Birmingham Regional EMS System

The Birmingham Regional Emergency Medical Services System (BREMSS) is a multi-jurisdictional agency, established by UAB, that coordinates and improves pre-hospital medical emergency response by facilitating communication with medical response agencies, 911 centers and hospitals. BREMSS processes information from 911 centers and paramedics and directs trauma, cardiac and stoke patients to the trauma center or other facility that will give them the best chance of survival. The system's executive director is Joe Acker.

BREMSS system includes 174 emergency medical services organization, eighteen 911 call centers, seventeen hospitals, and over 2,800 emergency medical technicians in 80 municipalities across 6 counties. Over 1.2 million residents live within the systems service area, and, on average, the system responds to 200,000 emergencies each year.

In order to coordinate so many variables, from the type of emergency, to location, to the availability of beds and specific patient-care capabilities at particular trauma centers, BREMSS utilizes proprietary LifeTrac software developed by Forte', a Birmingham-based software company.

In the event of a major medical event such as a tornado, train crash, terrorist attach, or disease outbreak, BREMSS has the capability, through its Trauma Communication Center (TCC) to link all area hospitals over secure radio channels, allowing for rapid exchange of information. Communications services are provided to BREMSS by SouthernLINC Wireless.

In July 2006, BREMSS was given the Homeland Security Award from Mitretek Systems and the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Beginning in 2007, BREMSS has been contracted by the Alabama Department of Public Health to expand to a statewide service, beginning with the addition of the Huntsville region.

References

• Cunningham, Russell (September 2006) "First Response: Our Emergency Medical Services System is one of the best." Birmingham Magazine. Vol. 46, No. 9, p. 322
• "Alabama to Route Specialty Care Patients." (October 2006) EMS Insider. Vol. 24, Issue 10,

External link

• BREMSS website