ASTM_F_1221_-_89_2014.pdf

Designation:F122189(Reapproved 2014)Standard Guide forInteragency Information Exchange1This standard is issued under the fixed designation F1221;the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or,in the case of revision,the year of last revision.A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript epsilon()indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.INTRODUCTIONThis guide has been developed to address the need to provide for effective information exchangebetween 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 inthis guide includes face-to-face communications,telecommunications,and written communications.Before EMS events,the agencies that need to work closely together in emergency medical situationsneed to hold face-to-face meetings to develop communication plans that include an interagencycommunications component.These communication plans need to include written protocols outlininghow the emergency response agencies will interface with each other during EMS events.During the actual event,the agencies need to communicate either directly between emergency units,or through dispatch centers,or face-to-face(for example,communications related to implementingprotocols or communications regarding decision making between agencies senior officials,orcombination 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 emergencyevents,and revisions to the written protocols as may be found necessary by review of the events.(Seethe Rationale in Appendix X1.)1.Scope1.1 This guide covers the planning,operations,and evalua-tion phases of interagency communications as part of acomprehensive EMS system.1.2 This is a guide for interagency communications withinan EMS system.Interagency communications involves theEMS responder and support agencies whose primary mission isnot to deliver prehospital emergency medical care.1.3 The primary focus of this guide is to address interagencycommunications necessary for ongoing EMS responses.1.4 The guide also addresses interagency communicationsin any major EMS incident,including man-made or naturaldisasters.1.5 The recommendations for drills/exercises for the evalu-ation of interagency communications during an EMS event arealso incorporated into this guide.1.6 Additional information can be found in Guide F1220and Refs 1-5.21.7 The sections in this guide appear in the followingsequence:SectionIntroductionScope1Referenced Document2Terminology3Significance and Use4Procedure5RationaleAppendix X1Keywords6References1.8 This standard does not purport to address all of thesafety concerns,if any,associated with its use.It is the1This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F30 on EmergencyMedical Services and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee F30.04 onCommunications.Current edition approved June 1,2014.Published June 2014.Originallyapproved in 1989.Last previous edition approved in 2006 as F1221 89(2006).DOI:10.1520/F1221-89R14.2The boldface numbers in parentheses refer to the references at the end of thisguide.Copyright ASTM International,100 Barr Harbor Drive,PO Box C700,West Conshohocken,PA 19428-2959.United States1 responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.2.Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:3F1220 Guide for Emergency Medical Services System(EMSS)Telecommunications3.Terminology3.1 Definitions:3.1.1 citizen accessact of requesting emergency assistancefor a specific event.3.1.2 dispatchact of sending emergency resources in re-sponse to a specific event.3.1.3 interagency communication evaluation phaseinteragency communications following an EMS incident forevaluation purposes.3.1.4 interagency communication operations phaseinteragency communications during an EMS incident foroperational purposes.3.1.5 interagencycommunicationplanningphaseinteragency communications before an EMS incident forplanning purposes.3.1.6 interagency communicationscommunications thattake place between EMS responders and agencies,nonmedicalin nature,that respond in conjunction with emergency medicalservices.3.1.7 intra-agency communicationscommunications thattake place between agencies,medical in nature,within an EMSsystem.3.1.8 ongoing EMS incidentany EMS incident that ismanaged without multiple EMS response units.3.1.9 significant EMS incidentany EMS incident requiringmultiple EMS response units including:multiple-casualtyincidents,man-made or natural disasters.3.1.10 support agencyany agency providing nonmedicalsupport to EMS responders.3.1.11 vehiclesall mod