Spring 2004 EMS Dispatch Page 2

STAR: Southern Tier Assisted Response

STAR is a program developed to attempt to coordinate resources and response to a major incident. The program is geared toward a weapons of mass destruction incident, but can be activated any time an MCI is declared in the region, or in times when the region is on a heightened level of alert.
The key to quickly notifying all appropriate personnel in the region is an automatic phone dialer system that leaves a recorded message. When the system is fully operational, the system will be able to leave a message at nearly 250 phone numbers per hour. It also has the capability of sending simultaneous e-mail to hundreds of addresses at a time.
Each EMS agency participating in the STAR program receives a STAR manual. This manual outlines how the system works, and how they should respond to each level of alert, whether it be standing by at the station, stocking the vehicles with additional equipment, or actually responding to the incident. It also includes brief, EMS-specific guidelines for dealing with the chemical, biological and radiological agents the CDC reports are most likely to be used in a terrorist attack. Eventually, a manual will be provided to every EMS vehicle in the region.
This program has been developed in collaboration with Chemung County Department of Public Health, Arnot Ogden Medical Center, St. Joseph's Hospital, and Chemung, Schuyler and Steuben County Offices of Emergency Management.
If you have not yet received your STAR manual, contact Cathy Auge at the STREMS Office..

QIPP AWARDS

The Regional Quality Improvement Committee is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2001 annual Quality Improvement Program Participation Awards. These awards are presented to agencies that have attained 75% or better participation ( attending at least three Area QI meetings and submitting at least three agency reports) in the Southern Tier Regional Quality Improvement Program during the year 2003.
The QIPP recipients are:
Addison Ambulance
Bath Ambulance
Cameron Ambulance
Cohocton Ambulance
Erway Ambulance
Community marketplace Fremont Ambulance
Hammondsport Ambulance
Hornell Ambulance
Jasper Ambulance
Pulteney Ambulance
Schuyler Ambulance
Troupsburg Ambulance
Tyrone Ambulance
Wayne Ambulance
Woodhull Ambulance
Arnot-Ogden Medical Center
Corning Hospital
Ira Davenport Hospital
Schuyler Hospital
St. James Mercy Hospital
St. Joseph's Hospital
Chemung County 911
SECTION 3006 of Article 30 states: "...every ambulance service and advanced life support first response service shall establish or participate in a quality improvement program, which shall be an ongoing system to monitor and evaluate the quality and appropriateness of the medical care provided by the ambulance service or advanced life support first response service, and which shall pursue opportunities to improve patient care and to resolve identified problems."
Mark your calendar...
The dedication of the New York State Emergency Medical Service Memorial will take place on Wednesday, May 19, 2004, at 11:00 am at the Empire State Plaza in the City of Albany.

Contact us: at 607-732-2354 or
1-800-343-1311.
Bob - ext. 101   brajsky@strems.org
Melanie - ext. 105   mwood@strems.org
Linda - ext. 104   ljohnson@strems.org
Dr. Huffner - ext. 103   whuffner@strems.org
Judy - ext. 102   jblair@strems.org
Cathy - ext. 105   cauge@strems.org
Office hours are from 8:30AM-4:30PM, M-F.
"You've got mail!"
If you have an e-mail address, you can receive this newsletter and other publications from STREMS delivered to your desk!
Send an e-mail to: strems@stny.rr.com and ask to be put on our mailing list.
You can receive EMS Dispatch, Council agendas and minutes, course announcements, notices of upcoming events. Tell us what you'd like to receive.

ID photos may be taken at the office on the third Tuesday of every month, or by appointment, or by Vanessa at any Defib inservice.

Check our website for more information: www.strems.org
Pediatric Update  Page 1
Gold Stars of Life  Page 3
New videos  Page 3
New DOH Policies  Page 3
Walt Ersly Award  Page 3
Council Update  Page 4