Ambulance Staging for Emergency Events

Ambulance staging best practices are applicable to the utility industry – since the proper setup of staging areas is a critical element of emergency response plans for utilities, it’s helpful to look at how these are configured in other industries. And a recent commuter train crash in Northern New Jersey highlighted some ambulance staging best practices that can definitely be applied to the utility industry.

Top-5 ambulance staging best practices:

1. Maintain situational awareness – The chaotic nature of an emergency situation can often reduce situational awareness.  Bystanders could enter the staging area, and responders are constantly coming and going, so thoughtful safety practices are key.  These practices include things like wearing brightly colored apparel, using spotters when backing up a vehicle, and not acting until ordered by the staging officer.
2. Prepare for patients – Use the nature of the event to anticipate the likely injuries, and prepare as appropriate.  For example, a train derailment would likely create a lot of head injuries, whereas an explosion would likely create a lot of burn injuries.
3. Establish the traffic pattern immediately – The traffic patterns for entering and exiting the staging area, as well as parking and refueling, need to be established and communicated early on so that all the moving parts can flow in a smooth and seamless fashion.
4. Establish staging area security – Restrict non-responder access, and if necessary employ the use of local law enforcement to establish and maintain a perimeter around the area.
5. Stay with the vehicle – Responders should be in or near their vehicles at all times so they are ready to take action immediately upon notification.

Some other best practices include keeping calm and quiet, avoiding using sirens and red lights within the staging area, and being ready to move on a moment’s notice.  For more details on ambulance staging best practices, and how they are applicable to the utility industry, click here.