T

he First National Congress on Childhood

Emergencies, held March 22-24, 1998, in

Washington, DC, was an unprecedented

gathering of leaders and other interested

persons in the emergency medical services for

children (EMSC) field. More than 700 EMSC

grantees, physicians, nurses, emergency medical

technicians, pediatric emergency medicine fellows,

parents, and emergency medical services planners

attended the conference sessions, mingled with

friends and colleagues, and gathered new, innovative information to take back home. Its success

was so apparent that a second National Congress

will be held in the year 2000.

Using the theme, “Kids: The Right Care When

It Counts,” the 1998 National Congress on Childhood Emergencies focused on ways to improve 

pediatric emergency medical care provided by 

prehospital and hospital personnel and children’s

access to emergency care and rehabilitation. Other

issues discussed included injury prevention, 

managed care, pediatric disaster response, and

children with special health care needs.

E

MSC News, the official newsletter of the

EMSC Program, has changed its design,

added new columns and features, and

expanded its focus. The new publisher, the

Emergency Medical Services for Children

(EMSC) National Resource Center, wanted to

update the publication’s look and enhance the

information provided when the Center received

responsibility for the publication under its new

contract with the Maternal and Child Health

Bureau. 

“State of the States: Grantee Update

Corner” is just one of several new columns

each issue will feature. Designed to keep 

readers abreast of the latest findings, products,

news

National Congress on Childhood Emergencies Tops

Expectations; Plans for 2000 Congress Underway

EMSC News Features New Look;

New Publisher

EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES FOR CHILDREN NEWSLETTER VOLUME 11, NO.2, SUMMER 1998

INSIDE THIS

ISSUE

Page 2 

EMSC National

Resource Center

Services

Reorganized

Page 3 

EMSC Grantees

Meeting Recieves

High Ratings

Page 4 

Congratulations to

the ‘98 National

Heroes Award

Winners!

Page 6 

State CHIP

Activities Move

Forward

Page 8 

EMSC Web Site

Transformed

Page 9 

Color Coding

Pediatric 

Emergencies

Page 14 

Nominations for

‘99 National

Heroes Awards

Now Being

Accepted

Day One Highlights: Setting the

Stage for Success

The Congress kicked off with an inspirational video on the EMSC Program. Titled “The

Right People When It Counts,” the five-minute

video depicted the many services provided to

children in an emergency situation (see corresponding article, page 8). The Opening General

Session also featured Keynote Speaker Ann

Brown, chair of the Consumer Product Safety

Commission. Her message was simple and to

the point: everyone has a responsibility to 

protect and care for our children. “We all

play a role in protecting children and we

should never underestimate the power of

involvement,” said Brown. 

(See Congress, page 12)

(See EMSC News, page 7)

Keynote Speaker Ann Brown says, “We should never

underestimate the power of involvement.”
2 EMSC News SUMMER ’98 

EMSC National Resource Center Services Reorganized

October 1, 1997, marked a 

significant change for the EMSC

Program. A new policy within 

the Health Resources and Services

Administration (HRSA) required that

future funding for resource centers

providing technical assistance on

behalf HRSA be managed through 

a contract rather than a grant.

Consequenty, the services formerly

provided by the National EMSC

Resource Alliance (NERA), located 

in Torrance, CA, and the EMSC

National Resource Center, located 

in Washington, DC, have now been

combined and funded through 

one contract. 

After a competitive contract bid

process, the EMSC National Resource

Under the new contract, the

EMSC National Resource Center doubled its scope of work, hired new

staff, and redirected and enhanced

existing staff responsibilities. This

successful transition would not have

been possible without the support of

NERA. In addition to the assistance

and encouragement received, the

EMSC Resource Center would like to

thank NERA for the timely transfer of

EMSC products and databases, and

for publishing two additional issues

of EMSC News. 

Listed below is a contact list for

current employees of the EMSC

National Resource Center. Please clip

and post this information for future

reference. Staff members are available anytime to address readers’

questions and concerns.

Center, based at Children’s National

Medical Center, Washington, DC, was

awarded a five-year contract. Through

this contract the EMSC Resource

Center will help grantees develop

new programs, disseminate EMSCsupported products, promote public

understanding of pediatric issues in

the emergency medical 

services system, and work with professional organizations to advance

pediatric emergency medical care.

(The National EMSC Data Analysis

Resource Center (NEDARC), located

in Salt Lake City, UT, continues 

to provide technical assistance 

with data collection and analysis

through its cooperative agreement

with HRSA.)

EMSC Program Director, MCHB

Jean Athey, PhD

Director, EMSC National Resource Center

Jane Ball, RN, DrPH

Managing Editor

Suzanne Kieffer, MA

Editor

Yael Tamar Lewin

Design

Design Central, Inc.

EMSC News is a publication of the

Emergency Medical Services for Children

(EMSC) Program, a federally funded initiative jointly administered by the Health

Resources and Services Administration’s

Maternal and Child Health Bureau

(MCHB) and the National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration. EMSC News is

published four times a year by the EMSC

National Resource Center, 111 Michigan

Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20010-

2970; 202/884-4927 (phone); 301/650-

8045 (fax); info@emscnrc.com (e-mail);

www.ems-c.org (web). Subscriptions to

EMSC News are free.

EMSC News welcomes articles on people,

programs, and procedures related to

emergency medical services for children.

All manuscripts, artwork, or photography

should be submitted to Suzanne Kieffer

at the EMSC National Resource Center. 

© Copyright 1998 EMSC Program. 

All rights reserved.

news

EMSC National Resource Center

202/884-4927 (voice); 301/650-8045 (fax)

info@emscnrc.com

www.ems-c.org

Ken Allen, BS

Injury Prevention Specialist

619/299-8990 (voice); 619/299-8282 (fax)

kallen@emscnrc.com

Jane Ball, RN, DrPH

Director

301/650-8066; jball@emscnrc.com

Renee Barrett, PhD, MPH

Assistant Director

301/650-8047; rbarrett@emscnrc.com

Pam Benson, MSPA

Senior Public Policy Associate

334/279-3788 (voice)

