Marsing Ambulance EMS District is part of a larger system of prehospital care. Continue reading to see how we fit into the bigger picture.

911 Response

Agencies within the State of Idaho are licensed to play specific roles. These include things like interfacility transports, event standbys, deployment on special assignments, and the most common – 911 response. Our partners to the south with MRW are an example of a non-transport 911 entity. MAEMSD is designated with the State as a transport 911 agency.

Medical Protocols and Policies

MAEMSD has it’s own medical director but have chosen to adopt the State of Idaho’s EMS policies and protocols. These guide the care being provided by the EMT’s both on scene and during transport to the hospital. They also cover important critical decisions on where certain patients should be transported. Not all hospitals are the same as far as capability is concerned. Hospitals that have chosen to specialize in certain fields (trauma, stroke, cardiac, etc.) are given special designations. Patients that are experiencing medical or trauma emergencies within these specialty areas must be transported to those specialty centers. We always try to meet the preference of patients for which facility they wish to be transported to, but in certain circumstances, not going to the designated facility could cause a delay in care with serious consequences. SO…If the EMT tells you we NEED to go to XXX facility – trust them, it’s the right thing to do!

ALS Rendezvous

Marsing Ambulance is a Basic Life Support (BLS) entity. What does that mean? We have EMT’s on board our ambulances not Paramedics. While EMTs can do a great many things to provide care for patients while enroute to the hospital, we are limited in the number of medications and procedures that we can do. That’s okay! The majority of patients that we encounter can be appropriately cared for by an EMT. And, we have options for those that need a “higher level of care”. Meeting up with an Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulance staffed with a Paramedic is an option if the EMT determines it’s appropriate. This is accomplished by the EMT requesting an “ALS rendezvous”. Our ALS partners, Canyon County Paramedics, will meet us along the way and their paramedic will climb on board our ambulance.

Use of Air Medical

MAEMSD is a VERY large and remote geography region. The Treasure Valley’s only Level II trauma center is a long ways away via ground ambulance and even more so during heavy traffic times. There are circumstances when the right answer for caring for and transporting a patient calls for requesting a helicopter. Both Air St. Luke’s and LifeFlight Network will respond to our district when requested by the EMT. Helicopters are typically staffed by a Paramedic and a critical care Registered Nurse (the “highest” level of care we can call upon).