This policy will be added to the DOH’s Policy page later this morning but is in effect now.

https://www.health.ny.gov/professionals/ems/policy/policy.htm

Below is the link to the NYS Bureau of EMS Policies page. The policies for 2020 are being updated as needed. Please return to the policies on this page to check for any changes or updates daily.

https://www.health.ny.gov/professionals/ems/policy/policy.htm

Information for Agencies and Providers:

• Please take a minute to review NYS DOH EMS Policy Statement 20-02 which can be found at (https://www.health.ny.gov/professionals/ems/pdf/20-02.pdf) for information on everything from the COVID-19 Assessment and Screening to appropriate PPE for the pre-hospital provider. 
• The May EMS Banquet has been cancelled. No future date has been decided at this time.
• The Midstate June semester Skills and Didactic requirements have been waived for this semester (January through June 2020.)  This does not affect the NYS CME Refresher Program hours, this pertains to regional CME requirements only. 
  • Regional CME Manager simply need to log into the Midstate system and make all of your ALS members good for the semester before June 30, 2020. 
• The Midstate EMS Offices will be manned intermittently.  If there is no answer at the office, please utilize the following contact information (or leave a voice mail on the office line):
  • Dan Broedel, Program Agency Director
    • dan@midstateems.dreamhosters.com
    • (315) 292-3333
  • Melissa Lockwood, Midstate Clinical Coordinator
    • melissa@midstateems.dreamhosters.com
    • (315) 794-4574
  • Tony Salce, EMS Education Course Sponsor
    • anthony@midstateems.dreamhosters.com
  • Bill Perry, Office Administrator 
    • bill@midstateems.dreamhosters.com
• For any agency (first responders, ambulance and police agencies) involved in responding to EMS calls who is having difficulty obtaining PPE supplies should contact their county’s Emergency Manager to request more BEFORE you run out. 
• Please remember:
  •  Both members of the ambulance crew AND the patient should be masked when transporting a patient with any possibility of coronavirus.  
  • When administering nebulized bronchodilators, droplet precautions should be in effect for members of the crew.  
  • Appropriate hand washing is still necessary.  Do not rely on hand sanitizer only throughout the shift. 

Information about EMS Education:

• ALL classes and meetings scheduled to be held at the Midstate Building (14 Foery Dr., Utica) have been cancelled until further notice. 
• The AHA has given a 60-day extension to current CPR, ACLS and PALS cards that are to expire in March and April.
• The Midstate twice monthly Tuesday night CPR classes have been cancelled for the month of April.

PLEASE READ, PRINT and SHARE!!

BLS CPR classes for April held at the Midstate Training Center on April 7 and 21 at 6pm have been canceled. As of now we will resume classes again on May 5, 2020 at 6pm. Please check back here for further updates.

Information for Agencies:

• Please take a minute to review NYS DOH EMS Policy Statement 20-02 which can be found at (https://www.health.ny.gov/professionals/ems/pdf/20-02.pdf) for information on everything from the COVID-19 Assessment and Screening to appropriate PPE for the pre-hospital provider. 
• The NYS DOH BEMSAT has requested that you limit the number of personnel that respond to/enter a scene of a possible COVID-19 patient.  The less people exposed (even while utilizing PPE,) the better.
• For any agency (first responders, ambulance and police agencies) involved in responding to EMS calls who is having difficulty obtaining PPE supplies should contact their county’s Emergency Manager to request what they need. 

Information for Providers:

• Madison and Oneida County E911 centers will dispatch any patient who meets the COVID-19 criteria with the phase, “Utilize Universal Precautions.”  Herkimer County E911 will dispatch the phrase, “Landline for key location.”
• All calls to Resource, ALS and BLS, will be patched through to the receiving hospital for report. (Please do NOT bypass Resource and contact any facility directly.)
• If you require Med Control Orders, please inform Resource BEFORE you are patched through to assure you are able to speak to Med Control in a timely manner. 
• Each regional hospital has requested the following:
  • Community Memorial â€“ Early Notification.  Staff will give direction as to which entrance to utilize based on your report 
  • Little Falls â€“ Early Notification. The entrance will be determined on an individual basis
  • Rome â€“ Early Notification. Utilize the ambulance entrance unless otherwise advised following report
  • St. Luke’s and St. Elizabeth – Early Notification. Utilize the ambulance entrance unless otherwise advised following report.
  • Oneida â€“ Early Notification. Utilize the ambulance entrance unless otherwise advised.

Information about EMS Education:

• All current EMS classes will continue.  Alternative platforms are being developed to meet student needs while following the meeting guidelines put forth by the DOH and CDC. 
• Ride time and clinical as some regional hospital is on hold at the time.  As of this writing, MVHS is still accepting students. 
• No paper tests will be administered until further notice due to COVID-19.  ALL levels (CFR through Paramedic) will be given an opportunity to test via Computer Based Testing (CBT).  A $28 fee will be charged for CBT.

The March Midstate REMAC meeting scheduled for Tuesday March 17 and the Midstate REMSCO meeting scheduled for Tuesday March 24 have both been cancelled.

The NYS DOH BEMSAT has requested that all NYS EMS agencies (transporting and non-transporting) fill out “Statewide EMS Mobilization Survey” in preparation for possible deployment to hotspots throughout the state, to assist with COVID-19 operations. THIS IS THE SAME SURVEY YOU WERE REQUESTED TO COMPLETE LAST WEEK.  THIS SURVEY IS FOR THE TIME FRAME: MARCH 15TH-21ST, 2020.
This survey was emailed to all Director’s listed in our database.  We are requesting that you check your email complete your agencies survey no later than 13:00hrs on Sunday (3/15/20). 
As with the last survey request, ***PLEASE COMPLETE THEY SURVEY EVEN IF YOU DO NOT HAVE PERSONNEL ABLE TO PARTICIPATE***

Please take a few minutes to click the links above pertaining to COVID-19 (aka Coronavirus). One link will take you to the NYS DOH BEMSAT issued Policy Statement on the virus. The other link will bring you to the NYS DOH Information for Providers which contains dozens of links to pertinent information.

Also, when treating/transporting a patient with flu-like symptoms (fever, cough, running nose, body aches, etc.) please remember to protect yourself and prevent the spread of droplets from the patient by having them wear a mask, and yourself as well if needed (don prior to entering the scene!). Local ED’s also request you keep the patient’s masks even upon arrival at the ED. PPE and hand washing are a must. Every call, every time!

Saturday, March 7th from 0800-1300hrs The St Luke’s Campus will only be accessible, when approached from Yorkville, on Champlin Ave. This entrance (across from the Utica College Champlin Ave entrance) will be the ONLY access for ambulances transporting to and from St Luke’s during the above time frame.