334/260-3772 (fax); pbenson@emscnrc.com

Mary Davidson

Office Coordinator

301/650-8091; mdavidson@emscnrc.com

Sharon Dukes

Meeting Planner

301/650-8280; sdukes@emscnrc.com

Martin Eichelberger, MD

Medical Director

202/884-2154; meichelberger@safekids.org

Cathy Gotschall, ScD

Research Specialist

301/650-8059; cgotschall@emscnrc.com

Suzanne Kieffer, MA

Communications Director

301/650-8143; skieffer@emscnrc.com

Shulamit Lewin, MHS

State Outreach Coordinator

301/650-8026; slewin@emscnrc.com

Jean Moody-Williams, RN, BSN

Health Care Finance Associate

301/650-8063; jmwilliams@emscnrc.com

Shirley Nahabedian

Senior Administrative Assistant

301/650-8190; snahabedian@emscnrc.com

Wayne Neal, RN, MAT

CSHCN Specialist

301/650-8281; wneal@emscnrc.com

Linda Pierce, MLS

Librarian

301/650-8015; lpierce@emscnrc.com

Crissy Rivers, BA

Public Policy Assistant

301/650-8022; crivers@emscnrc.com

Bob Waddell, BA, BS

EMS Systems Specialist

301/650-8067; bwaddell@emscnrc.com

Ken Williams, MA

National Field Director

301/650-8062; kwilliams@emscnrc.com

EMSC National Resource Center Contact List
••• PUBLIC POLICY NETWORK•••

EMSC News SUMMER ’98 3 PUBLIC POLICY NETWORK 

1998 EMSC Grantee

Meeting Receives 

High Ratings

O

n March 21 and 22, approximately

200 people convened at the

Renaissance Hotel in Washington,

DC for the 11th Annual EMSC

Grantee Meeting. The one-and-a-half

day event served as a preconference 

to the first National Congress on

Childhood Emergencies.

The meeting included Plenary

Sessions on emergency medical services for children (EMSC) data collection and on the important, but controversial issue, designation of facilities for

levels of pediatric care. Conference

evaluations gave the meeting an overall

average score of 4.25 (out of 5.00 possible) for quality and 4.36 for networking

value. The average rating for workshops was 4.20 for quality and 4.40 for

value or relevance of information. The

highest scores went to the workshop on

cultural competency coordinated by the

National Association of Emergency

Medical Technicians’ Linda Honeycutt

and the EMSC National Resource

Center’s Jean Moody-Williams (5.00 for

quality and 4.90 for value or relevance).

The 1999 Annual Grantee Meeting

is tentatively scheduled for the third

week of February. Additional information on the meeting’s dates and location

will be announced in future issues of

EMSC News.

T he 1998 legislative session has

brought forth four emergency

medical services for children

(EMSC) legislative initiatives, three of

which were passed into law, and one

amended emergency medical services

(EMS) initiative.

EMSC Law for Kentucky

On April 1, Kentucky became the

tenth state to pass comprehensive

EMSC legislation when Governor Paul

Patton signed H.B. 249 into law.

The Kentucky law establishes 

the EMSC Act and the EMSC Program

within the Cabinet for Health Services.

The law allows for additional training

of emergency medical services personnel, enhanced data collection efforts

for EMSC, and an EMSC Advisory

Committee. Funding for the law is to

be determined.

Nebraska Sets EMSC

Funding as a Priority

Through the passage of L.B. 1070

Nebraska identified EMSC as a priority

program for funding as part of the new

Nebraska Health Care Trust Fund Act. 

EMSC Legislation Pending in

South Carolina

H.B. 3033—originally

introduced in 1996 and

inactive since—was

referred to the Committee

on Medical, Military,

Public and Municipal

Affairs on March 11.

Introduced by

Representative Jerry

Govan (D-95), the bill

seeks to create the

EMSC Act, establish an EMSC program within the Department of Health

and Environmental Control, and mandate an EMSC Advisory Council.

On March 19, the measure was

reported favorably with amendment to

the House, where it was read for the

third time and referred to the Senate.

The bill was sent on March 24, to the

Committee on Medical Affairs, where

it awaits action. South Carolina’s legislative session adjourns in early June.

Tennessee Bill Awaits

Governor’s Signature

Introduced on January 22 by

Tennessee Representative Mary Pruitt

(D-58), H.B. 2378 requires the Health

Care Facilities Board and the EMS

Board to promulgate minimum regulatory standards to ensure adequacy of

EMSC. An amendment to the initiative ensures appropriate triage, stabilization, and referral of patients.

The bill was passed by the

House on April 1, and by the Senate

on April 29. The measure currently

awaits the Governor’s signature.

Wyoming Amends EMS Rules

Wyoming recently amended its

emergency medical services rules 

to include provisions for pediatricspecific care and equipment.

Recommendations that were adopted

ensure that pediatric medications and

equipment be maintained separately

from adult medications and equipment, that pediatric representation is

included on the State Task Force on

Prehospital Care, and that two hours

of continuing medical education are

devoted to EMSC topics.
4 EMSC News SUMMER ’98 

T he National Congress on

Childhood Emergencies provided the backdrop for this year’s

National Heroes Awards. During a

noon luncheon, five exceptional individuals and one state were recognized

for their outstanding efforts to

improve emergency medical services

for children (EMSC).

The 1998 National Heroes

Awards were divided into five categories: Project Coordinator of the

Year, Excellence in EMSC Research,

EMSC Provider of the Year, EMSC

State Achievement, and EMSC

Lifetime Achievement. Presenting the

1998 awards were Jean Athey, PhD,

EMSC project officer, Maternal and

Child Health Bureau (MCHB); Garry

Criddle, RN, commander USCG/USPHS,

emergency medical services (EMS) 

specialist, National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration (NHTSA); and

Mark Nehring, DMD, MPH, Captain

USPHS, senior program management

officer consultant, MCHB. 

In her opening remarks to the

more than 500 people in attendance,

Athey said, “The EMSC National

Heroes Awards honors individuals

who have dedicated themselves to

transforming the way emergency

medical care is provided to children

throughout the United States. Our

goal is to recognize the contributions

these exceptional people have made

in saving kids’ lives and to create role

models for others in the EMSC field to

emulate.”

MCHB and NHTSA were honored

to present the first National Heroes

Awards to:

Janet Houston of Hanover, NH

Janet Houston has pioneered several educational programs that have

had a significant impact on furthering

emergency medical care for children.

Her “Planning to Avoid Childhood

Emergencies” (PACE) Program, the

“Special Kids Information Program”

(SKIP), and the highly successful

demonstration kit, “Kids Can Make

the Right Call,” are some of the best

EMSC educational tools ever created.

Houston also is credited with developing a very unique and entertaining

pediatric trauma care course, which

she presented to thousands of emergency care professionals throughout

New Hampshire. During the past five

years, she spent more than 30 weekends teaching the course. Houston

was presented with the first of two

EMSC Project Coordinator of the 

Year Awards for making significant

and unparalleled strides in integrating

the needs of children into a state’s

EMS system. 

David Miller of Denver, CO

David Miller is director of the

Colorado EMSC project. He is the

coauthor of “ECHO—Everyone Can

Help Others,” a program to teach people how to manage childhood emergencies until help arrives. He also

played a key role in formulating legislation that institutionalized EMSC in

Colorado. For years Miller devoted his

time and energies to EMSC, making

sure it remained a focal point of the

state’s EMS system. When Colorado

was between grants his efforts only

increased. As a result, Miller was

instrumental in securing additional

MCHB funding for the Colorado EMSC

project through a partnership grant.

