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National EMS Week- EMS for Children Day

blankOver 30 Million Children visit Emergency Rooms and Urgent Care Facilities each year from injuries, illnesses and disasters. The U.S. Congress started the Emergency Medical Services for Children Program in 1984 to determine appropriate pediatric medical care and standardized practices in health emergencies. This program provides everything from grants for equipment and supplies, research programs, and specialized training. National Emergency Medical Services for Children Day will happen during EMS week on May 20, 2020. This day was created to bring awareness to this program, offer ideas about what we can do as individuals and families to prepare for emergencies, and highlight the challenges faced by EMS personnel when providing specialized care to pediatric patients. The EMSC’s goal is to maintain the highest standards of care for ill and injured children throughout the U.S. Their success is based on the quality of care children receive in and out of the hospital setting. Research funded by the program gives us new data and knowledge which is translated into updated practices. Funding from the U.S. government goes towards much needed supplies and equipment where it is needed. The improvements made by this organization continually creates better outcomes for patients. The American Academy of Pediatrics is an excellent resource for learning more about EMSC. They have links where you can help volunteer your time or special skills, life support programs including first aid and CPR training, and projects you can do with your kids, like creating kits, such as a family readiness kit! The National Pediatric Readiness Project is a national quality improvement initiative that assesses emergency department readiness for disasters and caring for children. Their next assessment has been postponed till June of 2020 due to the Coronavirus.  And EMSC has a website full of links to their broad focus areas such as trauma, disaster planning, research and pre-hospital care. We rely on our local EMS and hospitals to take the very best care of our children when accidents happen, and it’s good to know there is an organization dedicated to ensuring they receive quality care. We should also be better informed and better prepared for accidents, illnesses and trauma that can happen anytime and anywhere, especially when EMS cannot reach us right away. Reach out to your local EMS to find out if they have programs or need help of any kind. And take some time this day to prepare a plan and a kit for any disaster or accident that could happen in your area.

Sources

  • Ready. “Emergency Family Planning.” Ready Gov. 20 May 2020.


Blog By Blaire CzarnieckiWritten by Blaire Czarniecki
Customer Service Director

Fact checked by Phillip Woods, BA, NREMT-P, FP-C

Blaire attended the University of Tennessee where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Human Ecology- Child and Family Studies. She has been in the Automated External Defibrillator (AED) industry for over eight years and is the Director of Customer Service for Coro Medical. Blaire is also an American Red Cross-certified CPR/AED/First Aid Instructor, highly trained by each manufacturer on their specific AEDs, and knowledgeable regarding ALL State AED regulations and legislation.

“I know that every day I come to work, I am playing a part in saving someone’s life. I am passionate about these devices and am always looking for new and innovative ways to spread awareness and knowledge about Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA). I look forward to the day when everywhere I go, I will see an AED—when SCA will no longer take any lives.”

Last updated May 20, 2020