Western Mass Emergency Medical Services, Inc.

Meeting: P.I.E.R. Committee

Date: February 20, 2002

Place: McCallum Building Living Room, CDH, Northampton

Presiding: Michael Clapp, Chairperson

Called to Order: 7:00 PM

Adjourned: 7:58 PM

Attendance:

Present – Steve Chandler, Deborah Clapp, Michael Clapp, Stephen Cote

Excused – Marc Dion, Tom Dunphy

Guests

Minutes: First meeting, no previous minutes

Action – None.

Old Business

No Old Business

Action – None.

Reports

None

Action - None

New Business

Mr. Clapp welcomed those present who introduced themselves and spoke briefly of their understanding of the direction PIER in our Region. Each of us has had different experiences in trying to bring the EMS story to the public's attention.

It was agreed that the first order of business was to generate more interest in the committee and to attract more members to benefit from their ideas and thoughts. Two people had expressed interest in the committee but were unable to attend this evening.

Action: Each of us will endeavor to recruit new members for committee. It will be announced again at the next Regional Council Meeting.

State P.I.E.R. Committee

Mr. Cote described the function of the State (EMCAB) PIER committee and the "Heartsafe Community" project about to be launched this spring.

Action: Mr. Cote will continue to report on activities at the State level

Who are we trying to reach?

It was stated that we might find ourselves targeting several different "public" communities who have different contacts with the EMS system. For example the "public" that requests our help via 911. What are their expectations of service? How does that match their experience as a patient or customer?

There is the perception of the public as taxpayers…what is it that they think they are purchasing? Do they understand what it is we can really deliver? Do they still have "Johnnie & Roy" in mind?

There is the rest of the medical community. Relations between EMS and more traditional or "in-house" medical services are often impacted by lack of understanding of our mission.

Finally there is the EMS community itself. We ourselves are often unaware of events and accomplishments within EMS across the region; we can become insular within our service areas.

Methods of increasing Public Interest

Several concepts were brought up including:

• Creating information packets and leaflets for public distribution
• These could be left at key medical and public locations (ED's, Libraries, City Halls)
• Packets could be made available to EMS provider services to be used in their own PR programs. Wider distribution may be achieved in this way.
• Offering a course for potential Public Information Officers (PIO) who will then be able to provide accurate and coherent information at scenes and incidents.
• Ms. Clapp related her experience with just such a course some years ago and displayed the textbook from that course.
• Each of us could relate an example of poor public perception as a result of mishandled contact with the media and the public at crucial times.
• Developing a "Speakers Bureau" of accomplished communicators who are knowledgeable in EMS. This list could be drawn from to provide information to the public or through EMS services.
• Speakers for Service Clubs (Exchange, Rotary, Lions' Club)
• Speakers for School groups, Career Fairs, PTA meetings.
• Addressing Senior Services Triads
• Members of panel discussions in communities seeking improved EMS delivery.
• Newsletters for disseminating information within the EMS community
• Awards and accomplishments
• New developments or technology deployed in the Region
• Educational pieces and papers
• Media contacts to "get the word out"
• Qualified personnel to be contacted for background on EMS stories
• Person to person interface with media representatives
• They might not do an uninformed, or worse "hatchet job" on EMS if they personally know the caliber of EMS people and the system's standards.
• Let media professionals do part of our job in a wider market.
• A system of press releases should be instituted and "plugged in" to media.

Special promotions

It was mentioned that we should address the hidden status of our EMS Scholarships and the EMS Survivors Funds. All good works that nobody, even within the system, knows about.

Summary

The final thoughts at this first meeting restated our need to increase membership on the Committee and to define our mission.

Adjourn: A motion was made to adjourn, seconded and approved unanimously. Next meeting 3/20/02

Stephen J. Cote, Recorder