Miller’s work with the “EMSC

Interactive Video Disk Program” and

the Inter-mountain Regional EMSC

Coordinating Council (of which he is a

charter member and officer) are just a

few of the additional activities to add

to his long list of successful endeavors.

Miller received the second EMSC

Project Coordinator of the Year Award.

Shireen Atabaki, MD of

Washington, DC 

Shireen Atabaki, MD, is a fellow in

pediatric emergency medicine at

Children’s National Medical Center.

She was selected for the award based

on a blind critique and scoring of all

research abstracts submitted to the

National Congress. A panel of wellrespected researchers chose Atabaki’s

abstract, “A Prospective Study of

Congratulations to the 1998 EMSC National Heroes Award Winners!
EMSC News SUMMER ’98 5

Pediatric Closed Head Injuries: Can

Clinical Signs Predict Computed

Tomography Findings.” Atabaki has

two additional research projects in

process, and is the author of several

publications and numerous book

chapters. She was presented with the

Excellence in EMSC Research Award.

The award recognizes an individual

(who is just beginning a research

career in pediatric emergency medicine) for his or her outstanding

achievements in conducting and analyzing significant EMSC research.

Lt. Eddy Ballester Jr.,

NREMTP of Miami, FL

Lt. Eddy Ballester has been a

member of the Miami-Dade Fire

Rescue Department for 11 years. 

He served in the Rescue Training

Bureau and Public Education Bureau

for five years before returning as a

fire rescue lieutenant in 1992. He

holds instructor ratings in most of

the life support courses used by EMS

and hospital-based care providers in

south Florida. Active in community

education and outreach programs,

Ballester has been recognized by

numerous local agencies and organizations for his dedication to public

education, injury and illness prevention, and children’s issues. Ballester

was presented with the EMSC

Provider of the Year Award for

achieving the highest level of care for

children within a community.

The State of Utah

Since Utah received its first EMSC

grant in 1991, it has become a model

for comprehensive pediatric emergency medical care, and has fostered

EMSC system development and cooperation throughout the Rocky

Mountain states. Utah was the first

state to achieve state legislation establishing an EMSC office, using funding

through public and private partnerships. It established the National

EMSC Data Analysis Resource Center,

and is the only state to receive every

category of EMSC funding for which it

was eligible, including demonstration,

enhancement, targeted issue, partnership, continuing education, and

research grants. The state of Utah 

was presented with the EMSC State

Achievement Award. This award 

honors the EMSC State Project Team 

(J. Michael Dean, Jan Buttrey, Lisa

Carlson, Breck Rushton, and Gerry

VanOrman) for their significant

statewide impact, plus major regional

influence on the advancement of pediatric emergency care.

Calvin Sia, MD of Honolulu, HI

Calvin Sia, MD, has devoted much

of his life to advancing emergency

medical care for children. He laid the

groundwork for the EMSC Program in

the late 1970s when, as president of

the Hawaii Medical Association, he

urged members of the American

Academy of Pediatrics to develop multifaceted EMS programs that would

decrease disability and death in 

children. Sia worked with U.S.

Senators Daniel Inouye, Orrin Hatch,

and Lowell Weicker to generate 

legislation for an initiative on pediatric emergency medical services 

for children, which passed in 1984.

Emergency care providers recognize

him as the pre-eminent visionary

whose work sparked a movement 

that changed the care provided to

children in this country. Sia was 

presented with the EMSC Lifetime

Achievement Award. 
6 EMSC News SUMMER ’98 

T he Balanced Budget Act of 1997

included a child health block

grant that offered states $20.3

billion in new federal funding over the

next five years. The purpose of the

grant is to enable states to initiate and

expand child health assistance to

uninsured, low-income children.

Over the past six months, states

have worked aggressively to set up

rules for the program, develop plans

for covering uninsured children, and

approve and implement those plans.

Thus far, eight states have approved

plans to cover more than one million

children. For several states (e.g.,

Alabama and Illinois), this is the first

phase of their expansion with even

more children expected to be covered

in the future. Another 15 states have

submitted their Child Health Plans 

for approval. 

Important Roles for EMSC

Program Participants

Access - Assuring access to quality emergency medical services is

essential. The Balanced Budget Act

requires each state to develop a plan

to assure access to covered services,

including emergency services.

Emergency Medical Services for

Children (EMSC) Program participants should work to assure that plans

include provisions for easy access to

care without unnecessary financial or

procedural barriers. Prior authorization for emergency medical services

should be discouraged. Children also

should have access to needed pediatric subspecialty care. 

Outreach - There is an important

role for EMSC Program participants in

outreach. States have been provided

funding for extensive outreach activities. Many children that enter the

emergency medical services (EMS)

system are uninsured. EMS providers

and emergency department staff can

serve a critical role in assisting children in obtaining health care.

Benefits Packages - Injury prevention activities should be encouraged as a covered benefit. EMSC

Program participants can develop

partnerships with health plans to

develop effective injury prevention

programs.

The EMSC National Resource

Center has packets available with

information on CHIP contacts for each

state, useful web sites, model contract

language, and state-specific implementation plans. For more information,

contact Jean Moody-Williams at (301)

650-8063, phone; (301) 650-8045, fax;

or jmwilliams@emscnrc.com, e-mail.

L

ocated in Alexandria, VA, the

Emergency Medical Services for

Children (EMSC) Clearinghouse

is the repository and distributor for

products created by EMSC grantees,

the EMSC National Resource Center,

the National EMSC Resource

Alliance, and the National EMSC

Data Analysis Resource Center. The

Clearinghouse also maintains a database of EMSC-related products not

supported by the EMSC Program. A

current listing of EMSC-supported

products is available for download

on the EMSC web site (www.ems-c.org).

Single copies of most products are

free. A minimum fee will be assessed

for multiple copies of a single item,

for a copy of an archived product, or

for a video. 

Currently, the most popular

requests at the Clearinghouse are

for the Child and Adolescent

Emergency Department Visit

Databook, Teaching Resource for

Instructors in Prehospital

Pediatrics (TRIPP) CD-ROM, and

the Rainbow Series—a collection of

resources on coalition building, family-centered care, funding, injury

prevention, managed care, public

policy, and media relations.

To request a product, contact

the EMSC Clearinghouse hotline at

(703) 902-1203. Be prepared to provide the four-digit product ID number, your name and title, the name

of your organization, and its address

and telephone number. Requests can

be made by e-mail, emsc@circsol.com;

State Child Health Insurance Program (CHIP)

Activities Move Forward 

fax, (703) 821-2098; or mail, EMSC

Clearinghouse, 2070 Chain Bridge

Road, Suite 450, Vienna, VA 22182-

2536.

