EMS Safety and Prehospital Emergency Care of Animals.

Abstract

Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel frequently encounter animals in situations ranging from injured law enforcement canines (LEK9s) to pets with smoke inhalation injury. In recent years, several US states have enacted laws that legally allow EMS personnel to provide basic emergency care to certain animals. Currently, nine states allow some type of emergency medical treatment and/or ambulance transport of animals by EMS, and five states limit liability for vehicle damage resulting from rescuing animals trapped inside. Despite this expanding body of legislation encouraging EMS to assist animals, EMS personnel are not typically trained in the safe handling or medical treatment of animals. Interaction with veterinary patients can pose serious injury and infectious disease risks to untrained EMS personnel. Furthermore, relationships with veterinarians must be built and treatment and transport protocols must be developed for EMS agencies to appropriately care for these animals. This report serves as an initial framework from the veterinary perspective for EMS consideration regarding current legislation, safety concerns, transport protocols, and common life-saving treatments in the prehospital emergency care of animals. Increased collaboration between EMS personnel and veterinary professionals provides an opportunity to develop quality training programs for EMS and to improve disaster preparedness of the whole community.