1-3 ALS INTERCEPTS

Purpose: To assist EMS providers operating at the BLS level in the provision of more advanced care to appropriate patients in a timely fashion’

Indications: The primary responsibility of calling for an ALS intercept lies with the EMS unit currently providing care to the patient. The decision to request ALS intercept may be made either on receiving the initial EMS call or after the provider’s initial evaluation. Conditions which should prompt an early request for ALS intercept include:

1. Acute cardiac arrest
2. Severe respiratory distress or airway compromise
3. Chest pain of suspected cardiac origin
4. Unstable multiple trauma victim
5. Multiple casualty incident where the need for extra resources is anticipated
6. Any unstable or potentially unstable medical patient.

Procedure:

1. Requesting EMS unit contacts Dispatch to determine availability of a unit for timely intercept.
2. Subsequent communications between the ALS and BLS units should be carried out on the basic EMT frequency of 155.340.

Additional Information:

1. For EMS services operating under Brown County EMS protocols, the on-line medical control physician will have the final determination should they feel that a paramedic intercept is warranted. Criteria used to make this determination should include, but not be limited to, patient condition and the logistics of arranging an intercept in a timely fashion. (I.e. the time needed to establish intercept would be approximately equal to or greater than the estimated time of arrival at an emergency department).
2. Brown County Dispatch will perform dual dispatch in areas covered by BLS services in the following situations:
   1. Difficulty breathing
   2. Cardiac Arrest
   3. Severe bleeding
   4. Entrapped victims