For recommendations about the

best EMSC product(s) for your project, please contact Linda Pierce,

EMSC librarian, at (301) 650-8015;

lpierce@emscnrc.com.

What Is the EMSC Clearinghouse?
EMSC SYSTEMS SCOOP

EMSC News SUMMER ’98 7

Welcome to EMSC Systems

Scoop, a column to address

readers’ questions and concerns about establishing and maintaining an effective emergency medical services for children (EMSC) project. Whether integrating pediatric

elements into an emergency medical

services (EMS) system, improving current clinical or educational methods,

developing an updated pediatric protocol set, determining how to best

handle a sensitive administrative

issue, or simply trying to be a model

EMSC project, the EMSC Systems

Scoop column can help. Appearing in

each issue of EMSC News, this column will address one or more critical

issues challenging EMSC grantees,

friends, and colleagues trying to integrate the needs of children into current EMS systems.

Who Selects the Issue(s)?

The EMSC National Resource

Center’s systems team (see EMSC

Contact List, page 2) selects the

issue(s) to be addressed in each

EMSC News. Hundreds of questions

and calls for assistance are directed to

the EMSC systems team each month.

Team members provide expert technical assistance to help the EMSC community successfully address an issue.

Those issues having the widest impact

will be discussed in this column. 

Summer Issue: What is the

EMSC Systems Team and

How Can It Help?

Many readers have already

received assistance from an EMSC

systems team member. For those who

haven’t, the team is a collaborative

effort of many different professionals

specializing in everything from illness

and injury prevention through rehabilitation and reintegration into the

community. The types of issues

addressed by the systems team

include, but are not limited to: 

• bystander care 

• children with special health

care needs 

• cultural awareness and 

competencies 

• data collection

• disaster response 

• dispatch 

• education and training 

• equipment 

• family-centered care 

• facility designation 

• injury prevention 

• medical direction 

• needs assessment 

• primary care provider 

preparedness 

• rehabilitation 

• research 

• school emergencies 

• triage and transfer guidelines

When explaining how the team

can help, Systems Team Leader Bob

Waddell often says: “The systems

team is here to assist with infrastructure and methodologies as they 

relate to children. Integration,

Improvement, Development,

Evaluation, Administration, and

Systems are but a few of the resources

the EMSC systems team has available.

Double “ii - d - e - a - s” like Tigger—

the “T - i - g - g - e - r” character 

from the Winnie the Pooh series—

the EMSC National Resource Center

systems team is the stealthy, ever-present friend ready to pounce when

assistance is needed.” 

programs, and special events, this column is devoted strictly to information

on EMSC grantees. Each EMSC project director will receive a postcard

soliciting stories for the next issue. All

grantees are encouraged to submit

updates on their projects. 

In addition, each EMSC News

will feature the following columns:

“Public Policy Network,” “EMSC

Systems Scoop,” “What’s New? An

EMSC Product Update,” “Latest

Library Additions,” and “Important

Dates to Remember.” The Resource

Center appreciates feedback on the

newsletter’s content. Please direct

your comments to Suzanne Kieffer,

EMSC News managing editor, EMSC

National Resource Center, 111

Michigan Avenue, NW, Washington,

DC 20010-2970; 202/884-4927

(phone); 301/650-8045 (fax); 

skieffer@emscnrc.com (e-mail). 

EMSC News will continue to be

published four times a year. Articles

on people, programs, and procedures

related to emergency medical services

for children are welcomed. All manuscripts, artwork, and photography

should be submitted to Kieffer.

Individuals and organizations

that would benefit from and/or are in

the position to contribute to the

EMSC Program’s goals and objectives

may receive one free subscription to

EMSC News. To be added to the publication’s subscription list, please call

the EMSC National Resource Center

at (202) 884-4927 or e-mail your

request to info@emscnrc.com.

•••EMSC S EMSC News (from page 1) •••EMSC SYSTEMS YSTEMS SCOOP COOP••• •••

EMSC
8 EMSC News SUMMER ’98 

T

he new and expanded

Emergency Medical Services for

Children (EMSC) web site combines colorful graphics with the latest

information available on pediatric

emergency medical care. The web site

made its debut on March 22, 1998,

during the National Congress on

Childhood Emergencies where more

than 600 attendees had the opportunity to surf its pages. To view the web

site, please bookmark www.ems-c.org.

The previous site located at

www.emsc.com/nera/index.htm is 

no longer accessible.

Along with the new address,

there are new resources and features

that can be accessed directly from

any personal computer with Internet

access. The site includes more than

500 pages, which are divided into 12

sections:

• About EMSC

• What’s New?

• Contact Us

• Discussion Groups

• EMSC Publications and Products

• Funding Opportunities

• National and State Activities

• Public Policy and Managed Care

• Data Collection and Research

• Essential EMSC Components

• Special Events and Activities

• Family Information

Although many new and different

documents are available, the section

Discussion Groups is drawing significant attention. This section encourages the exchange of ideas and opinions on the latest issues and topics

affecting EMSC. 

Currently, the web site receives

anywhere between 200 and 400 visits

per week. The most popular sections

(those most requested by visitors)

include EMSC Publications and

Products, Funding Opportunities, and

About EMSC.

“What will be most beneficial to

the EMSC community is the ability to

download many of the documents that

were previously available only by

mail,” said Jane Ball, RN, DrPH, EMSC

National Resource Center director.

“We hope to increase this capability in

the near future.” Currently, many of

the most requested documents and

publications are downloadable Word

Perfect or pdf files.

The site is updated weekly so visitors are encouraged to return to it

often for the latest news and information. Consider it the one-stop shopping for the pediatric emergency medical community.

The EMSC National Resource

Center is managing the site and

encourages feedback. Please direct

your comments to Suzanne Kieffer,

director of communications, at skieffer@emscnrc.com (e-mail) or Linda

Pierce, librarian and web site coordinator, at lpierce@emscnrc.com (e-mail).

EMSC Web Site Transformed: New Address, 

Easy to Use, Visit It Today!

“EMSC: The Right People

When It Counts” 

Video Shown at Congress

Now Available 

Released during the 1998

National Congress on

Childhood Emergencies,

“EMSC: The Right People When It

Counts” is a touching and inspirational video ideal for educational and

community awareness activities. The

five-minute video provides an up-close

and personal look at the people who

provide pediatric emergency medical

care. It features paramedics, flight

medics, pediatricians, nurses, physical

therapists, and social workers delivering care, as well as testimonials from

parents, system dispatchers, state

emergency medical services directors,

bystanders, school nurses, and other

health care providers.

