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Virginia Beach Department of Emergency Medical Services

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Virginia Beach Department of EMS
JurisdictionCity of Virginia Beach
Total area (sq. miles)310
Dept. typeVolunteer Based
Employees1100+
BLS or ALSALS
Ambulances40
Fly-cars16
ChiefEdward Brazle
Medical directorDr. Stewart Martin, MD
Responses45.899 (2016)
WebsiteOfficial website

The Virginia Beach Department of Emergency Medical Services is the largest volunteer based EMS system in the United States and provides emergency medical services to the residents and visitors of Virginia Beach, Virginia. Since the 1940s Virginia Beach has offered free pre-hospital emergency services through 10 volunteer rescue squads supported by 1,100+ volunteers throughout the city.[1] Virginia beach EMS has also been a leader in a variety of pre-hospital technologies including 12-lead transmission, EZ-IO technology and therapeutic hypothermia, rapid sequence induction, video laryngoscope, end tidal CO2 monitoring, STEMI and Stroke programs and community CPR, among others. These programs and more have contributed to the 36% cardiac arrest survival rate (2012).[2] I

History

Beginning in the 1940s, the need for consistent pre-hospital care became apparent and independent rescue squads began providing coverage to various neighborhoods throughout the city.[3] For example, in 1951 a car accident at 24th and Atlantic left a women without care for more than an hour because the Fire Department's ambulance was out of service and the Army Base Fort Story was reluctant to respond to civilians, promoting the formation of the Princess Anne-Virginia Beach Rescue Squad, Inc. to ensure consistent ambulance coverage for oceanfront residents and visitors.[4]

By 1972, the Emergency Coronary Care Program evolved to provide the first all volunteer Advanced Life Support EMS in the United States. By 1975, 10 independent rescue squads had been established throughout the city each serving their community. But as the call volume increased and technology evolved, the city government recognized the need to centralize the various independent rescue squads and an administrative office was established to oversee all of the rescue squads.[3] In 1984, the City Manager along with the City Council recognized the need for more formal organization and oversight of the individual squads from a medical direction and operations oversight standpoint and created the Emergency Medical Services Division as an independent city agency. The Division of Emergency Medical Services became a full city Department in 1990.[3]

Significant Events

2018 Stop the Bleed Campaign

The City of Virginia Beach Emergency Medical Services (VBEMS) and Sentara are partnering to conduct free "Stop the Bleed" training classes to teach people how to stop uncontrolled bleeding in emergency situations until first responders arrive.[5]

Every second counts when it comes to stopping a bleed. According to the American College of Surgeons, "Civilians need basic training in bleeding control principles so they are able to provide immediate, frontline aid until first responders are able to take over care of an injured person. Due to many situations, there may be a delay between the time of injury and the time a first responder is on the scene. Without civilian intervention in these circumstances, preventable deaths will occur."

2018 PulsePoint Launch

Maintaining the community approach and roots of the Department, the PulsePoint application was launched and the Community Paramedicine program was staffed with a Chief officer to develop the program.[6] PulsePoint is a free app that connects the EMS system with the community and the empowers CPR trained citizens in a crowd sourced app to be alerted about a nearby SCA event and lets them know the location of the closest AED. Once alerted they can start to administer CPR until First Responders arrive. Every second counts when it comes to administering CPR. The PulsePoint application provides citizens with the ability to make those seconds count.

The free partner PulsePoint AED app empowers everyday citizens to precisely geolocate publicly accessible AEDs and adding business and descriptor information along with photos of the AED in context of its environment. [7]

2018 AHA Mission Lifeline Gold Plus Recognition[8]

On May 11, 2018, Virginia Beach EMS received the American Heart Association 2018 Mission: Lifeline GOLD PLUS EMS Recognition Award at the Virginia Heart Attack Coalition (VHAC) State Meeting in Chesterfield, Virginia. Mission: Lifeline EMS Recognition recognizes EMS systems for their role in providing timely treatment for heart attack patients.

