ASTM F1258-95(2014)

Standard Practice for Emergency Medical Dispatch

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
5.1 This practice is intended to promote the use of trained telecommunicators in the role of emergency medical dispatcher. It defines the basic skills and medical knowledge to permit understanding and resolution of the problems that constitute their daily routine. To use trained telecommunicators fully as functioning members of the emergency medical team, it is deemed necessary to upgrade the telecommunicators' training by the addition of the concept of emergency medical dispatch priorities.  
5.2 All agencies or individuals who routinely accept calls for emergency medical assistance from the public and dispatch emergency medical personnel shall have in effect an emergency medical dispatcher program in accordance with this practice. The program shall include medical direction and oversight and an emergency medical dispatch priority reference system.  
5.3 The successful use of the EMD concept depends on the medical community's awareness of the “prearrival” state of EMS affairs and their willingness to provide medical direction in dispatch.  
5.4 This practice may assist in overcoming some of the misconceptions regarding emergency medical dispatching. These include the uncontrollable nature of the caller's hysteria, lack of time of the dispatcher, potential danger and liability to the EMD, lack of recognition of the benefits of dispatch prearrival instructions, and misconceptions that red lights, siren, and maximal response are always necessary.  
5.5 The EMD is the member of the EMS response team with the broadest view of the entire emergency system's current status and capabilities. The EMD has immediate lifesaving capability in converting the caller into an effective first responder. This practice recognizes the EMD's role as including:  
5.5.1 Interrogation techniques,  
5.5.2 Triage decisions,  
5.5.3 Information transmission,  
5.5.4 Telephone medical intervention, and  
5.5.5 Logistics and resource coordination during the event.  
5.6 For the EMD, ...
SCOPE
1.1 This practice covers the definition of responsibilities, knowledge, practices, and organizational support required to implement, perform, and manage effectively the emergency medical dispatch function.  
1.2 This practice is useful for planning and evaluating the training, implementation, and organizational support to satisfy the functional needs of emergency medical dispatching.  
1.3 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 and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 31-May-2014
• ICS: 11.160 - First aid
• ICS: 13.320 - Alarm and warning systems
• Technical Committee: F30 - Emergency Medical Services
• Drafting Committee: F30.04 - Communications

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: F1258 − 95 (Reapproved 2014)
Standard Practice for
1
Emergency Medical Dispatch
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F1258; 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.
1. Scope 3.1.2 emergency medical dispatching—the reception and
management of requests for emergency medical assistance.
1.1 This practice covers the definition of responsibilities,
knowledge, practices, and organizational support required to
3.1.3 emergency medical dispatch priority reference system
implement, perform, and manage effectively the emergency
(EMDPRS)—a medically approved system used by a dispatch
medical dispatch function.
agency to provide aid to medical emergencies that includes:
systematized caller interrogation questions, systematized pre-
1.2 This practice is useful for planning and evaluating the
arrival instructions, and protocols matching the dispatcher’s
training, implementation, and organizational support to satisfy
evaluation of injury or illness severity with vehicle response
the functional needs of emergency medical dispatching.
mode and configuration.
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
3.1.4 medical direction—the management and accountabil-
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
ity for the medical care aspects of an emergency medical
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
dispatch (EMD) program including: the medical monitoring
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
oversight of the training of the EMD personnel; approval and
medical control of the operational emergency medical dispatch
2. Referenced Documents
priority reference system (EMDPRS); evaluation of the medi-
2
2.1 ASTM Standards:
cal care and prearrival instructions rendered by the EMD
F1031 Practice for Training the Emergency Medical Tech-
personnel; direct participation in the EMD system evaluation,
nician (Basic)
quality, assurance, and quality improvement process and
F1381 Guide for Planning and Developing 9-1-1 Enhanced
mechanisms; and, responsibility for the medical decisions and
3
Telephone Systems (Withdrawn 2008)
care rendered by the emergency medical dispatcher and emer-
F1552 Practice for Training Instructor Qualification and
gency medical dispatch program.
Certification Eligibility of Emergency Medical Dispatch-
3.1.5 public safety telecommunicator—an individual trained
ers
to communicate remotely with persons seeking emergency
F1560 Practice for Emergency Medical Dispatch Manage-
assistance and with agencies and individuals providing such
ment
assistance.
3. Terminology
3.1.6 telephone aid—consists of “ad-libbed” telephone in-
3.1 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
structions provided by either trained or untrained dispatchers
3.1.1 emergency medical dispatcher (EMD)—a trained pub- and differs from DLS-based prearrival instructions in that the
lic safety telecommunicator with additional training and spe-
instructions provided to the caller are based on the dispatcher’s
cific emergency medical knowledge essential for the efficient
knowledge or previous training in a procedure or treatment
management of emergency medical communications.
without following a scripted prearrival instruction protocol.
They cannot be medically preapproved since they do not exist
in written form.
1
This practice is under the jurisdiction ofASTM Committee F30 on Emergency
Medical Services and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee F30.04 on
3.1.7 telephone treatment sequence protocols— specific
Communications.
treatment strategies designed in a conversational script format
Current edition approved June 1, 2014. Published June 2014. Originally
approved in 1990. Last previous edition approved in 2006 as F1258 – 95 (2006). that direct the EMD step by step in giving critical prearrival
DOI: 10.1520/F1258-95R14.
instructions such as CPR, Heimlich maneuver, mouth-to-
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
mouth breathing, and childbirth instruction.
contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
3.1.8 vehicle response configuration—thespecificvehicle(s)
the ASTM website.
3 of varied types, capabilities, and numbers responding to render
The last approved version of this historical standard is referenced on
www.astm.org. assistance.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
1
...

