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Time-Critical Emergencies in Suburban Parks and Outdoor Recreation Spaces.
Alexandra Vaughn1, Matthew J Levy1,2, Jenna Paul-Schultz1
1Department of Emergency Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA.
Cureus
|January 10, 2025
Summary
In suburban parks, 15.4% of emergency medical service (EMS) activations were time-critical, with pediatric trauma and adult medical emergencies being most common. This highlights the need for enhanced EMS readiness in recreational areas.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Emergency Medicine
- Environmental Health
Background:
- Limited data exists on emergency medical service (EMS) activations in local/regional outdoor recreational areas.
- Prior studies focused on national parks, leaving a gap in understanding suburban park emergencies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze EMS activations in suburban parks and recreational areas.
- To characterize time-critical emergencies within these locations.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of EMS activations from Howard County, Maryland parks (Dec 2018-Dec 2022).
- Categorization of patient complaints into medical/traumatic and time-critical/non-time-critical by emergency physician reviewers.
Main Results:
- 396 total EMS activations; 61 (15.4%) were time-critical.
- Most common time-critical calls: cardiac arrest, drug/alcohol issues, altered mental status.
- Pediatric patients (<18) had the most time-critical trauma activations; 40-64 year-olds had most time-critical medical activations.
Conclusions:
- 15.4% of suburban park EMS activations are time-critical, a higher rate than previously reported.
- Pediatric trauma and adult medical emergencies are key concerns in these settings.
- EMS agencies should assess and enhance readiness for time-critical events in parks.
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