Proposal of EMS of the Central Bohemian region preparedness for managing multiple victim incidents and disasters

This thesis deals with issue of preparedness of EMS Central Bohemia on multiple victims' emergencies. In addition to preparedness of EMS Central Bohemia the thesis also analyses the system of training and education of employees in the management of mass casualty. The theoretical part discusses the legislation on EMS, files from Catalogue of model activities related to this issue, coordination of parts of Integrated Rescue System (IRS) on site of event and role of EMS on-site emergencies. Further, the specifics of EMS Central Bohemia are described, the development of EMS Central Bohemia since its establishment (inception) to the present, organizational structure, mass casualty's emergencies preparedness, EMS dispatch (medical operations center), system of emergency calls management and finally Traumatology plan of EMS Central Bohemia. Aim of the thesis was based on analysis of the current status to propose optimal system of deployment and activation of forces and resources, and to propose system of employees' education and system of testing exercises. Based on research, SWOT analysis was developed (composed) and the results were compared with pre-established hypotheses. From obtained findings the comprehensive overview of forces and resources of EMS Central Bohemia region for mass casualty management was prepared. In particular, the number of available resources on duty, system of backups, modules and containers for mass casualties and their deployment. When evaluating resources for mass casualty management also an economic aspect was taken into consideration, as well as ambulance crews' knowledge on possible use of these resources. Based on this review, it was found that in terms of securing forces and resources, the readiness of EMS Central Bohemia is appropriate. Hereby the hypothesis nr.1, which presumed that EMS Central Bohemia has sufficient number of forces and resources to deal with emergencies with multiple victims has been confirmed. The hypothesis nr.2, which presumed that forces and resources deployment is not ideal, on the contrary has not been confirmed. In this thesis the current status of employees' preparation for mass casualty was also discussed. It was found that the base of this preparation is Course for leading employee of rescue service, organized by Department of crisis preparedness. At the same time the conception is set that after first four pilot courses this education system will be applied to particular areas, thereby should be secured sufficient education of crews of EMS Central Bohemia region in this issue. Other education options were also defined, which are now already available in the organization. The hypothesis nr.3, which presumed that system of preparation and training focused on mass casualty is not appropriate, have thus managed to disprove. However it was found that although a clear conception and education options in this field exist, it's not well known to ordinary employees. One of the conclusions is therefore also a recommendation to managers of EMS Central Bohemia to more inform their employees about these options. One of the goals of this thesis was to suggest a system of learning and testing exercises. This proposal is described in the conclusion the proposed number of testing exercises is at least 4 times a year. The total number of employees of the organization and the number of those who may have the capacity and operational reasons to participate on similar exercises has been taken into consideration here. The education system was found appropriate, only with above mentioned objection regarding to awareness of ordinary employees about it