This document is not an ASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of an ASTM standard an indication of what changes have been made to the previous version. Because
it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.
Designation: F1258 − 95 (Reapproved 2006) F1258 − 95 (Reapproved 2014)
Standard Practice for
1
Emergency Medical Dispatch
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F1258; 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.
1. Scope
1.1 This practice covers the definition of responsibilities, knowledge, practices, and organizational support required to
implement, perform, and manage effectively the emergency medical dispatch function.
1.2 This practice is useful for planning and evaluating the training, implementation, and organizational support to satisfy the
functional needs of emergency medical dispatching.
1.3 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 and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory
limitations prior to use.
2. Referenced Documents
2
2.1 ASTM Standards:
F1031 Practice for Training the Emergency Medical Technician (Basic)
3
F1381 Guide for Planning and Developing 9-1-1 Enhanced Telephone Systems (Withdrawn 2008)
F1552 Practice for Training Instructor Qualification and Certification Eligibility of Emergency Medical Dispatchers
F1560 Practice for Emergency Medical Dispatch Management
3. Terminology
3.1 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
3.1.1 emergency medical dispatcher (EMD)—a trained public safety telecommunicator with additional training and specific
emergency medical knowledge essential for the efficient management of emergency medical communications.
3.1.2 emergency medical dispatching—the reception and management of requests for emergency medical assistance.
3.1.3 emergency medical dispatch priority reference system (EMDPRS)—a medically approved system used by a dispatch
agency to provide aid to medical emergencies that includes: systematized caller interrogation questions, systematized prearrival
instructions, and protocols matching the dispatcher’s evaluation of injury or illness severity with vehicle response mode and
configuration.
3.1.4 medical direction—the management and accountability for the medical care aspects of an emergency medical dispatch
(EMD) program including: the medical monitoring oversight of the training of the EMD personnel; approval and medical control
of the operational emergency medical dispatch priority reference system (EMDPRS); evaluation of the medical care and prearrival
instructions rendered by the EMD personnel; direct participation in the EMD system evaluation, quality, assurance, and quality
improvement process and mechanisms; and, responsibility for the medical decisions and care rendered by the emergency medical
dispatcher and emergency medical dispatch program.
3.1.5 public safety telecommunicator—an individual trained to communicate remotely with persons seeking emergency
assistance and with agencies and individuals providing such assistance.
3.1.6 telephone aid—consists of “ad-libbed” telephone instructions provided by either trained or untrained dispatchers and
differs from DLS-based prearrival instructions in that the instructions provided to the caller are based on the dispatcher’s
1
This practice 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 March 1, 2006June 1, 2014. Published March 2006June 2014. Originally approved in 1990. Last previous edition approved in 20012006 as
F1258 – 95 (2001).(2006). DOI: 10.1520/F1258-95R06.10.1520/F1258-95R14.
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM Standards
volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on the ASTM website.
3
The last approved version of this historical standard is referenced on www.astm.org.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
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F1258 − 95 (2014)
knowledge or previous training in a procedure or treatment without following a scripted prearrival instruction protocol. They
cannot be medically preapproved since they do not exist in written form.
...