Delaware Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC)

Current Grant

Delaware’s current EMSC Partnership funding is at the maximum allowable amount of about $130,000 per year. Funds are used to support the program staff and expenses necessary to oversee and implement the program’s goals and objectives.

Accomplishments

• Completed the initial phase of Delaware Pediatric Emergency Care Facility Recognition Program

Education

• Partnered with the duPont Hospital for Children to provide ten Special Children’s Outreach and Prehospital Education Courses (SCOPE) courses were provided across the state in the past year with over 250 participants attending.
• Provided disaster preparedness training to over 150 child care center directors and in home child care providers.
• Conducted pediatric emergency preparedness training and protocols for physicians offices across the state.
• Implemented the Risk Watch childhood injury prevention program in 734 classrooms across the state.
• Partnered with the Delaware SAFE KIDS Coalition for the last four years to provide an annual childhood injury prevention conference aimed at teachers,nurses, EMS personnel and child care providers.
• Provided pediatric education annually at the Delaware Volunteer Firemen’s Association convention to over 250 emergency care providers.
• Partnered with Easter Seals of Delmarva implementing a program to identify children with special needs for emergency responders.
• Developed an interactive CD-ROM for EMS training “Triaging Kids During a Disaster.”

Policy

EMSC, located in the Office of EMS, is working with the Delaware Fire Prevention Commission to address pediatric equipment needs on ambulances. EMSC provides pediatric emergency care experts to assist in development of emergency care protocols in Delaware.

Partnerships

Delaware EMSC has been actively involved in joint projects with over 20 different organizations and state agencies to promote pediatric emergency care and to enhance emergency preparedness.

Delaware EMSC:

• Is supported in part by the duPont Hospital for Children since 1997. Federal grant funds pay for two full-time employees and duPont pays for one full-time employee to support improving pediatric emergency care statewide.
• Developed a Coalition made up of over 60 people statewide interested in improving pediatric emergency care in Delaware. This Coalition is led by Maria Carmen G. Diaz, MD, FAAP, FACEP, and supported by other pediatric emergency physician experts from the duPont Hospital for Children, our only pediatric tertiary care facility in the state.
• Partnered with the duPont Hospital for Children, Delaware State Fire School, the Fire Marshal’s Office, Children’s Fire Safety Foundation, Department of Education, Delaware State Police and the SAFE KIDS Coalition to implement Risk Watch in classrooms statewide.
• Partnered with Family and Workplace Connection, American Red Cross, the Office of Child Care Licensing, New Castle County Emergency Management and the Delaware Emergency Management Agency to develop a disaster preparedness curriculum for child care agencies in Delaware.
• Partnered with the Department of Education to provide Managing School Emergencies Courses for School Nurses statewide.

For more information, please contact the program office.

• Return to Delaware EMS homepage