EMD Resource Allocation and Prioritization 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When two Priority 1 calls arrive simultaneously, what should primarily guide the dispatcher's resource assignment decision?
- The order in which calls were received
- Geographic proximity of available units only
- The nature and severity of each emergency based on determinant codes (Correct answer)
- The caller's ability to communicate clearly
Correct answer: The nature and severity of each emergency based on determinant codes
Determinant codes reflecting the nature and severity of each emergency drive resource priority when simultaneous calls compete for limited units.
Question 2: What is System Status Management (SSM) in emergency dispatch?
- A protocol for managing radio frequencies during peak hours
- A dynamic deployment strategy that pre-positions units based on predicted call volume and location (Correct answer)
- A method for tracking individual dispatcher performance
- A system for documenting post-incident response times
Correct answer: A dynamic deployment strategy that pre-positions units based on predicted call volume and location
SSM dynamically positions units across a service area to minimize response times by anticipating where calls are most likely to occur.
Question 3: A BLS unit is en route to a low-priority call when a cardiac arrest is reported nearby. What is the dispatcher's best action?
- Allow the BLS unit to complete its original assignment
- Divert the BLS unit to the cardiac arrest and reassign the low-priority call (Correct answer)
- Request mutual aid for the cardiac arrest without redirecting any local units
- Wait until the BLS unit completes its call before reassigning
Correct answer: Divert the BLS unit to the cardiac arrest and reassign the low-priority call
A cardiac arrest is immediately life-threatening and justifies diverting an en-route unit from a lower-acuity assignment.
Question 4: What is the primary purpose of a tiered response system in EMD?
- To limit the number of units dispatched on every call
- To match the level of medical resources to the documented severity of the emergency (Correct answer)
- To ensure all calls automatically receive ALS regardless of acuity
- To allow dispatchers to indefinitely delay lower-priority responses
Correct answer: To match the level of medical resources to the documented severity of the emergency
Tiered response aligns resource intensity with patient acuity so that ALS capability is conserved for calls that truly require it.
Question 5: Under what condition should a dispatcher request mutual aid from a neighboring jurisdiction?
- Only after every local unit has returned from its current call
- When local unit availability is exhausted or call volume exceeds local capacity (Correct answer)
- Whenever a call involves more than two patients
- Only at the direct request of on-scene personnel
Correct answer: When local unit availability is exhausted or call volume exceeds local capacity
Mutual aid is activated when local resources cannot meet demand, ensuring continuous coverage without a service gap.
Question 6: All available units are committed when a new life-threatening call is received. What is the most appropriate dispatcher action?
- Hold the call silently until a unit becomes available
- Activate mutual aid, provide pre-arrival instructions to the caller, and identify the unit with the shortest remaining commitment (Correct answer)
- Downgrade the call priority to reduce urgency in the queue
- Advise the caller to seek their own transport to the hospital
Correct answer: Activate mutual aid, provide pre-arrival instructions to the caller, and identify the unit with the shortest remaining commitment
When no units are free, simultaneous activation of mutual aid and caller instructions maintains patient safety during the coverage gap.
Question 7: When is it appropriate to upgrade a BLS response to also include an ALS unit before units arrive on scene?
- Whenever the caller sounds panicked or distressed
- When dispatch information reveals ALS-level indicators such as unconsciousness, chest pain, or respiratory failure (Correct answer)
- Only after the BLS crew requests an upgrade from the scene
- When the location is more than five miles from the nearest hospital
Correct answer: When dispatch information reveals ALS-level indicators such as unconsciousness, chest pain, or respiratory failure
ALS-level chief complaints identified during the initial call warrant pre-emptive ALS dispatch rather than waiting for BLS assessment.
