The T Com mmonwealth off Massa achusettts CHAR RLES D. BAKER R Executive E e Office off Health and Human Service es Departme ent of Pub blic Health h Bureau u of Health Care Sa afety and Quality Office e of Emerrgency Me edical Serrvices 99 Ch hauncy Sttreet, Bosston, MA 0 02111 Governor MARYLOU SUDDERS Secre etary KAR RYN E. POLITO Lieutenant Governor EILEEN M. SULLIVAN Acting Com mmissioner Tel: 617-7 753-7300 www.mass s.gov/dph EMERG GENCY WA AIVER TO: All Lice ensed Ambulaance Servicess FROM: Michael Kass, OEMS Director RE: Weath her Related W Waiver for Transport to Em mergency Shellters DATE: Januarry 26, 2015 Due to the severe wintter storm that is anticipate ed to affect thhe Commonw wealth, and under the auth hority of the Com mmissioner o of the Departm ment of Publiic Health, undder M.G.L. c. 111C, §22, ceertain provisio ons of the Emergency Med dical Services System Regu ulations, 105 CCMR 170.0000, have been suspended through this waiver. The purpo ose of this waaiver is to faciilitate the transportation oof individuals who have co ontacted the 9 911 system on nly to access ttransportatio on to an altern nate destinattion, such as aan American Red Cross (orr similar) sh helter, in resp ponse to the ccurrent weath her conditionns and any po otential for po ower outagess. Term of the Suspensio on: This orderr shall be effe ective: 700 hours, M Monday, Januaary 26, 2015 From: 17 To: 17 700 hours, Th hursday, Janu uary 29, 2015 Effective section: 105 CMR 170.020 0 Definitions “Appropriate Health Care Facility” sshall mean: An emerggency departm ment, either p physically locaated within aan acute care hospital licen nse by the Departme ent pursuant to 105 CMR 1 130.000 to prrovide emergeency servicess, or in a satelllite emergen ncy facility ap pproved by the Departmen nt pursuant to o 130.821, or a shelter, usiing the attach hed criteria, tthat is closest ge eographically or conforms to a Departm ment‐ approveed point of en ntry plan. Condition ns: • Th he suspension of the apprropriate destination requirrements will o only apply to Massachusettts am mbulance serrvices, license ed at any leve el, BLS or ALS,, in EMS Regio been affected d by ons that are b th he severe weaather conditio ons. • Th he suspension does not prreclude ambu ulance servicces affected b by the weatheer conditionss frrom transporrting patientss to the most appropriate setting of care, including acute care hospitals when necessary. The T Com mmonwealth off Massa achusettts CHAR RLES D. BAKER R Governor Executive E e Office off Health and Human Service es Departme ent of Pub blic Health h Bureau u of Health Care Sa afety and Quality Office e of Emerrgency Me edical Serrvices 99 Ch hauncy Sttreet, Bosston, MA 0 02111 MARYLOU SUDDERS Secre etary KAR RYN E. POLITO EILEEN M. SULLIVAN Lieutenant Governor Acting Com mmissioner Tel: 617-7 753-7300 www.mass s.gov/dph he suspension will also be relevant to aany ambulancce service fro m outside of the effected • Th re egions that arre called upon n to assist in ttransportatioon in the affeccted areas. Guideline es for Transpo orting Individ duals to Alterrnative Destin nations: • In ndividuals mu ust not have aan acute chieff complaint thhat could require emergen ncy medical ccare. • In ndividuals mu ust have norm mal mental staatus (or baselline per know wledgeable ob bserver). • Normal (or basseline) vital siigns. must be comp pleted for each individual ttransported to an alternate destination n. • A trip report m • On‐line medica O al control, if aavailable shall be contacteed. • Trransportation n in an ambulance to a she elter will be ppermitted wheen no other m means of trransportation n, such as “chaair vans” are available. • Th he modification of the tran nsport destin nation requireements is sub bject to the ap pproval of thee am mbulance serrvice’s affiliate hospital. • Crews must en nsure that pattients bring any needed m medications w with them. Contact in nformation In the eve ent that you m may need furtther informattion or an upddate on this w waiver, you m may contact th he Massachu usetts Emerge ency Management Agencyy (MEMA) at ((508) 820‐20000 and ask to o speak to onee of the staff m members at ““ESF 8” desk in the Operattions Room, oor dial the ESFF8 number directly at 508‐‐820‐ 1456. You u may also contact Michae el Kass, at [email protected]. Thank you u.