Annual Report Information
The Office of Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) provides leadership, direction, and expertise in the coordination of resources that focus on the unique needs of children and their families, in a manner that facilitates the efficient and effective delivery of out-of-hospital, hospital, and restorative care statewide. These resources include injury and illness prevention, clinical protocols, standards of care and facility regulation, quality improvement and data analysis initiatives, interagency collaboration, and initial and continuing education for professionals across the continuum of care that promotes the health and well-being of children, youth, and families in Maryland.
EMSC is responsible for coordinating state-level advisory committees, leading federal grant projects, and collaborating with numerous state and local agencies in work focused on childhood health promotion and emergency care for children and their families across Maryland.
EMSC coordinates the state Pediatric Emergency Medical Advisory Committee (PEMAC) and its subcommittees, as well as the State Pediatric Quality Improvement Committee (QIC) and the Pediatric Data Analysis and Research (DART) Team. PEMAC meets bimonthly. EMSC staff participate in the National Association of State EMS Officials (NASEMSO) for the Safe Transport of Children in Ambulances and lead a number of committees and organizations supporting the safety and care of children.
Pediatric Readiness
The Pediatric Readiness Emergency Department collaborative was initiated and held webinars for both nurse champions and physician champions. This collaborative includes Maryland ENA, Maryland AAP and Maryland ACEP members along with other interested professionals in advancing Pediatric Readiness in emergency departments across Maryland. Additional Pediatric Emergency Medical Advisory Committee (PEMAC) workgroups focus on injury prevention and pediatric disaster emergency medicine and preparedness. The MIEMSS’ Pediatric QIC and DART meet bimonthly and support the PEMAC Annual Research Forum each November. One function of the Pediatric QIC is to coordinate the Pediatric Base Station Course for Maryland’s two designated Pediatric Base Stations, which provide statewide coverage for online and offline pediatric medical direction and community education. The course is currently being updated for an online platform and updated to include new protocols and the resources available through C4 for Pediatrics (C4P).
Pediatric Readiness Report Document
State Partnership Grant
The Office of EMS for Children (EMSC) received a new four-year EMS for Children State Partnership Grant from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau/Health Resources Services Administration of the US Department of Health and Human Services. For 19 consecutive years, grant funding has focused on the continued integration of pediatric readiness into both hospital EDs and EMS throughout the Maryland EMS system, using both the federal Maternal Child Health Core Performance Measures and the federal EMS for Children Performance Measures, and supported pediatric education for prehospital and hospital emergency healthcare professionals (see Pediatric and EMS Hospital Education, below). In alignment with Maryland EMS Vision 2030, these new grant goals focus on Pediatric Readiness in Emergency Departments, Pediatric Readiness in EMS Agencies, Pediatric disaster preparedness across the emergency care continuum, and the involvement of family advocates with outreach to widen the dissemination of the Right Care initiative (described later in this report).
EMSC Grants Page
Pediatric EMS Champions/Education
As part of the EMSC State Partnership Grant, the Office of EMS for Children (EMSC) supports and enhances the work of the EMS Operational Programs’ Pediatric EMS Champions. Pediatric EMS Champions are EMS clinicians selected by their respective jurisdictions as EMS clinicians who are representative of their communities and passionate about the care and treatment of pediatric patients. As part of their role, Pediatric EMS Champions offer and/or promote pediatric continuing education opportunities, support pediatric safety and prevention programs, and encourage the use of current pediatric care guidelines. In FY 2023, Pediatric EMS Champions finalized the development of five pediatric medical scenarios and wrote an additional five pediatric trauma scenarios. The Pediatric EMS Champions use these scenarios in their jurisdictions to ensure EMS clinicians across the State have access to pediatric skill development and training. The content developed will move Maryland toward meeting the federal EMSC performance and training measures. In addition, the federal EMSC EMS Survey conducted in 2023 requested all EMS agencies to respond to the EMS performance measures with 100% participation by Maryland EMS Operational Programs.
Pediatric Education Resources Page
Pediatric EMS and Hospital Education
EMSC offers pediatricfocused EMS and ED courses, nursing seminars, and training sessions through continuing education and other skill-development opportunities to nurses and EMS clinicians across Maryland. In FY 2023, educational topics included vehicular injuries associated with unrestrained children; cannabis exposure in pediatrics; management of pediatric cardiac arrest; pediatric respiratory emergencies; tracheostomy care; fireworks-related pediatric burn injuries; neonatal resuscitation; pediatric trauma assessment and management; pediatric cardiac assessment; and pediatric drowning.
