HER OBITUARY. A NEW PILOT PROGRAM COULD HELP IOWA’S STRUGGLING RURAL EMS DEPARTMENTS AND AIMS TO SHORTEN THEIR RESPONSE TIMES. WHEN YOU DIAL 911 KCCI CHIEF INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER JAMES STRATTON HAS BEEN INVESTIGATING THE STATEMENT PROBLEMS IN HIS SERIES ESSENTIAL TONIGHT. HE REPORTS ON WHAT SOME STATE LEADERS BELIEVE MAY HELP RURAL EMS DEPARTMENTS SHORTEN THEIR RESPONSE TIMES. CALL IT UBER FOR EMS. AT LEAST THAT’S WHAT THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR CALLS IT. A PILOT PROGRAM PLANS TO GIVE TO EMS PROVIDERS $50,000 EACH TO USE AN APP TO NOTIFY NEARBY FIRST RESPONDERS TO QUICKLY RESPOND TO AN EMERGENCY BEFORE AN AMBULANCE CAN ARRIVE. HOPEFULLY, WE’LL HAVE A COUPLE OF COMMUNITIES THAT CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF TECH KNOLOGY TO REALLY REDUCE THE RESPONSE TIME. IT’S SIMILAR TO A MODEL THAT LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR HAD SEEN WHEN HE DID A TRADE TRIP TO ISRAEL. THAT ISRAELI GROUP, UNITED HATZALAH REDUCED RESPONSE TIMES INJURIES ASYLUM AND PRESENTED ITS MODEL TO THE IOWA ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES LAST SUMMER CAN BE PROACTIVE. KCCI WAS THERE AND SPOKE TO THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR AFTER THE MEETING. AND IT’S SOMETHING THAT’S SUCH A CORE EXPECTATION OF PEOPLE LIVING IN OUR RURAL COMMUNITIES. FOLKS EXPECT IF YOU CALL 911, THAT HELP WILL BE COMING IN QUICKLY. AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MEET THAT EXPECTATION. THOSE INTERESTED IN APPLYING LISTEN TO A WEBINAR MONDAY MORNING. WE ARE LOOKING AT TO PROVIDE IMMEDIATE MEDICAL INTERVENTION DURING THAT KIND OF REALLY CRITICAL WINDOW BETWEEN THE ONSET OF EMERGENCY AND THE ARRIVAL OF TRADITIONAL AMBULANCE ASSISTANCE, ALONG WITH REDUCING RESPONSE TIME. THE PROGRAM PLANS TO ADD MORE VOLUNTEER FIRST RESPONDERS WHO MAY BE NONTRADITIONAL VETERANS, NATIONAL GUARD MEMBERS, LOCAL MEDICAL AND NURSING PROFESSIONALS AND MORE. JUST KIND OF THINK ABOUT THE BIG PLAYERS IN YOUR AREA AND THEY MIGHT BE WILLING TO PARTNER ON THIS EFFORT ALL TO HELP STABILIZE THE SITUATION BEFORE AN AMBULANCE CAN ARRIVE. THAT COULD EXPAND FROM TWO COMMUNITIES TO STATEWIDE. THAT’S SUCCESSFUL AND IT ACTUALLY WORKS IS SOMETHING WE CAN BUILD ON AND EXPAND ACROSS THE STATE AS WELL. AND THAT WAS JAMES STRATTON REPORTING. THOSE APPLYING FOR THE GRANT HAVE TO APPLY BY MAY 1ST AND WILL RECEIVE FUNDING BY JULY 1ST. FIRST RESPONDERS WILL HAVE GO BAGS WITH EMERGENCY MEDICAL SUPPLIES IN THEM. THEY MUST HAVE AN AUTOMATED EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR OR AN AID. ACCORDING TO THE PROGRAM, A $50,000 GRANT WILL HELP TO PAY FOR THOSE GO BAGS. THE TRAINING, THE PERSONAL TIME, THE PERSONNEL TIME AND RECRUITMENT, ITS TECHNICAL AG WILL BE FREE FOR THE FIRST PILOT YEAR. PROVIDERS WI
Advertisement
Uber for EMS, Isreali-modeled program will be tested in Iowa
An Iowa pilot program plans to give two EMS providers $50,000 each to use an app to notify nearby first responders to quickly respond to an emergency before an ambulance can arrive.