The video goes on to explain how

emergency medical services for children (EMSC) extends beyond emergency response and rescue to prevention, emergency preparedness, and

rehabilitation, as well as disaster 

management. 

VHS copies of the video are 

now available through the EMSC

Clearinghouse. The cost per video 

is $15. To order, contact the

Clearinghouse hotline at (703) 902-

1203 and ask for product number 707.

Orders also can be processed by e-mail,

emsc@circsol.com; by fax, (703) 821-

2098; or by mail, EMSC Clearinghouse,

2070 Chain Bridge Road, Suite 450,

Vienna, VA 22182-2536.

www.ems-c.org
EMSC PRODUCT UPDATE

EMSC News SUMMER ’98 9

Child and Adolescent

Emergency Department Visit

Databook (139pp.) 

by: Weiss, H. B.; Mathers, L.J.; Forjuoh,

S.N.; and Kinnane, J.M. (1997)

This databook is a compilation of

highlights and detailed findings from

the 1992-1994 National Center for

Health Statistics National Hospital

Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. It

provides statistics on the incidence

and characteristics of and payments

for emergency department visits by

children (ages newborn to 20 years) in

the U.S. between 1992 and 1994.

The results are displayed in table format and are accompanied by the survey’s abstract, executive summary,

purpose statement, overview, and

methodology. The publication is

located on the Web at www.

cvic.edu/childed and can be downloaded. To obtain a complimentary

print copy, contact the EMSC

Clearinghouse hotline at (703) 902-

1203 and ask for product number 627.

Children with Special Health

Care Needs: TechnologyAssisted Children (46pp.)

by: Rushton, D. Breck and Witte,

Madolin (1998)

This book combines excellent

graphics with written objectives and

guidelines for prehospital personnel

caring for children with special health

care needs, specifically technologyassisted children (TAC). The book

outlines objectives and procedures for

assessment and management of TAC

children. It covers airways, breathing,

circulation assessment, and interventions with special attention to tracheotomies, mechanical ventilators,

WHAT’S NEW? An EMSC Product Update An EMSC Product Update

central intravenous catheters, feeding

tubes, cerebrospinal shunts, and artificial pacemakers. To obtain a copy of

this publication, contact the EMSC

Clearinghouse hotline at (703) 902-

1203 and ask for product number 700.

National Congress on Childhood

Emergencies: Syllabus 

by: EMSC National Resource Center

(1998) 

This syllabus contains more than

210 pages of concurrent educational

session abstracts, outlines, handouts,

and cheat sheets presented during the

1998 National Congress on Childhood

Emergencies. The publication is a must

have for anyone who missed the

Congress but wants to stay informed

on EMSC happenings. To obtain a copy

of this publication, contact the EMSC

Clearinghouse hotline at (703) 902-

1203 and ask for product number 628.

TRIPP – Teaching Resource

For Instructors in Prehospital

Pediatrics 

by: Center for Pediatric Emergency

Medicine (1998 – version 2.0)

This CD-ROM is an “encyclopedia

of prehospital pediatric knowledge.” It

contains a multitude of didactic and

clinical information—from educational

methodologies to teaching skills,

patient assessment to children with

special health care needs, as well as

injury prevention. The content of the

CD-ROM is located on the Web at

www.opem.org and can be downloaded.

To obtain a copy of the CD-ROM, contact the EMSC Clearinghouse hotline at

(703) 902-1203 and ask for product

number 626.

••• •••

(See Color Coding, page 15)

Color Coding Pediatric

Emergencies: An Update on

the Current Status

O n Wednesday, June 3, 1998, the

Maternal and Child Health

Bureau (MCHB), in conjunction

with the Emergency Medical Services

for Children (EMSC) National Resource

Center, sponsored the Color Coding 

of Pediatric Emergencies Meeting to

investigate the potential of color coding children into a universal health

care system.

More than 20 experts, specialist,

and interested pediatric health care

professionals from across the United

States were invited to attend the

meeting, held at the EMSC National

Resource Center in Silver Spring, MD.

These individuals represented local,

state, and federal government agencies, including the Food and Drug

Administration (FDA) and the

Department of Defense (DOD); professional and private organizations; and

numerous health care facilities. 

Karen Frush, MD, director of pediatric emergency medicine at Duke

University Medical School, chaired the

meeting. Discussions began with a historical perspective of the color coding

system, its current status, and some of

the possibilities for the future. The

liveliest aspect of the day was during

the brain storming session, which

focused on possible uses for a universal color-coded system. Many of the

ideas spurred other thoughts or ideas

to the point of one general agreement:

“This system could get out of control,

very easily!” Progress can only be

accomplished if research, testing, and

development of quality tools validates

the system. Maintaining the highest of

standards is a must.

One major concern was whether 

a federal agency should promote a 
S

R

10 EMSC News SUMMER ’98 

EMTs to participate in these activities, the EMSC Prevention

Subcommittee developed a

one-day workshop that 

provides EMTs with the

knowledge and skills to

teach injury prevention

skills to children in

their local communities. 

The workshop consists of lectures on

injury prevention, methods for teaching children,

strategies for community

organizing, and an orientation

to the National Safe Kids Gear

Up Games. The Committee determined that the Gear Up Games presented a complete package that EMTs

could implement successfully.

The Committee gratefully

acknowledges the assistance from the

New Mexico EMSC program. Portions

of the New Mexico Injury Prevention

Curriculum were incorporated into

this workshop. Also, Connecticut’s

EMSC program gratefully acknowledges the support from the

Connecticut Safe Kids Coalition.

For further information, contact

Cheryl Mayeran at (860) 509-7978 or 

e-mail: Cheryl.Mayeran@po.state.ct.us.

Kansas 

Andrew Shank, EMSC educator

for the Kansas EMSC project, reports

on his program’s education goals.

According to Shank, “Our first goal is

to conduct basic and advanced pediatric emergency care train-the-trainer

courses. The hope is to better meet

the region’s needs by preparing

instructors who can go out to the

areas of the state where the need

exists. There are many underserved

rural areas in Kansas. Our advanced

course will be a pediatric advanced

life support (PALS) Plus type program.

We are applying to become an

American Heart Association (AHA)

PALS Community Training Center

with the goal of being a stable and

continuous resource. The first trainthe-trainer course is scheduled for

early summer.

“Another Kansas EMSC education

goal is to have an EMSC multi-disciplinary pediatric emergency care conference in October 1998. It will be three

days long and take place in Topeka,

KS. National and regional speakers

will present on prevention, emergency

care, and other issues.” 

For additional information, 

call Shank or Joe Moreland at 

(913) 296-7296.

