Aaronson's Alert

When an emergency happens, whether fire, accident or medical, you reach for the phone and dial 911. You don’t think of the follow-up details. And frankly, who would? However at a recent meeting I attended in one of District 5’s newest communities, I was asked where a patient would be transported by Fire Rescue in the event of an emergency. As it turns out, the answer is as simple as it is complex.

The fact is that patient transport locations are determined by what is best for each and every individual patient. While all hospital emergency rooms in Palm Beach County are licensed to provide the same level of emergency care, some hospital facilities provide advanced care for specific needs such as cardiac, stroke, trauma, etc.

Patients that meet no specific criteria, are not in a life threatening situation and demonstrate sound mental capacity are transported to a hospital of their choice. Patients with immediate life threatening conditions are transported to the closest facility for stabilization provided they do not require transport to a specialty hospital. Patients that meet specific criteria for specialty hospital care are transported typically to the closest facility capable of providing that specialized care.

For example, patients that are classified as Trauma Alerts are transported to the nearest Trauma Alert facility (Delray Medical Center); Cardiac Alerts are transported to the nearest Cardiac Catheter facility ((Bethesda, Boca Regional or Delray) and so on. Fire Rescue utilizes a Hospital Capabilities Directory to help assist patients in determining transport to a hospital that will best meet their needs.

In 2010 there were 60,000 patient transports provided. It is Fire Rescue’s sincere desire to do whatever is best for their patients using both air and ground transportation modes in an effort to attain that goal. Fire Rescue reviews and updates policies, procedures and patient treatment protocols to meet the changing needs of the community.

The best thing we can do to assist those that assist us in our time of need is to talk with your family, have a plan for emergencies and be as cautious as possible.

In closing, I would like to make a personal observation. We are very fortunate here in Palm Beach County to have such an excellent Fire Rescue Department. Our paramedics and firefighters are the some of the most dedicated people I have met. They stand ready to help us in any emergency. We should be proud of each and every one of them.

As always, I invite your comments on any issue of interest to you.  As your Commissioner, I am here to help you.  You may write me at 301 N. Olive Ave., West Palm Beach, 33401 or call my staff at 276-1310 or toll free at 877-930-2205.  My email address is:  baaronso@pbcgov.org.