CDC Offers Ebola Resources for Emergency Medical Services Systems

Emergency Medical Services (EMS) systems and 9-1-1 public safety answering points (PSAPs) play an important role in the pre-hospital identification, management and transport of suspected or confirmed patients with Ebola. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers resources to help support EMS and PSAP providers in the fight against Ebola:

• Interim Guidance for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems and 9-1-1 Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) for Management of Patients Who Present with Possible Ebola Virus Disease in the United States. This updated guidance further clarifies the minimum personal protective equipment (PPE) levels for EMS personnel and first responders. 

• EMS and Ebola: Field Experience with Transporting Patients. In this Clinical Outreach and Communication Activity (COCA) call, EMS personnel from Emory University Hospital and the University of Nebraska Medical Center described their field experiences transporting patients with suspected or confirmed Ebola. Unique planning considerations for EMS are presented. The COCA call and materials are archived at: http://emergency.cdc.gov/coca/calls/2014/callinfo_121514.asp

Other helpful resources for EMS and PSAP providers include:
• CDC information for U.S. Healthcare Settings
• CDC’s Ebola website