Kentucky

In addition to passing EMSC state

legislation (see “Public Policy

Update”), Kentucky’s EMSC project

will be implementing a new pediatric

course. Instructors with the EMSC

project attended the master’s pediatric

education for paramedics (PEP)

course in Florida, with plans to start

teaching PEP in mid-summer for prehospital providers.

Pediatric education in Kentucky

has been progressing quite well. EMSC

project staff have conducted 19 prehospital pediatric provider/instructor

courses for approximately 600 EMTs.

Twenty-one AHA PALS courses for

more than 300 physicians, nurses,

and paramedics have been conducted,

along with nine PALS instructor

courses. An advanced pediatric life

support course for physicians is

scheduled for the fall of 1998 under

the direction of Dr. Julia Martin from

the University of Kentucky Medical

Center. The Kentucky EMSC project

has now held pediatric training courses in all 14 area development districts.

Theresa Elza, RN, clinical coordinator for the Kentucky EMSC project,

continues to survey the parents

and/or caregivers of children 17 and

State of the States •

Gr

antee Up ad oC et

nr er

•

State of the States •

Gr

a

ntee Up ad oC et

nr er

•

G

H

Colorado

David Miller and Michael Merrill

of the Emergency Medical Services for

Children (EMSC) Colorado project

announce that Governor Roy Romer

officially proclaimed May 10-16, 1998,

as EMSC Week. Since 1994, the EMSC

Colorado project has successfully

obtained a proclamation designating

the week prior to emergency medical

services (EMS) Week as EMSC Week.

EMS organizations around the state

are notified of the official recognition

and are encouraged to conduct local

activities to help educate and inform

target audiences during the statewide

celebration. Several communities have

participated in EMSC Week. Children’s

Hospital in Denver celebrates both

EMS Week and EMSC Week by holding

an open house.

For further information, contact

Merrill at (303) 692-2994 or e-mail:

michael.merrill@state.cous

Connecticut

Emergency medical technicians

(EMTs) represent an untapped

resource for injury prevention work in

Connecticut. In order to encourage
q

n

EMSC News SUMMER ’98 11

under who have sustained severe

injury, traumatic brain injury, or

spinal cord injury. The purpose of the

survey is to determine how many of

these types of injuries occur, track the

progress of children over time, identify barriers to follow-up care, and

develop ways to prevent other children from being injured. To date, Elza

has conducted 23 six-month and 21

one-year surveys.

For more information, contact

Coy Harris at (502) 866-2121 or email: kyemsc@duo-county.com.

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania EMSC Research project staff are busy with the Injury

Circumstance Evaluation (ICE) Study,

an emergency department-based surveillance system designed to identify

problems in pediatric traffic-related

injury among pedestrians, bicyclists,

and occupants of motor vehicle crashes. As an example, the study is used

to identify environmental risk factors

present to urban child pedestrians.

Incident locations where these pedestrians were struck are geomapped on a

computerized map. Preliminary

results show clusters of injury sites

along busy roads and near schools.

The circumstances of these

injuries are contained in the ICE database and are analyzed for patterns of

injuries at these sites. Additionally,

sites with clusters of pedestrian

injuries are visited and in-depth analyses of the environment are performed

to identify factors that contribute to

the high rates of pedestrian injury. 

For further information, contact

Flaura Winston, MD, at (215) 590-5208

or e-mail: flaura@mail.med.upenn.edu.

Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico EMSC reports that it

has developed a basic and an

advanced pediatric emergency training

course for prehospital and emergency

department personnel. What makes

these courses different from other

EMSC training programs is that both

are in Spanish and both involve prehospital and emergency department

attendees who participate in several

lectures and workshops together and

take part in two simulated pediatric

emergency crises (drowning and car

crash). The objective is to work as a

team. Participants also have another

session in which roles of participants

are discussed. According to one participant, that part of the course “has

been an incredible opportunity to

understand and value the work of our

teammates that sometimes we underestimate.”

After the third day, the basic

course group leaves and PALS is

offered to the advanced group. In

addition, Puerto Rico EMSC and

Puerto Rico Safe Kids joined efforts to

support community initiatives on

injury prevention through the campaign AEIOU, Save a Child. Puerto

Rico EMSC offers a one-day training

course four times a year and Safe Kids

provides the audiovisuals and written

materials and pays for a CPR trainer.

For more information, call Lillian

Rivera, MD, at (787) 756-3274.

South Dakota

South Dakota’s EMSC project

reports that training for Native

American providers in prehospital

pediatric care and injury prevention

will be presented at the United Tribes

Technical College in Bismarck, ND,

from June 15-17, 1998. This is the

designated training site for Native

American programs in a four-state

region, and the second annual training

event that involves the College, the

Native American Injury Prevention

Coalition, and the South Dakota 

EMSC project. 

The EMSC project hopes to continue this valuable program to provide

education for the many medically

underserved communities within area

reservations.

For further information, contact

Dave Boer at (605) 357-1371 or 

e-mail: dboer@sunflowr.usd.edu.

EMSC Needs Your Help!

T

he Iowa emergency medical 

services for children (EMSC)

coordinator, Katrina Altenhofen,

has been battling systemic Lyme

Disease for the past several years. 

The situation is now life threatening.

This disabling disease has affected her

cardiovascular, immune, and central

nervous system. Currently, she is

undergoing an experimental drug 

therapy similar to chemotherapy.

Because of this drug therapy regimen,

this humorous bubbly, energetic

woman, mother, and wife has been 

left with multiple complications and

massive medical bills. 

If this weren’t enough, at least

one of her sons has similar medical

complications. 

The EMSC Program continues 

to be built by great people dedicated 

to making the lives of children happier

and longer. We should never lose sight of

helping our own in their times of need.

In an effort to help Altenhofen

and her family, the EMSC National

Resource Center has established a

fund in her name. All donations will

go directly to Katrina Altenhofen. The

EMSC National Resource Center will

not receive any part of the fund.

Individuals interested in making a

contribution should send it to:

Washington State Bank 

c/o “Katrina Altenhofen EMSC Fund”

PO Box 311

Washington, IA 52353.
12 EMSC News SUMMER ’98 

session was Randy Ogden, battalion

chief of the Tucson Fire Department

and director of the Arizona EMSC

project. The EMSC Program dedicated

the Congress to Ogden’s son, Eric, 

who was tragically killed less than six

months ago. Ogden came to the

Congress to remind attendees of the

real significance of their work— to

serve and protect the needs of children. 

Closing the General Session was

a performance by the Children’s

Choir of the Washington, DC-based

Zion Baptist Church. Their uplifting

voices prepared, motivated, and most

of all reminded attendees that children were at the center of their hard

work and dedication.

