Members of the Advisory Council for the CAFC Emergency Services Registry
On May 27, 2015, at the Annual Leadership Conference in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, the Caribbean Association of Fire Chiefs (CAFC) presented the very first ever CAFC EMS Forum. The focus of the panel discussion was to establish support for the creation of the CAFC EMS Advisory Council. The CAFC Emergency Advisory Council will function in an advisory role for the Caribbean Emergency Services Registry for Emergency Medical Technicians (Basic and Intermediate), Paramedics, Emergency Medical Responders/First Responders and Firefighters.
Additionally, the Advisory Council will serve as the credentialing/testing body for individuals newly or currently trained as Emergency Services providers whether serving the Caribbean in the fire service, rescue, law enforcement, or ambulance services.The three (3) hour session was organized and facilitated by Chief Fire Officer Hezedean Smith (United States/Jamaica), with panelists to include: David Byer, MBBS, DM (Barbados), Gustavo Flores, MD EMT-P (Puerto Rico), Fire Commissioner Errol Mowatt, (Jamaica), Doreen Gumbs Vines, BS, CPM, NRP (St. Martin). Attendees at the forum included Chief Fire Officers, Rescue and EMS personnel from Bermuda, BVI, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, US Virgin Islands, Jamaica, Nevis, St. Kitts, Montserrat, Dominica, Antigua & Barbuda and others.
CFO Smith facilitated the appreciative inquiry during the three-hour session. Dr. Byer presented information on the background of EMS systems and reviewed key components important for EMS agenda in the Caribbean based on the National Highway Transportation Safety Agency. He explained that the Caribbean poses an urban/rural mix with an appreciation for tourism that supports the economy, public/private health care systems that sometimes overlap, various levels of emergency medical services (EMS) personnel serving in different capacities to include, ambulance drivers, firefighters, rescue personnel, ambulance attendants, orderlies in hospitals, etc.
The panel discussed the disconnect across the Caribbean as it relates to access to pre-hospital care and emergency transport to hospitals. The level of care varies from country to country based on the demographics and access to medical care. In some countries, ambulances are not available around the clock or areas that ambulances are not available.
Most importantly, the Caribbean Association of Fire Chiefs has determined that the gap that exists across the region as it relates to credentialing and testing of pre-hospital providers (EMTs, Paramedics, Emergency Medical Responders/First Responders and Firefighters) is huge. Personnel currently possess credentials based on a local training institutions, National Registry (US based), Pre-hospital training (UK model) or training modeled after the Dutch, or otherwise.
By establishing the Caribbean Emergency Services Registry under the direction of the Caribbean Association of Fire Chief’s Emergency Services Advisory Council, individuals across the Caribbean will be registered based on the standards established and agreed upon by committee members representative of the Caribbean region after validation of credentials presented and subsequent testing based on established bylaws. The most significant benefit and objective of the registry would encourage reciprocity from island to island. Members that are currently trained and present substantiating documentation to support their credentials will be automatically to the Registry.
The proposed framework discussed included Credentialing, Medical Direction, Training, Policy Development and Inter-Island Relations. Target population for the Caribbean Registry includes Paramedics, EMTs (Basic and Intermediate), Emergency Medical Responder, Community Responders, Dispatchers, Firefighters). The Caribbean Association of Fire Chiefs will be confirming the establishment of the Emergency Services Advisory Council under the body of CAFC.
Positions that will be appointed by the Board of Directors will include a Chair, Secretary, and Directors (Credentialing, Information/Policy and Training). Information will be forthcoming on registration via the Caribbean Emergency Services Registry (online). Registration will be free and require uploading of credentials in preparation for the 2016 Session in Montego Bay, Jamaica. The CAFC Emergency Services Advisory Council is poised and asking for your contribution as stakeholders in various subcommittees to ensure the successful implementation of this model to support EMS throughout the Caribbean. For more information, please stay in touch with the Caribbean Association of Fire Chiefs.