In addition, EMSC offered the Pediatric Education for Prehospital Professionals, Fourth Edition (PEPP-4) hybrid course for ALS and BLS clinicians, both as a standalone course in Central Maryland and a pre-conference program at the Miltenberger Emergency Services Seminar, resulting in an increase in clinician confidence. EMSC likewise hosted a twoday Certification in Pediatric Emergency Nursing review course in Western Maryland for exam preparation, continuing education hours, or both.
Pediatric Education for Prehospital Professionals
Child Passenger Safety and Occupant Protection Healthcare Project
Funded by the Maryland Highway Safety Office, the Child Passenger Safety and Occupant Protection Healthcare Project (CPS) seeks to reduce the incidence of injuries and deaths in Maryland due to vehicle crashes or in-and-around-car events. Educational efforts include proper and consistent use of car safety seats, seat belt use for passengers and caregivers, and occupant protection. CPS promotes active CPS certification among EMS clinicians and hospital workers through incentives such as continuing education and free registrations. The project provides car seats and specialized restraints to healthcare clinicians to meet transport and community safety needs.
Child Passenter Safety Page
Safe Kids Maryland and Maryland RISK WATCH®
Coordinated by the Office of EMS for Children (EMSC), MIEMSS is the lead agency for the Safe Kids Maryland state coalition. In FY 2023, Safe Kids Maryland hosted statewide educational meetings with seven local coalitions and 13 community partners. In partnership with the Maryland State Firemen’s Association, Office of State Fire Marshal, and Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute, EMSC supported the Public Fire & Life Safety Educators Symposium in Community Risk Reduction in March. Safe Kids Maryland promoted educational media to raise awareness of the risk to children if left in cars.
Safe Kids Maryland maintains membership to the Maryland division of the American Trauma Society, Maryland State Emergency Nurses Association (ENA), Partnership for a Safer Maryland, and the Maryland Trauma Center Network (TraumaNet). EMSC facilitated distribution of resources and educational materials from both Maryland Highway Safety Office grants to reach rural, suburban, and urban communities in Maryland. These collaborations provide consistent information on injury prevention to MIEMSS’ Regional Advisory Councils and the Pediatric Emergency Medical Advisory Led by EMSC and the Family Advisory Network (FAN), Maryland RISK WATCH® remained in collaboration with the Office of State Fire Marshal, the MSFA Fire Prevention and Life Safety Committee, and other significant jurisdictional partners in FY 2023. Displays were made available for children, families, and local injury prevention advocates to learn current injury prevention strategies for home, school, and within their communities.
The FAN Council, in partnership with Safe Kids Maryland, designed and distributed over 45 Safe Sleep interactive displays to Safe Kids coalitions and partners, three chapters of Maryland ENA, and all Pediatric EMS Champions. These displays provided the most current Maryland and national data on SUID deaths (SIDS, suffocation and unsafe sleep environments) and updated 2022 American Academy of Pediatrics policies.
Safe Kids Maryland Page
Bike Safety Project
Funded by the Maryland Department of Transportation’s Maryland Highway Safety Office (MHSO), the Bike Safety Project (BSP) coordinates the production of new educational materials; frequent social media communications; development of new partnerships; and distribution of bike helmets and educational supplies to EMS, Fire, Rescue, and Emergency Department professionals across Maryland. The project completed its sixth year of MHSO funding in FY 2023. This year, BSP distributed over 1,100 bike helmets for children, youth, and parents through local Safe Kids partners, trauma coordinators, and Pediatric EMS Champions, bringing BSP’s total helmet distribution over the last six years to 5,200. BSP developed and shared a variety of media, participated in both live and online programming, and in-person training in a variety of venues to disseminate important information about bike safety throughout Maryland communities. This included posters, video PSAs, social media posts, and quarterly articles in Maryland EMS News. The in-person training and seminars were conducted at the Maryland Emergency Nurses Association annual conference, the Mid Atlantic Life Safety Conference, the Public Fire & Life Safety Educator Seminar, and the Maryland State Firemen's Association Annual Convention.
Bicycle Safety Project Grant Page
Right Care When It Counts
The Office of EMS for Children’s (EMSC) Right Care When It Counts Awards recognize children and youths in Maryland who have demonstrated “the right steps to take” in an emergency or preparedness for an emergency. In May and June, eight children and youths were recognized for their actions to assist another citizen during an emergency. This year, six children received certificates for providing the Right Care when It Count. Regions I, II, and IV each had two children recognized for actions such as performing CPR, calling 9-1-1 and providing care until paramedics arrived, and applying the use of an AED.
Right Care When It Counts Page