Day Two Highlights: The

Momentum Never Stops

The video energized attendees

but it was the words and thoughts of

children that permeated their hearts

and minds. Three fifth grade students

from Washington’s M.V. Leckie

Elementary School presented poems

and recitations to highlight and support the hopes and dreams of today’s

youth. The recitations were a perfect

segue to Plenary Speaker Victor

LaCerva, MD, author of Pathways to

Peace: Forty Steps to a Less Violent

America. LaCerva’s unique trademark

is his ability to blend humor with candid discussions on violence prevention.

His remarks focused on the role health

providers can play in preventing intentional violence. 

At a noon luncheon, five individuals and one state were recognized for

their dedication to improving the way

emergency care is provided to chilWilliam Robinson,

MD, MPH, chief medical

officer of the Health

Resources and Services

Administration, spoke

about the relationships

that are critical to the

success of the EMSC

Program. Specifically, he

discussed the successful

collaborative efforts

between the Department

of Transportation and the

Department of Health and Human

Services and encouraged attendees to

develop lasting relationships with professional and consumer organizations.

The final speaker for the morning

Congress (from page 1)

Bill Robinson, MD, MPH, addresses attendees at Opening Session.

M.V. Leckie Elementary School students express

their hopes and dreams.

Using children’s shoes, Victor LaCerva, MD, introduces attendees to the young girls and boys who

lost their lives to violence.

Children’s Choir of the Washington, DC-based Zion

Baptist Church are rewarded with a standing ovation.

Randy Ogden reminds attendees how important it

is to serve and protect all children.
EMSC News SUMMER ’98 13

dren. The EMSC National Heroes

Awards was created to recognize the

contributions exceptional people have

made in saving kids’ lives and to identify role models for others in the

EMSC field to emulate (see corresponding article, page 4).

Day Three Highlights:

Preparing for the Challenge

Challenges for children in a

changing health care environment was

the focus of the Closing General

Session. It featured Larry Bedard, MD,

president of the American College of

Emergency Physicians; Patricia Salber,

MD, physician director of National

Accounts, Kaiser Permanente Medical

Care Program; and Judy Waxman, JD,

director of government affairs for

Families USA. Fitzhugh Mullan, MD, a

renowned pediatrician and former policymaker for the Health Resources

and Services Administration, delivered

the remarks to close the 1998

Congress. He led a provocative discussion on the challenges that children

face on the front lines of our changing

health care system. 

The 1998 National Congress

offered more than 45 cutting edge

and Child Health Bureau division

director, announced that a second

National Congress will be held in the

year 2000. The Washington metro

area will once again serve as the host

city. “This Congress has met and

exceeded all expectations,” explained

EMSC Project Officer Jean Athey,

PhD. “We came here for the children.

That’s what we’ve dedicated our work

to—protecting children, and ensuring

that they have a system of care that

serves their needs. This Congress sets

the stage for bigger and better things.

I look forward to seeing you all in the

year 2000.”

educational sessions, including: general sessions; concurrent sessions; a

poster session; and research seminars, featuring the latest findings in

pediatric emergency care. In addition, attendees had the opportunity to

explore the latest products and services in emergency medicine during

the EMSC Exhibit Showcase.

Approximately 45 child health organizations, agencies, and vendors from

around the nation exhibited.

The National Congress on

Childhood Emergencies proved to be

an exciting and dynamic conference.

More than 90% of conference attendees agreed that they planned to use

new model programs, initiatives,

and/or clinical care programs learned

during the Congress. Attendees left

the Congress with a renewed commitment to service, lasting bonds of

friendship, and a selfless quest to better serve the community, its families,

and, most importantly, its children.

Looking Forward 

to the Year 2000

During the Closing General

Session, David Heppel, MD, Maternal

“From time to time, our

demanding work lives

may cause us to lose

sight of what we’re

really trying to do. 

So, let’s take advantage

of this time together 

to redirect our thinking

and to renew our 

commitment to our

children.”

EMSC Project Officer Jean Athey, PhD.

THANK YOU 

The EMSC Program would like to thank

the following organizations for their

support in ensuring the success of the

1998 National Congress on Childhood

Emergencies: 

General Motors

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Smith-Kline Beecham Pharmaceuticals

National Fire Protection Association

Agency for Health Care Policy and

Research

Fitzhugh Mullan, MD, closes the Congress with a 

discussion on the changing health care environment.

Attendees pay close attention to a product 

demonstration by Ferno, one of 45 exhibitors 

at the Congress
14 EMSC News SUMMER ’98 

T hrough the National Heroes

Awards, the Emergency Medical

Services for Children (EMSC)

Program seeks to identify, honor, and

reinforce the activities of exceptional

individuals who have dedicated themselves to transforming the way emergency medical care is provided to children. Beginning in 1998 and each year

thereafter, the EMSC Program will

honor individuals for their extraordinary contributions to improve 

children’s health care. 

Nominations for the 1999 National

Heroes Awards are now being accepted.

Listed below are the names of the

awards to be presented.

• EMSC Project Coordinator of

the Year Award, given each year to

recognize an individual who has made

significant and unparalleled strides 

in integrating the needs of children 

into their state’s emergency medical

services system.

• EMSC Provider of the Year

Award, given each year to recognize

an individual for his or her accomplishments in achieving the highest

level of care for children within their

community.

• EMSC State Achievement

Award, given each year to recognize the

EMSC project team that has had a significant statewide impact, plus a major

regional influence on the advancement

of pediatric emergency care.

• EMSC Parent Volunteer of the

Year Award, given each year to the

parent who provides particularly meritorious service.

• EMSC Community Partnership

of Excellence Award, given periodically to a local business that does the

most to promote the interests and

objectives of the EMSC Program.

• Innovation in EMSC Product

or Program Development Award,

given periodically to recognize a

unique product, publication, or program designed to educate or advance

pediatric emergency medical care.

The EMSC Program offers three

additional award categories, which are

presented periodically. Information on

when to nominate individuals for

these categories will be featured in

future issues of EMSC News.

• State Legislator of the Year

Award, given periodically to recognize

elected state officials who have championed the cause of pediatric emergency medical care. When the award

is given to a governor, it is called the

Governor of the Year Award.

• EMSC Lifetime Achievement

Award, given periodically to recognize

an individual who has devoted much

of his or her life to advancing emergency medical care for children.

• Excellence in EMSC Research

Award, given periodically to an individual (who is just beginning a research

career in pediatric emergency medicine) for his or her outstanding achievement in conducting and analyzing 

significant EMSC research.

Nomination forms for the 1999

National Heroes Awards are available

by contacting the EMSC National

Resource Center at (202) 884-4927.