2017 EMS Headquarters Building Dedicated[9]

October of 2017 EMS moved into its new Headquarters and Training Center located at 4160 Virginia Beach Boulevard. The two story building was the old Adult Learning Center purchased from the Virginia Beach City Public Schools.

2016 Historic Leadership Changes

February 2016, Edward Brazle was appointed Interim Chief of the department with the retirement of the original manager of the 1970s Emergency Coronary Care Program and Director and Chief of the Department, Bruce W. Edwards. In July 2016, Edward M. Brazle was appointed Chief of the Department. Shortly afterwards, Jason Stroud and Tom Green were appointed Deputy Chiefs of the department. Stroud is currently Deputy Chief of Operations, and Green is currently Deputy Chief of Administration.[10] Bruce Nedelka and Kevin Lipscomb were hired on as Division Chiefs to round out the Senior Leadership team at the end of the year.

2004 Transition From All Volunteer to Volunteer-Based

In 2004, recognizing the ever increasing demand for 24/7 Advanced Life Support and the need for consistent operational oversight, the department hired the first career paramedics and supervisors in the city's history. These 24 paramedics and 4 brigade chiefs began supplementing the volunteers and ensuring minimal staffing was always available.[3] As the city's call volume continued to grow, by 2016 the city expanded the career paramedics and supervisors to include 8 paramedics, 2 captains and 1 brigade chief per shift.

Significant Incidents

2012 Navy Jet Crash

See also: 2012 Virginia Beach F/A-18 crash

On April 6, 2012, a "catastrophic mechanical malfunction" occurred in a Navy F/A-18D fighter jet causing the jet to crash into an apartment building in Virginia Beach.[11] Ultimately 3 buildings were completely destroyed and 2 additional buildings were damaged. Virginia Beach EMS was the responsible for all EMS activities throughout the incident. On duty at the time of the crash were 13 ambulances, 5 paramedic zone cars and 3 supervisors, but the volunteer system enabled 30 ambulances to be staffed with 170 volunteers involved within 1 hour of the initial incident.[1]

Divisions

Virginia Beach EMS maintains an Operations Division and an Administrative Division to support the daily emergency medical operations across the City and its Departments. Chief Edward Brazle serves as the current Chief Operating Officer of the Department.

Operations Division

The Operations Division is responsible for the daily operations department wide, as well as the various Special Operations Teams. Career paramedics primarily staff ALS quick response zone cars, but can staff ambulances when needed. Volunteers may be assigned to ambulances or zone cars depending on their level of certification and the needs of the department that day. Career operations staff are assigned to one of 8 shifts which work 3 days on, 3 days off for 12-hour shifts. Each shift is overseen by a Chief Officer (Brigade Chief or higher) who functions as the Command Duty Officer (CDO), call sign EMS Chief 10 (ECH10), and 2 Captains who supervise half of the city each (EMS-1 and EMS-2). EMS-3 is reserved for volunteers. Deputy Chief Jason Stroud commands the Operations Division.[12][13]

Special Operations

The special operations component of the operation division is primarily staffed by volunteers and functions as an adjunct to general pre-hospital operations. Current Special Operation Teams include the Bike Team, Marine Rescue Team, Search & Rescue Team, SWAT Medic Team, Squad Truck Team, Duty Field Supervisor Team & the Special Response MCI Team.[14]

SWAT Medic Team

The SWAT Medic Team is made up of selected career and volunteer paramedics who support the Virginia Beach Police Department's SWAT Team. SWAT Medics train and respond with their police counterparts and respond to all SWAT calls including high risk search warrants, hostage rescues, sniper attacks and barricaded suspect situations. Team members are required to pass bi-annual physical tests to maintain their status on the team.[15]

Marine Rescue Team

The Marine Rescue Team is responsible for all water related incidents within Virginia Beach. The team maintains 6 boats strategically placed throughout the city, a heavy duty dive truck, 2 quick response vehicles, 2 jet skies and an ATV. Team members qualify as boat crew members, boat coxswains, dive tenders, divers, rescue swimmers and vehicle operators. During the summer months, the team conducts weekend boat patrols on highly traffic waterways and beaches. They are one of seven nationally recognized by the United States Lifesaving Association as an Aquatic Response Team.[16]

