As PSAPs in New Jersey make plans to continue to provide service during the COVID-19 outbreak, OETS will attempt to assist by providing links to resources that may be of help.
As PSAPs plan for continuing operations during the present COVID-19 outbreak staffing is a major concern. Along with planning to move operations to other facilities and combining healthy staff one of the first considerations is addressed in the current 9-1-1 regulations under substitute calltakers. Below is an excerpt from the regulations.
For the complete regulations click here.
CHAPTER 24. 9-1-1 EMERGENCY TELEPHONE SYSTEM
17:24-2.2 PSAP: required and recommended staffing
(d) Persons who are not certified as provided in (c) above may be utilized to substitute for a certified call-taker or dispatcher under the following circumstances:
- A certified call-taker or dispatcher is scheduled for duty but unavailable due to illness or an emergency. Substitute call-takers or dispatchers are not to be used for coverage for meal breaks or other routine scheduled breaks; and
2. The person is one who meets the following requirementsi.i. Has successfully completed the U.S. Department of Transportation's "First Responders: Emergency Medical Care Training Course," or "Crash Injury Management for Traffic Law Enforcement Officers" or "EMT Course";
ii. Has a current CPR certification in a program approved by the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services;
iii. Has successfully completed an eight-hour introductory course on the New Jersey 9-1-1 emergency enhanced telecommunications system which has been prepared by the local PSAP and approved by OETS; and
iv. Has successfully completed annual in-service training during each year of service following completion of the introductory course on the New Jersey 9-1-1 emergency enhanced telecommunications system, consisting of an eight-hour program developed by the local PSAP and approved by OETS to address technical developments and improve the provision of 9-1-1 services.
17:24-2.4 PSAP: recordkeeping
(a) Each PSAP shall maintain the following:
- Recordings produced by the logging recorder and all documents or records related to 9-1-1 calls in a secured area for no less than 31 days;
2. A current listing of PSAP call-takers, which indicates the call-takers' certification date, at all times; and
3. A record of each occasion on which a substitute call-taker or dispatcher was utilized, which includes the name of the substitute, the date and time of the substitution, and the reason for the substitution, which shall be retained for one year.
CDC Interim Guidance for EMS Systems and 911 PSAPs for 2019-nCoV in the US
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has published Interim Guidance for EMS Systems and 911 Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) for 2019 Novel Coronavirus in the United States (Interim Guidance). The Interim Guidance can be accessed at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/guidance-for-ems.html. The Federal Interagency Committee on EMS (FICEMS) encourages all EMS and 911 stakeholders to review the Interim Guidance.
The CDC continues to closely monitor an outbreak of respiratory illness caused by 2019-nCoV that was initially detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China. The most up-to-date information can be found at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/
NJ DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Department of Health | Communicable Disease Service | 2019-nCoV (Novel Coronavirus, Wuhan, China)
2019-nCoV (Novel Coronavirus, Wuhan, China)
https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/ncov.shtml
In a joint effort by the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness (NJOHSP), the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management (NJOEM), the New Jersey State Police (NJSP), and the Regional Operations & Intelligence Center (ROIC), a rumor control webpage was established to help the public distinguish between facts and rumors/disinformation regarding the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This site can be found here: https://www.njhomelandsecurity.gov/covid19
COVID-19 Policy Guidance Checklist for EMS Agencies
Version: 4/13/2020
INTRODUCTION:
This checklist represents an ongoing analysis of COVID-19 preparation actions by the Joint Working Group on EMS Communications and Technology which is sponsored by NASEMSO and NPSTC . It is designed to provide guidance to EMS agencies as they plan their response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
MedicAlert Data Available in RapidSOS Portal
We have heard from you that health profile and medical history information are priorities when dealing with COVID-19 related emergencies. Here is a refresher on how information from MedicAlert arrives in RapidSOS Portal.
Wednesday March 25, 2020: NENA Webinar
New questions arise every day about how public safety professionals keep themselves safe while protecting their communities. Register here for NENA's free webinar on March 25th to learn how to best navigate the COVID-19 pandemic.
Friday: RapidSOS Portal Training & Utilization Webinar
RapidSOS Portal is a free solution that delivers caller location and additional data to 9-1-1 during emergencies. Whether you already have RapidSOS Portal, or are new to the tool, register here for our webinar on March 27th to learn more about how to access and utilize this free solution in your center today.
