EMS communications: an inside look at New York City

The opportunity to provide effective EMS begins at the point of citizen access, with successive links to emergency response and medical control. This responsibility places much pressure on the communications division of any EMS system. Communications specialists must be acutely aware that each flashing number on the computer screen represents someone in trouble--a person's life. This unique situation is highlighted when, through emergency medical instructions given over the phone to the caller, a life is saved. This type of event has become more common throughout the United States, with most EMS systems implementing proactive protocols for pre-arrival instructions. The strength of an EMS system directly correlates with the effectiveness of its communications center and the professionalism of communications personnel. Unlike other individuals in the EMS system, communications specialists rarely see their patients "in the flesh" and must experience the rewards of accomplishment vicariously through the actions of the crews dispatched. In the same vein, they also share the tragedies and disappointments that are all too often part of an EMS career.