The Emergency Medical and Fire Calls During Severe Weather Events

Effective fire and emergency medical service (EMS) response to medical calls during extreme weather events is an important public service. Public health risks become even more critical during extreme weather events, and hence, fire and EMS systems must consider additional needs that arise during weather events in order to effectively respond to and treat patients. I will characterize how the volume and nature of EMS and fire calls are affected during extreme weather events, focusing on the 2009 - 2010 Nor'easters and Hurricane Irene.