REMSA has identified 52 low-acuity, non-emergent, medical calls that are classified as “Omegas”.  Currently, even though an EMS call meets the Omega criteria, both REMSA and Sparks Fire Department (SFD) personnel respond Priority 3 (no lights or sirens).  If REMSA arrives on-scene first, SFD is usually cancelled while still enroute or shortly after arriving on scene.  If SFD is on scene first, the SFD unit must wait until REMSA arrives, and patient care is transferred to REMSA.

Under the MOU, REMSA will no longer automatically respond to EMS calls meeting the Omega criteria.  Ideally, SFD would not respond to these calls either; however SFD units are often dispatched without knowing the nature of the medical call.  If SFD units receive information that the call meets the Omega criteria, they will cancel their response prior to making patient contact.  If SFD units arrive on scene, make patient contact, and confirm the caller meets the Omega criteria, they will disengage by using the SFD Omega release form.

In anticipation of the region-wide implementation of the Omega criteria, SFD developed a specific protocol to address these calls.  This protocol has been reviewed and approved by Dr. Wayne Hardwick, SFD’s medical director.

SFD also developed the “SFD Omega Patient Consent and Release of Liability” form which has been reviewed and approved by the City’s legal department.  This form is available in both English and Spanish versions.

SFD suppression employees have received training on the Omega criteria, Omega response protocols, and use of the release form, and can meet the proposed regional implementation date of July 1, 2016 for the Omega Protocols.

Adoption of the Omega protocols will allow low acuity, non-emergent, EMS calls to be treated through REMSA’s Nurse Health Line rather than dispatching SFD/REMSA units to EMS calls that do not warrant this level of response.  By not dispatching/committing SFD/REMSA to these types of calls, emergency units are available to respond to more critical calls where an ALS response is warranted.

The leadership of SFD supports implementation of the Omega protocols as they are designed to provide people the healthcare resource they need without unnecessarily tying up the ALS resources available in the city.

The MOU is the culmination of numerous meetings between the fire departments of Sparks and Reno, the Truckee Meadows and Sierra Fire Protection Districts, REMSA, and the Washoe County Health Department.

SFD would continue to respond to all 911 calls for medical assistance, including those meeting the Omega criteria.  However, SFD would be the only fire agency doing this, and REMSA will not automatically dispatch ambulances to these calls.  It is anticipated this will result in longer on-scene times for SFD units, and does not make the best use of SFD resources.

I move to approve the Omega MOU, as adopted by District Board of Health on May 2, 2016, allowing implementation of the Omega Protocols within the City of Sparks.