James Stratton
Chief Investigative Reporter
Call it Uber for EMS – at least that's what Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg calls it. An Iowa pilot program plans to give two EMS providers $50,000 each to use an app to notify nearby first responders to quickly respond to an emergency before an ambulance can arrive. Providers can now apply for the grant and must match it with $25,000 of their own money. "Hopefully, we'll have a couple of communities that can take advantage of technology to really reduce the response time," Gov. Kim Reynolds told Chief Political Reporter Amanda Rooker in a one-on-one interview last week. "It's similar to a model that the Lt. Governor had seen when he did a trade trip to Israel."That Israeli group, United Hatzalah, reduced response times in Jerusalem and presented its model to the Iowa Association of Counties last summer. In Israel, the program pings an app of a first responder nearby to an emergency, and that person goes to help, riding a moped before an ambulance can arrive. Those interested listened to an informational webinar Monday morning with the Iowa Economic Development Authority, who will be selecting and delivering the grants through the Empower Rural Iowa program. Other webinars will be held through February. A pre-application must be submitted by March 1, and a final application must be submitted by May 1. Local governments, for-profit businesses and nonprofits can all apply."We are looking at to provide immediate medical intervention during that kind of really critical window between the onset of an emergency and the arrival of traditional ambulance assistance," said Lisel Seabert, Rural Community Revitalization Program Manager for the Iowa EDA. Along with reducing response times, the pilot program plans to add more volunteer first responders who could be nontraditional, including veterans, National Guard members, local medical professionals and more. "Just kind of think about the big players in your area and they might be willing to partner in this effort," Seabert said, leading the Monday informational program. "If it's successful, and it actually works, it's something we can build on and expand across the state as well," Reynolds said.First responders will have "go bags" with emergency medical supplies in them and must have an AED, according to the program. The $50,000 grant will help pay for those go bags, training, personnel time and recruitment. The technology will be free for the first pilot year, providers can choose from four different apps.Over the last nine months, KCCI Investigates has uncovered the state's problems with emergency medical services through a series "Essential: Iowa's EMS Emergency." Some of those problems include short staffing, departments closing and people calling 911 only to have no one show up.
DES MOINES, Iowa —
Call it Uber for EMS – at least that's what Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg calls it.
An Iowa pilot program plans to give two EMS providers $50,000 each to use an app to notify nearby first responders to quickly respond to an emergency before an ambulance can arrive. Providers can now apply for the grant and must match it with $25,000 of their own money.
Advertisement
"Hopefully, we'll have a couple of communities that can take advantage of technology to really reduce the response time," Gov. Kim Reynolds told Chief Political Reporter Amanda Rooker in a one-on-one interview last week. "It's similar to a model that the Lt. Governor had seen when he did a trade trip to Israel."
That Israeli group, United Hatzalah, reduced response times in Jerusalem and presented its model to the Iowa Association of Counties last summer. In Israel, the program pings an app of a first responder nearby to an emergency, and that person goes to help, riding a moped before an ambulance can arrive.
Those interested listened to an informational webinar Monday morning with the Iowa Economic Development Authority, who will be selecting and delivering the grants through the Empower Rural Iowa program. Other webinars will be held through February. A pre-application must be submitted by March 1, and a final application must be submitted by May 1. Local governments, for-profit businesses and nonprofits can all apply.
"We are looking at to provide immediate medical intervention during that kind of really critical window between the onset of an emergency and the arrival of traditional ambulance assistance," said Lisel Seabert, Rural Community Revitalization Program Manager for the Iowa EDA.
Along with reducing response times, the pilot program plans to add more volunteer first responders who could be nontraditional, including veterans, National Guard members, local medical professionals and more.
"Just kind of think about the big players in your area and they might be willing to partner in this effort," Seabert said, leading the Monday informational program.
"If it's successful, and it actually works, it's something we can build on and expand across the state as well," Reynolds said.
First responders will have "go bags" with emergency medical supplies in them and must have an AED, according to the program. The $50,000 grant will help pay for those go bags, training, personnel time and recruitment. The technology will be free for the first pilot year, providers can choose from four different apps.
Over the last nine months, KCCI Investigates has uncovered the state's problems with emergency medical services through a series "Essential: Iowa's EMS Emergency." Some of those problems include short staffing, departments closing and people calling 911 only to have no one show up.