Preparedness,
Prevention and Safety 

Wisconsin EMS is closely integrated with Hospital and Public Health Preparedness.

The Wisconsin Hospital Emergency Preparedness Program supports hospital emergency preparedness planning and response to mass casualty incidents or pandemic events. 

Wisconsin’s public health preparedness program supports and enhances the capacity of the state, local public health departments/Tribes, and the healthcare system to prepare for public health threats and emergencies through planning, exercising, responding, and training.  Public health is better equipped, has improved its response plans, is planning regionally as well as locally, is training staff, and has exercised the public health response plans across the state. 

In a public health emergency, it is frequently EMS that has first contact with those affected. In hospital disaster response, EMS is called upon to assist within the hospital as well as transporting patients to other facilities away from the disaster.  

Below you will find guidance and planning documents to assist in your services' preparedness, prevention and safety efforts:

General

• Needlestick Prevention Act: EpiPen Use
• OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen Exposure Control Plan
• High Visibility Garments Webinar (Exit DHS)
• TB testing and Guidelines for EMS personnel
• Best Practices for Protecting EMS Responders during Treatment and Transport of Victims of Hazardous Substance Releases (PDF, 1502 KB)
• Safety Engineered EpiPen

Pandemic Flu

• Use of EMS Personnel in Public Health Immunization Clinics
• Numbered Memo Series 09-05: H1N1 Informational Powerpoint, Guidelines for 9-1-1 Call Centers, N-95 Mask Re-use (PDF, 19 KB)
  • H1N1 Information Powerpoint (PDF, 668 KB)
  • Guidelines for 9-1-1 Call Centers (PDF, 70 KB)
  • N-95 Mask Re-use (PDF, 67 KB)
• Numbered Memo Series 09-04: Guidelines for EMS operations, 9-1-1 dispatch support and personal protection during respiratory related and infectious transports (PDF, 55 KB)
• Numbered Memo Series 09-03: Swine Flu Infection Outbreak (PDF, 53 KB)
• Wisconsin Officials on Alert for Swine Flu 
• EMS Pandemic Influenza Guidelines for Statewide Adoption (Exit DHS)
• Preparing for Pandemic Influenza: Recommendations for Protocol Development for 9-1-1 Personnel (Exit DHS)
• Interim Guidance for Cleaning Emergency Medical Service (EMS) Transport Vehicles during an Influenza Pandemic (Exit DHS)
• Wisconsin Pandemic Flu Site (Exit DHS)
• Pandemic flu information for EMS (PDF, 348 KB)
• Healthcare Worker Influenza Vaccination: A Matter of Patient Safety

Diseases

• Avian flu information for EMS (PDF, 348 KB)
• Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)
• Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)

Preparedness

• Hospital Emergency Preparedness Program
• Wisconsin EMS Mass Casualty Incident Response Planning Guide (PDF, 578 KB)
• Wisconsin EMS Mass Casualty Incident Response Planning Guide (Word, 757 KB)

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Last Revised: October 21, 2011