Administrative Division

The Administrative Division includes the main office, the EMS Training Center, the office of Continuous Quality Improvement, Human Resources, Oversight and Enforcement, the Departmental Evaluation Program, and the Infection Control and Compliance Program. Deputy Chief Tom Green currently commands this division.[17]

Training Center

The EMS Training Center is co-located within the EMS Headquarters Building at 4160 Virginia Beach Boulevard. The Training Center staff is led by a Brigade Chief, currently Chief Debbie Brennaman and includes three career paramedics assigned to training rotations and three instructor supervisors. The training center holds multiple BLS academies throughout the year as well as BLS & ALS continuing education classes including ACLS, PALS, PHTLS, Difficult Airways, EVOC, CPR, EMS safety and more. The training division is responsible for all emergency medical training within the City.[18]

Programs

Virginia Beach EMS has long sought to be at the forefront of pre-hospital technology. Past and current innovative technologies utilized have included: Rapid Sequence Induction programs for qualified paramedics, therapeutic hypothermia, CPAP, surgical airways, BLS 12-lead EKG acquisition and transmission, Transport ventilators, Video Laryngoscope, EZ-IO drills for intraosseous access, BLS Narcan administration, Electronic EtCO2, Public access defibrillators, Mobile data terminals, Community vaccinations, STEMI programs, Medical friendly shelters, Community CPR classes.[2]

Initiatives such as the STEMI Program have been validated through awards such as the American Heart Association's Bronze Mission Lifeline Award in 2015.[19] Additionally, these programs have been contributed to the VB EMS cardiac arrest survival rate of 36%, which is more than three times national rate of 10.6%.[2][20]

Volunteer Rescue Squads

References

  1. ^ a b "Navy Jet Crash Teaches Providers Many Lessons". www.jems.com. Retrieved 2016-03-11.
  2. ^ a b c "VBEMS Fast Facts". VBEMS. Retrieved 2016-03-24.
  3. ^ a b c d "History of Virginia Beach Emergency Medical Services". VBEMS. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  4. ^ "History | Virginia Beach Volunteer Rescue Squad". www.vbvrs.org. Retrieved 2016-03-24.
  5. ^ "Virginia Beach Emergency Medical Services to Hold "Stop the Bleed" Trainings". www.vbgov.com. City of Virginia Beach. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  6. ^ "Virginia Beach EMS to Launch PulsePoint on July 14". www.vbgov.com. City of Virginia Beach. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  7. ^ "PulsePoint AED - VBEMS". VBEMS. Retrieved 2018-08-12.
  8. ^ "VBEMS wins 2018 Mission: Lifeline Gold Plus Award! - VBEMS". VBEMS. 2018-06-07. Retrieved 2018-08-12.
  9. ^ "VBEMS Dedicates New Building - VBEMS". VBEMS. 2017-11-21. Retrieved 2018-08-12.
  10. ^ "VBEMS Executive Leadership". VBEMS. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  11. ^ "Navy jet has 'catastrophic mechanical malfunction,' hits apartments in Virginia - CNN.com". CNN. Retrieved 2016-03-12.
  12. ^ "VBEMS Executive Leadership". VBEMS. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  13. ^ "VBEMS Executive Leadership". VBEMS. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  14. ^ "VBEMS Speciality Teams". VBEMS. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  15. ^ "VBEMS Speciality Teams". VBEMS. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
  16. ^ "VBEMS Speciality Teams". VBEMS. Retrieved 2016-04-05.
  17. ^ "Support Services :: Official City of Virginia Beach Web Site". www.vbgov.com. Retrieved 2016-03-22.
  18. ^ "Classes and programs for VBEMS Providers". VBEMS. Retrieved 2016-04-03.
  19. ^ "VBEMS Awards". VBEMS. Retrieved 2016-03-24.
  20. ^ "AHA Releases 2015 Heart and Stroke Statistics | Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation". www.sca-aware.org. Retrieved 2016-03-24.
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