The form also can be downloaded

from the EMSC web site (www.emsc.org). The nomination forms must be

postmarked by Friday, September 4,

1998, and sent to: National Heroes

Awards, EMSC National Resource

Center, 111 Michigan Avenue, NW,

Washington, DC 20010-2970. 

All entries will be reviewed by the

EMSC Advisory Board in September

1998. Award winners will be

announced at the 1999 Annual

Grantee Meeting and published in

EMSC News.

“Beginning in 1998 and

each year thereafter,

the EMSC Program will

honor individuals for

their extraordinary contributions to improve

children’s health care.” 

Nominations for 1999 National Heroes Awards 

Now Being Accepted
EMSC News SUMMER ’98 15

Welcome to the EMSC News

column “Latest Library

Additions.” This section highlights articles written by emergency

medical services for children (EMSC)

friends and colleagues. The EMSC

National Resource Center encourages

grantees, emergency medical providers,

families, and volunteers involved in

pediatric emergency medical care to

read these articles for the latest information on EMSC activities and

research. Discover what others in the

EMSC field are doing and share in their

successes. 

Also included is a short bibliography of products considered to be of

particular interest to the EMSC community. If an interesting publication

or product (written or produced within

the last 18 months) has crossed your

desk, please contact the EMSC

National Resource Center Librarian

Linda Pierce at (301) 650-8015;

lpierce@emscnrc.com. Notices or

copies of journal articles, books, videos,

and reports on EMSC-related topics

should be mailed to: EMSC National

Resource Center, Linda Pierce, 111

Michigan Avenue, NW, Washington, DC

20010-2970.

NOTABLE ARTICLES BY EMSC

FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES:

Allen, Ken; Ball, Jane; and Helfer,

Bryna. “Preventing and Managing

Childhood Emergencies in Schools.”

Journal of School Nursing 14.1

(February 1998), 20-24.

Athey, Jean; Henderson, Deborah;

O’Malley, Patricia; and Ball, Jane.

“Emergency Medical Services for

Children: Beyond Lights and Sirens.”

Professional Psychology: Research and

Practice 28:5 (October 1997), 464-470. 

Gausche, Marianne. “Education 

of Prehospital Providers in Pediatrics:

National Task Force Studies EMS

Pediatric Care.” JEMS 23:3 (March

1998), 74-76.

Maternal and Child Health Bureau.

“TBI State Demonstration Grants.” The

Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation

13:2 (April 1998), 66-77.

Neal, Wayne and Kieffer, Suzanne.

“Preparing Pediatric Home Care

Patients for a Medical Emergency.”

CARING Magazine (May 1998), 85-88.

Phillips, Regina. “Teaching TRIPP:

A Valuable Resource Instructors Can

Use.” JEMS 23:3 (March 1998), 64-67.

Seidel, James, et al. “Guidelines

for Pediatric Equipment and Supplies

Latest Library Additions for Emergency Departments.” Journal of

Emergency Nursing 24:1 (February

1998), 45-48.

NOTABLE PUBLICATIONS CROSSING

THE LIBRARIAN’S DESK 

American Psychological Association.

Training EMSC Providers in Violence

Prevention. American Psychological

Association, January 1998.

Arizona Department of Health

Services. Arizona Emergency Medical

Services for Children Strategic Plan.

Phoenix, AZ: Arizona Department of

Health, 1997.

Coleman, Mirean Fisher. Risktaking Behaviors in the Emergency

Department: The Social Worker’s Role

with Children and Their Families.

National Association of Social

Workers, 1998.

Eastham, James N. et al. A

Leadership Guide to Quality

Improvement for Emergency Medical

Services Systems. Washington, DC:

U.S. Department of Transportation’s

National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration, Division of Emergency

Medical Services, July 1997.

Perez, Kelly. Emergency Medical

Services for Children. Denver, CO:

National Conference of State Legislators,

February 1998.

private product. MCHB’s David Heppel,

MD, and Jean Athey, PhD, and National

Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s

Garry Criddle, RN, CDR, agreed that

this and several additional issues need

to be addressed by both the private

sector and the federal government

before moving forward. The general

consensus was that this issue is not 

so overwhelming that it couldn’t be

undertaken. Everyone involved must

be prudent and studious to assure the

integrity of all parties involved. Further

meetings focusing on the business

aspects of this concept will be convened

at a later date.

The North Carolina Department of

Health, Office of EMS in collaboration

with Duke University Medical School

will begin reviewing which three or

four individual tools should be evaluated

initially. This process will include project design and methodology advice

from MCHB, the American Academy 

of Pediatrics, the American College 

of Emergency Physicians, and the

Committee on Pediatric Emergency

Medicine, as well as DOD, the FDA,

and various other groups. 

The EMSC National Resource

Center wishes to thank all participants

for the extremely high level of input

provided. Updates on the progress 

of the project will be forthcoming in

future issues of EMSC News.

Questions concerning pediatric 

color-coding should be addressed 

to Bob Waddell at (202) 884-4927;

rwaddell@emscnrc.com.

Color Coding (from page 9)
IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER

n

EMSC National Resource Center

1998

111 Michigan Avenue, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20010

September 10-15

North American Congress of Clinical Toxicology

Orlando, FL

Contact: American Association of Poison Control Centers 

at (202) 362-7217

September 13-15

Second National Conference on Shaken Baby Syndrome

Salt Lake City, UT

Contact: American Academy of Pediatrics at (801) 393-3366

September 13-19

National Rehabilitation Awareness Celebration Week

Contact: Bea Mott of Allied Services at (717) 348-1498

September 26-28

Family Health and Fitness Days U.S.A.

Contact: Carole Klein-Alexander of the Health 

Information Resource Center at (847) 816-8660 or 

(800) 828-8225

September

Baby Safety Month

Contact: Kathleen Byer of the Juvenile Products 

Manufacturers Association at (609) 231-8500

September

Children’s Eye Health & Safety Month

Contact: Alice Kelsey of the Prevent Blindness 

America at (847) 843-2020 or (800) 331-2020

June 13

After Shock: Vision to Action, The Future of EMS

Yorkdale, Toronto, Canada

Contact: (306) 586-2140

June 28- July 1

NASN Annual Conference

San Diego, CA

Contact: National Association of School Nurses at (207) 883-2117

July 8-10

NAEMSP Mid-Year Meeting

Incline Village, NV

Contact: National Association of EMS

Physicians at (913) 492-5858

August 14-18

APA Annual Meeting

San Francisco, CA

Contact: American Psychological Association at (202) 336-6020

August 16-25

National Rehabilitation Week

Contact: Bea Mott of Allied Services at 

(717) 348-1498

September 9-13

ENA Annual Meeting

Denver, CO 

Contact: Emergency Nurses Association at (800) 243-8362

••••••••••• •••••••••••