergency medical care. Adoption of ASTM F1221-89(2022) promotes better preparedness, streamlined operations, and thorough post-event review through interagency communication protocols.

Key Topics

• Phases of Interagency Communications

  • Planning: Establishing communication plans and protocols prior to events
  • Operations: Real-time coordination during EMS incidents
  • Evaluation: Post-incident reviews and assessments

• Communication Methods

  • Face-to-face meetings
  • Telecommunications (telephone, radio, teleconference)
  • Written protocols and documentation

• Mandatory Components

  • Regular coordination and planning processes
  • Annual communication drills and scenario exercises
  • Evaluation and continuous improvement based on after-action reviews

• Roles and Agency Types

  • EMS responders (medical)
  • Support agencies (law enforcement, fire, utilities, public information, etc.)

• Communications in Major Incidents

  • Addressing needs in multi-casualty situations, natural or man-made disasters
  • Contingency planning for diminished communication capability

Applications

The ASTM F1221-89(2022) standard is applied by a broad range of organizations tasked with EMS operations, including:

• EMS Agencies: To build robust plans for interagency information exchange, ensuring rapid and accurate communication across emergencies.
• Support Agencies: Law enforcement, fire departments, public utilities, and other related services benefit by clearly understanding their role in coordinated responses.
• Disaster Management Teams: For large-scale incidents, integrating communication across multiple responders and jurisdictions.
• Public Administration and Health Services: Municipalities, counties, and states rely on this standard to establish, document, and evaluate their EMS communication practices.
• Training and Drills: Helps standardize annual training exercises and drills involving multiple agencies, preparing teams for both routine and extraordinary EMS events.
• Continuous Improvement: Guides the development of post-incident evaluations and updates to communication protocols, ensuring lessons learned are integrated into future practice.

Related Standards

• ASTM F1220 - Guide for Emergency Medical Services System (EMSS) Telecommunications: Provides complementary guidelines on the technical and operational aspects of EMS telecommunications systems.
• Federal Communications Act and National EMS Communications Plans: Referenced in the guide for alignment with broader regulatory and best-practice frameworks.
• Other International and National Guidance: Includes references to Department of Transportation and National Telecommunications and Information Administration publications.

For further information and documentation, ASTM F1221-89(2022) references a range of supporting standards and materials, ensuring comprehensive support for interagency information exchange in emergency medical services.

Keywords: interagency information exchange, emergency medical services, EMS communications, ASTM F1221, interagency coordination, public safety communications, disaster response, EMS protocols, emergency planning, multi-agency drills.

Standards Content (Sample)

This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
Designation: F1221 − 89 (Reapproved 2022)
Standard Guide for
Interagency Information Exchange
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F1221; 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
This guide has been developed to address the need to provide for effective information exchange
between agencies involved in responding to emergency medical services (EMS) situations.
Communications 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) after the EMS event. Communications in
this guide includes face-to-face communications, telecommunications, and written communications.
BeforeEMSevents,theagenciesthatneedtoworkcloselytogetherinemergencymedicalsituations
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.
Duringtheactualevent,theagenciesneedtocommunicateeitherdirectlybetweenemergencyunits,
or through dispatch centers, or face-to-face (for example, communications related to implementing
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 X1.)
1. Scope 1.6 Additional information can be found in Guide F1220
and Refs (1-5).
1.1 This guide covers the planning, operations, and evalua-
tion phases of interagency communications as part of a
1.7 The sections in this guide appear in the following
comprehensive EMS system.
sequence:
Section
1.2 This is a guide for interagency communications within
Introduction
an EMS system. Interagency communications involves the
Scope 1
EMSresponderandsupportagencieswhoseprimarymissionis
Referenced Documents 2
not to deliver prehospital emergency medical care. Terminology 3
Significance and Use 4
1.3 Theprimaryfocusofthisguideistoaddressinteragency
Procedure 5
Rationale Appendix X1
communications necessary for ongoing EMS responses.
Keywords 6
References
1.4 The guide also addresses interagency communications
in any major EMS incident, including man-made or natural
1.8 This standard does not purport to address all of the
disasters.
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
1.5 The recommendations for drills/exercises for the evalu-
priate safety, health, and environmental practices and deter-
ation of interagency communications during an EMS event are
mine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
also incorporated into this guide.
1.9 This international standard was developed in accor-
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-
ization established in the Decision on Principles for the
This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F30 on Emergency
Medical Services and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee F30.04 on
Communications.
Current edition approved Sept. 1, 2022. Published September 2022. Originally
approved in 1989. Last previous edition approved in 2014 as F1221 – 89 (2014). The boldface numbers in parentheses refer to the references at the end of this
DOI: 10.1520/F1221-89R22. guide.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
F1221 − 89 (2022)
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom- 5.1.1 Methods—A plan is needed for the coordination of
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical interagency communication activities during ongoing and sig-
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee. nificant EMS responses.This plan must include alternatives for
events which exceed or overwhelm the systems’ communica-
2. Referenced Documents
tion capability. Contingency plans for diminished system
2.1 ASTM Standards:
capabilities, due to equipment or other failures, should also be
F1220 Guide for Emergency Medical Services System
addressed. The following methods should be used to develop
(EMSS) Telecommunications
the plan:
Meeting notices
3. Terminology
Meeting documentation
Interagency communication agreement documents
3.1 Definitions:
Interagency communication protocols
3.1.1 citizen access—actofrequestingemergencyassistance
Public information documents
for a specific event.
At a minimum one or more of the following communication
3.1.2 dispatch—act of sending emergency resources in re-
processes shall be used annually to develop, review, or amend,
sponse to a specific event.
or combinations thereof, interagency communication docu-
ments and protocols: face-to-face, telephone, or teleconfer-
3.1.3 interagency communication evaluation phase—
ence.
interagency communications following an EMS incident for
5.1.2 Drills—Interagency communication drills shall be
evaluation purposes.
conducted at a minimum of once annually. This drill should be
3.1.4 interagency communication operations phase—
used to evaluate procedures, protocols, communication path
interagency communications during an EMS incident for
availability, grade of service, and communication path activa-
operational purposes.
tion time.The exercise plans shall include performance param-
3.1.5 interagency communication planning phase—
eters that will permit evaluation of interagency
interagency communications before an EMS incident for
communication, procedures, protocols, communication paths,
planning purposes.
and executive times.
3.1.6 interagency communications—communications that
5.2 Interagency Communications Operation Phase:
take place between EMS responders and agencies, nonmedical
5.2.1 Off-Line Communications—Documents developed in
in nature, that respond in conjunction with emergency medical
the planning phase are used for training and on-line reference
services.
to implement operational procedures. Documents shall include
3.1.7 intra-agency communications—communications that
information on agencies such as law enforcement, fire
take place between agencies, medical in nature, within an EMS
protection, public utilities, special response agencies, and
system.
public information. This material sha
...